When Peter Mansbridge's people called looking for a historian to pontificate on the proposal to change the words of the national anthem, I suggested they should find some women historians to talk about it. They did, and now I'm in the clear, and just as happy about it. There must be better subjects on which to go National.
But I heard a woman saying she hasn't sung "all thy sons command" anytime in the forty years. And that seemed to suggest the way to go on this anthem thing. Those who feel that way should sing louder. Sing the anthem the way you believe it ought to be sung, and the rest of us will listen. If we build some consensus around "in all our hearts command" or something, then Parliament could easily follow. I'm a House of Commons, representative government guy on most things, for sure, But having the politicians tinker with all the national icons whenever they need to create a diversion seems all wrong somehow. Let the people speak on this one.
The wording to the national anthem seems like a ideal subject for a Facebook uprising or something. Any politico-techno geek type out there want to take it on?
