Ozzie's Weekend Poll #89 (Happy Easter everybody!)

ozziepost

G'day all,

So, how's this long weekend going for you? Not too many out witnessing, eh? Do you wonder how you ever found the time? Yeah, I know, for most of youse lot it's still got a day to go!

I think most people take the opportunity of visiting family, but, of course, for some of us that's not possible thanks to the Borg, so what've you been doing?

Apart from going to a church service, we've attended a wine seminar and the Sydney Easter Show. This is like an institution for city and country folks alike in New South Wales. http://www.eastershow.com.au

There are many events to watch, including a re-run of "The Man from Snowy River" which you may have seen in the Olympics Opening Ceremony. One event we attended was an international woodchop tournament with teams from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Since it was an international event, the national anthems were played. Alongside us was a family consisting of mother, father wearing bushman's hat and three children. Whilst everybody else around them stood, they remained seated. Stony-faced they sat simply staring straight ahead. You know what it's like, don't you? I got to thinking about how stupid it all really was and how offensive it can look. I'm no nationalist (Ozzie's an internationalist!) but respect is due to the "superior authorities" - even the Borg teaches that.

Which brings us to this weekend's poll question, which is:

How did you feel when you remained seated during the National Anthem?

1. Embarrassed

2. Nervous

3. Scared

4. Triumphant

5. Confident

6. Proud

7. Weak

8. Wishing you were somewhere else!

9. Missed it - I was in the toilets!!

10. Dazed

11. Trying to remember if this was "present truth".

12. Happy to hear the song.

13. Other (please detail)

We're looking forward to reading your reminiscences.

Enjoy.

Cheers, Ozzie

Shutterbug

I felt like an idiot, stupid. Bug

blondie

#9

I was very careful about already being in standng position or coming in late at events where the anthem was played. I finally realized that people stood for the anthems of other countries out of respect.

I don't imagine the Canadians stay seated when the US anthem is played at a sporting event with a both a Canadian and US team, such as baseball or vice versa. Am I wrong? So how is it showing allegiance to another country? It's showing respect.

Blondie

talesin

I'm no nationalist (Ozzie's an internationalist!)

Me, too !

1. Embarrassed

2. Nervous

3. Scared

8. Wishing you were somewhere else!

10. Dazed

13. Other (please detail) Puzzled, I don't understand devotion to a 'country'. After all, it's just an 'accident of birth', isn't it????? I still don't stand for the anthem, well sometimes I do just cause it's the *done thing*, but what does it mean? I choose to celebrate ALL cultures, after all, each one has its good and bad points, so what's the big deal?

tal

Hapgood

G'day Ozzie, Happy Easter!

when the anthem was played I did my duty as a jw and stayed seated but this is how I felt,

1. Embarrassed

2 Wishing that I was somewhere else.

I like bugs response, I sure felt like an idiot.

Hapgood

Momofmany

13. Other (please detail) My mother told me we were to stand out of respect, but not to sing along. So we always stood.

Joyzabel

1., 2., 3., 8. & 10.

The last time we were caught in public during the national anthem was at the Houston Astrodome, during a monster truck rally! (can you say rednecks???)

We were hassled the whole evening after sitting through the national athem. Those redneck boys sure know how to drink loudy.

I'm soooo glad that I will never be put in that situation again. I sing along now!

Joy

Mulan

1. Embarrassed

2. Nervous

Dave usually ducked out just before, leaving me with the kids to watch. When I had a baby in my arms, I figured people around me understoody my sitting through it.

Once we were at an outdoor concert (Oak Ridge Boys at the big fairgrounds) with another JW family. There we were, 11 of us sitting for the anthem. That time I threatened Dave not to leave me there. The people in front of us asked us why we didn't stand for the national anthem. One of my cousin's boys, a very self righteous teenager, future Bethelite, told them we were JW's. They just smiled and said "that's what we thought", and that was the end of it. Whew!

By the way, that self righteous teen is now like all of us. Another Whew!

Soledad

I always stood for the anthem. I didn't care.

ozziepost

I always stood

with the bruvvers and sisters??

Ozzie's Weekend Poll #89 (Happy Easter everybody!)

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