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Dear Editor:
The PBS News Hour recently featured their annual collage of solo and choral group military service men and women singing “Feliz Navidad.” It was inspirational and just what many of us needed to end another COVID-19 year.
The Super Bowl is coming up, and someone will sing the National Anthem. Someone else will perform the half-time show with lasers, fireworks, near-naked dancers, and maybe a giant, mechanical beast that the headliner will ride while singing. There’s probably not much we can do about that, but could we consider a military soloist or choral group to sing the National Anthem for a change? There is no shortage of gifted, poised singers in the military as the News Hour segment proved. Who knows? The practice of presenting more military singers before other sporting events might catch on.
Instead of another ego-drenched “interpretation” of our anthem, how about letting our service men and women give it a try? The song is, after all, about selflessness, not self-promotion.
America has bigger problems. But until we rediscover how to get along with each other, can we at least treat the National Anthem with respect?
Jim Newton
Itasca, Ill.
I totally agree. I have made that suggestion to others for years.