Was Gabby Douglas Wrong In Rio

Twitter went nuts when Gabby Douglas didn't put her hand over her heart as our national anthem was played at the Rio Olympics. She was widely criticized as being "disrespectful" during the medal ceremony and had to apologize.I didn't understand the controversy. I don't remember that gesture when we sang the "Star-Spangled Banner"--or tried to--in my K-12 years. Did people even do it when I went to MSU football games in the late 1980s' I don't recall seeing it. So I was thinking that maybe this was a practice that spread after 9/11, that holding your hand over your heart during the Pledge of Allegiance had somehow migrated over. It turns out I was wrong. According to the US Code, there actually is a prescribed way to listen to the national anthem, and the instructions date back to 1942:171. National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner, conduct during playingDuring rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.However, these regulations don't incur penalties if you ignore them, and they're actually titled "Patriotic Customs."Which might explain why there've been arguments and disagreements about whether she should or shouldn't have done what the other medal winners did during the playing of the anthem. Anne Garside is communications director for the Maryland Historical Society, which houses the original manuscript of the "Star-Spangled Banner," and she has a sensible approach to the issue. She's said "the tune of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' was originally a drinking song. If they can put the words to the tune of a rousing drinking song, to quibble over whether you put your hand over your heart is really ridiculous." But beyond that: "I think the bottom line is that you show respect with your demeanor. Whether you put your hand over your heart, hold your hat at shoulder level or waist level, is really in this day and age irrelevant."Unless, of course, you're in the public eye and want to avoid a tweetstorm.Lev Raphael is the author of 25 books in genres from memoir to mystery which you can find on Amazon. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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