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No National Anthem At Lincoln Memorial?
A group of high school students attending a conservative leadership conference in Washington, D.C. said they were ordered by a security guard to stop singing the national anthem during a June 25 visit to the Lincoln Memorial.
Audio clip:
“They told them to stop singing,” said Evan Gassman, a spokesman for the Young America’s Foundation. “I was taken aback. You wouldn’t expect a display of national patriotism to be censored.”
U.S. Park Police confirmed that the students were in violation of federal law and their impromptu performance constituted a demonstration in an area that must remain “completely content neutral.”
“The area they were standing in and singing is an area that is restricted for this type of activity,” said Sgt. David Schlosser. “The United States Park Police is absolutely content-neutral when it comes to any sort of demonstrations in these areas.”
Schlosser explained that performances, regardless of content, are banned to “maintain a contemplative and reverent area for the Lincoln Memorial, for the other guests and visitors.”
The incident occurred on June 25 as students were taking a monument tour of the nation’s capital. The decision to sing the national anthem at the memorial was a spur of the moment event, according to Shawn Balcomb, of Richmond Hill, GA.
“We got maybe two lines in and a police officer came over and he was yelling,” Balcomb said in a telephone interview. “He quieted us down.”
Balcomb, 17, said the officer told the group they were being too loud.
“I was dumbfounded,” he said. “I didn’t realize there was something wrong with singing the national anthem.”
Schlosser said the students would have been in compliance had they moved approximately 25 steps from where they were standing.
“It’s not the content of their activity – that being the national anthem – it’s the location,” he said. “A couple steps and it would have been no problem whatsoever.”
Instead of doing as they were instructed, Gassman said the students resumed the song – an impromptu form of civil disobedience.
“If their idea of civil disobedience is singing the national anthem, then so be it,” Gassman said. “Let them disobey.”
YAF posted video reportedly shot just after the alleged encounter with the security officer. It shows students loudly singing the anthem.
“That’s the most offensive thing out of all this,” he said. “They really did not provide the students a reason.”
In May, a group of Christian students was allegedly ordered to stop praying outside the U.S. Supreme Court building because a court police officer told them it was against the law. However, a spokesperson for the Court said they did not have a policy prohibiting prayer.
Balcomb, who is a high school senior, said they didn’t intend on creating a ruckus – they just wanted to show their patriotism.
“It’s not like we sounded great or anything,” he said. “We just wanted to pay respect to our nation – in our capital.”
Schlosser, who commended the students on their musical ability, said the students were not cited and to his knowledge no report was filed.
“We need to make certain that all other visitors that don’t want to be a part of that or just choose to be tourists are able to do so in the same light that probably President Lincoln wanted – which is completely content neutral,” he said.
LibsAreTraitors
August 9, 2010 at 6:37 pm
A president sets the national tone and this is what we get when those running things are America-hating Commies. People wanted "change"… well, they got it…
Lib motto: Respect and tolerance for everything except patriotism and Christianity… opposing views…
chirhi
June 1, 2011 at 2:12 am
Actually, this has nothing to do with the Obama administration. About five or six years ago (so right in the middle of Bush's second term), I was in high school and went with my choir to D.C. We also began to sing in the Lincoln Memorial and a guard ran over, arms waving, screaming that we were not allowed to sing in the memorial. At that time, we were given absolutely no reason and were forced to go outside and find a place that was far enough that they wouldn't object. It was pretty neat, though, because everyone in the memorial followed us out to hear us sing.
DixT
August 9, 2010 at 8:57 pm
I highly doubt that President Lincoln would agree with the last paragraph! At the end of the Civil War, President Lincoln "commissioned" a band—OUT DOORS—to play the "Confederate Anthem", IN HONOR OF ALL THOSE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE CIVIL WAR!!! The Union Army won that war—but Lincoln wanted TO HONOR the Soldiers of the South, who had put up an extraordinary fight!
JON
August 9, 2010 at 10:38 pm
I LOVE IT!!! KEEP IT UP! I AM A YOUNG CONSERVATIVE MYSELF! I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING! GREAT JOB!
orkinman
August 10, 2010 at 7:59 am
I agree that the students SHOULD be able to sing the National Anthem when, and whenever they want, but a good part of showing our patriotism is to follow the rules. It is a terrible indictment that such a rule exists but the students should've banned together and petitioned for change and THEN sung their heads off in victory.
Ed!
August 10, 2010 at 12:13 pm
They didn't know there was a rule on it. It also still violates the First Amendment.
Ed!
August 10, 2010 at 8:08 am
The US Park Police need to read the first amendment. In stopping the performance, the police violated the first amendment rights of these students. This was not a demonstration, and if you cannot sing the national anthem there. Perhaps the kids should have recited the Gettysburg Address and see if the police try to stop the words President Lincoln himself had spoken.
mossdale
August 10, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Content neutral speech restrictions on public property are permissible under the first amendment. As the park police said, the purpose is to keep the memorial quiet. It is supposed to be a contemplative space.
Miss Smith
August 10, 2010 at 8:19 am
So I guess if Martin Luther King were there today, they wouldn't let him sing "We Shall Overcome"?
Grandma5
August 10, 2010 at 8:26 am
Good for those students – it is so wonderful to see young folks expressing their love and respect for this country. We are under siege in this country and if we don't soon wake up, all of our freedoms will be compromised. U.S. citizens should be allowed to sing our national anthem at any location in Washington, D.C. they choose. Bravo, kids! And by the way, it was beautiful!
cindyc
August 10, 2010 at 11:16 am
How refreshing to see young Americans want to sing the national anthem…..good job young people..you are an example to all….shame shame shame on the Park Police….if this is doing your job…we clearly need to refine the rules…
d watkins
August 10, 2010 at 12:58 pm
NUTS!
MrB
August 10, 2010 at 3:03 pm
What level of arrogance and narcissism allows this fluid tongued so called president that the ingnorant of this nation installed as our leader to deny anyone the right to say as he or she will.
GOD help this nation if this individual is ever allowed another four years to defrag our constitution.
SoTexas4Sovereignty
August 10, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Lincoln CRUSHED the South in the War of Northern Aggression. It’s only logical that the memorial to one of the greatest constitutional traitors in the repubic’s history should be the scene of this shameful event.
SoTexas4Sovereignty
August 10, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Does anyone find it "unique" that the man who destroyed the South to "save" the Union, and the man who, with his platoon of "czars", is leading the charge to destroy the republic, were both uS senators from the lesser state of Illinois?!!
dougietex
August 10, 2010 at 8:20 pm
its time to take our country back,i tell you the word is out to irritate all those who believe in personal rights. even the apparence of. obama's govt is showing the way to irritate the right and christian and conservative groups. every thing obama's thugs do is to rub his power in your face. wanting violence. they love to use no opportutity
RetArmy99
August 11, 2010 at 4:40 am
It's good to see the youth stand up and know it's right to love their country; there should not be a limit to where you stand…25 steps now, means next time it could be 200, then a mile, and ultimately you can't.
BlackSunshine84
August 20, 2010 at 8:21 am
Watching this video, I feel hopeful for the future, something I rarely feel since the commies usurped the office of POTUS.
Ron
February 18, 2013 at 10:05 am
They make me so proud to be from Georgia! If we didn't have Patriots like these kids we never would have been able to create the USA.