海角大神

Is it time to ditch 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥�?

The U.S. national anthem was written by Francis Scott Key 鈥撀犅爓ho enslaved people. The seldom-sung third stanza includes these lines: 鈥淣o refuge could save the hireling and slave / From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave.鈥�

As Americans question every racist facet of their history, some are calling for an anthem that better represents the nation鈥檚 values. And some are calling for an end to playing the song at sports events. Major League Soccer says it won鈥檛 play the anthem at a tournament next week. And a semipro soccer league in Tulsa, Oklahoma, also made the same call this week, saying, 鈥渢he song .鈥�

What鈥檚 the right approach here? I don鈥檛 know. But this rendition of the U.S. anthem 鈥� without the third stanza 鈥� suggests one path forward.

Madisen Hallberg, a senior at Portland State University, was recently practicing for a graduation ceremony. Emmanuel Henreid, a trained opera singer, was walking by and spontaneously joined in. The resulting symbolizes what our nation needs now, Ms. Hallberg told ABC News. Rather than trying to 鈥渙ut-sing the person next to you,鈥� we should 鈥� and harmonize with them.鈥�