Mixed Signals on the National Anthem

The President wants the national anthem sung in English. But, according to Mara Liason at NPR, "The U.S. government appears to be promoting a number of foreign language versions of the national anthem. The State Department Web site posts four Spanish versions and Secretary of State of State Condoleezza Rice says she's heard rap, country and classical versions."

It has been reported on the Internet that in his book, American Dynasty, "Kevin Phillips notes that during Bush's first presidential campaign, he would often sing the national anthem in Spanish. From pg. 142: 'When visiting cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, or Philadelphia, in pivotal states, he would drop in at Hispanic festivals and parties, sometimes joining in singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in Spanish, sometimes partying with a 'Viva Bush' mariachi band flown in from Texas.'"

That same Internet site, BoingBoing, reports that we have translated the US national anthem for a long, long time. There are translations into Spanish, German, Yiddish, French, Navajo, and Samoan. You may comment!