Quote:I get military saluting it's part of life in the military. But most other nations at the Olympics would stand like Gabby did. She was hardly chatting away and ignoring the anthem.


Do you guys get the anthem played at school or something and taught to have your hand on heart? My girlfriend commented on it during the games too, comes across as a bit annoyingly nationalistic to others.

 

Most people have no idea what the military salute is about.  In most cases you are not saluting the person, you are saluting the rank.  It's an act of respect.

 

The same goes when the national anthem is played and the flag is displayed, it's an act of respect.

 

It used to be taught in schools that the national anthem and the pledge to the flag was all about respect for what our forefathers accomplished.  We started from a group of people that were "outcasts" and people fleeing governments that were too oppressive.  Many paid the ultimate price for our freedom (research the Revolutionary War).  It was a war fought on our properties and around our homes.

 

Civilians were taught that the hand over the heart displayed the same respect and admiration for those that fell before us.  This used to be taught at a young age and was a common practice in government public schools.

 

That bit of respect is gone from many in our society today.  Some people and in some cases groups of people have no idea what it's all about.

 

---