What do you think of the black national anthem?

(btw I'm white) When I first heard of the existence of a "black national anthem" I hate to admit I assumed it was going to be a strongly anti-white sentiment, but when I looked up the lyrics I thought they were actually really beautiful with a strong sense of unity. The lyrics are below

"Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won
Stony the road we trod
Bitter the chastening rod
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died
Yet with a steady beat
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered
Out from the gloomy past
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast
God of our weary years
God of our silent tears
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way
Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light
Keep us forever in the path, we pray
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee
Shadowed beneath Thy hand
May we forever stand
True to our God
True to our native land
Our native land"

Voting Results
60% Normal
Based on 5 votes (3 yes)
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Comments ( 15 )
  • LloydAsher

    I just dont think there should be a "race" theme song.

    Boiling down to what country you are apart of is about as specific as you can reasonably get.

    We are all human. No need to divide ourselves on something as petty as skin color. What you believe is something far more important to go to war and discriminate against.

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    • Nightsinwhitesatin

      Ur DEFINITELY white

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    • Anonnet

      Keynote: This song was written in 1900. They were not reasonable times and this was not simply a race theme song. It was written by and for blacks because of the time period.

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      • LloydAsher

        It remains in the past. Though I hope it does not get dredged up as apart of a new movement to consign it as an alternative. As we all live with bad histories. Remaining salty about it will only fester until its repeated.

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        • Anonnet

          Is it too much to ask to lend a little bit of respect in it's direction from a historical standpoint? It's not about being "salty". I've heard it multiple times throughout my life (as a black man), every time just as a hymn to unify over shared experiences of racism (not BLM, or any of the stuff you hear about on the news).

          No one is trying to attack you with it or use it as an alternative, so don't get defensive. If anyone did try to use it for any of those reasons, they would get this same speech.

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    • Nightsinwhitesatin

      Ur DEFINITELY whirlte

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      • And?

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        • LloydAsher

          I mean it's a statement of fact I guess.

          I suppose they assume I'm some SJW type. Opposite of the fact considering im opposed to racism and segregation.

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    • I think it's called the Black National Anthem because the creator(s) is/are black and they needed a way to distinguish it from the regular National Anthem. I agree that calling it the Black National Anthem makes it sound like it's the anthem for black people only but the words suggest otherwise

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      • LloydAsher

        The national anthem in contrast does not mention the persons who built the country. Rather the battle the song was to reminisce about.

        My philosophy has always been "what happened in the past happened, learn, prepare, get over it"

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  • MonteMetcalfe

    United we stand, divided we fall.

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    • Gravybubble

      Pink floyd

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  • Anonnet

    The song is called "Lift Every Voice and Sing", not "Black National Anthem". Written in 1900, it's a very old song, religious at it's core, and is about breaking free from slavery and prejudice.

    You don't have to be black to know this, so I don't know why no one else has said this yet. Someone even voted "Not Normal" on it? Do a Google search, it's one of the first results! This isn't a new thing and it has nothing to do with politics.

    This is very-early-1900s history, do not look at it as if it was written yesterday.

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  • Ligeia

    I don't mind it and let's have a white equivalent!

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  • jethro

    The stupidest thing I ever heard.

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