Anti-American Hockey

"Umm, why have they started playing?"

About a week ago I went to my second Hockey game ever. I was excited, no so much for the hockey game, but because I wanted to sing the national anthem. I’d been practicing you see, and I was ready to impress all my friends with my rich Bass voice and ability to harmonize (The fact that singing was the thing I was most excited about might clue you in to why I don’t attend many sporting events).

Like many Democrats, I’ve learned that patriotism isn’t just for the Right anymore. I, along with my fellow liberals, am starting to get over the uncomfortable feelings associated with a shitload of American flags, a giant bald eagle, or a bunch of drunks chanting “USA! USA!” Now I chant right along (semi-ironically of course).

However, after the game started I noticed something odd. I hadn’t gotten the chance to sing the national anthem. “No wait that can’t be right” I thought. I distinctly remembered everyone standing; some with their hands on their hearts, while a little blonde girl sang something. “No, that was God Bless America” I corrected myself “God Bless America is not the national anthem.”

Dear readers, I don’t attend a lot of sporting events, so you are going to have to help me out; do they only sing the national anthem at Baseball games? Did I show up late and miss something? Has God bless America become the new national anthem, or can I go back to feeling unpatriotic?