Opinions of the of the song's inclusion in baseball, sorted by respondents’ ranked opinion (1 = no opinion; 2 = strongly dislike; 3 = dislike; 4 = mixed feelings; 5 = like; 6 = really like.) 1 Baseball and America = Mom and Apple Pie. It is not inappropriate. 1 Doesn't bother me, it's OK. 1 Doesn't bother me. Already enthuzism seems to be fading until the next attack. 1 Don't follow baseball that much, but I like to watch once and a while 1 Don't think that it really harms anyone by doing it, so why not, if there are people who enjoy it and/or believe it is important. Frankly I am neither in favor or against the song being removed from the seventh inning stretch. For me personally the song, which holds no value in my mind, has no effect on me. However, since many are able to validate an obligatory and ritualistic need to be patriotic the song should remain. For better of for worse, God Bless America helps many feel better about 1 themselves. I love my county and do not need a song to prove it. 1 I don't care that much one way or the other. 1 I don't pay all that much attention to it 1 I dont go to baseball games-boring 1 I have no problem with the song being played. it lasts 60 seconds. I wouldn't care if it was part of the game or not part of the game. Baseball is America's national pastime, so its some what fitting. However, if it the practice ceased I wouldn't be up in arms about it. The only person who should be particularly upset about it is the away team's pitcher. As a former college pitcher, I would think he would want to get his warm up tosses in as 1 soon as possible, so as to not interrupt his rhythm. 1 I'm not sure why we attach patriotic songs to sports events. I couldn't care less one way or the other. 1 It doesn't bother me that it is sung at ball games, but I can understand that some people take offense. It doesn't bother me. If its the National Anthem or God Bless America, or any other song. I just believe it is great that even in 1 sports we can support our country and those whom put their lives on the line for our freedom. 1 It doesn't matter to me if they do it or not. I will sing along if they do. 1 It is a short song, does not matter too much to me when it is performed in 7 inning stretch. It's a baseball game, not a USA pep rally. Many players (not to mention fans) are not American. Why should they have to 1 proclaim their fealty to America? It's a good song. If it's played it's played and if not, then that's fine too. I just disagree with the people who can't stand it being 1 played during baseball games. It's just a simple song about our nation. People can either sing it or not; I really didnt get sucked into the whole 9/11 patriotism propaganda. It is a beautiful song 1 based on national landmarks and embued with history. I believe it is a farce. There is no need to sing it as a collective audience. I believe it is an excuse for patriotism. I feel singing 2 it does not make one more patriotic, then the other. In my opinion, it serves no purpose at a baseball game. "God" and "the USA" are the last thing on my mind when I want to watch a baseball game. It's beyond inappropriate. So are 2 national anthems in general at sporting events. 2 "god" has no place in baseball for me. "God" should not be forced on people. The song does not specify a religion, but is closely associated with Christianity. 2 People of other beliefs are forced to put up with it, too. 2 "MLB 'we are really patriotic', give us your money". "The Star Spangled Banner" is played before each and every baseball game, which is a patriotic enough display. During Yankees broadcasts on YES, Michael Kay states, prior to Kate Smith's recording, "We stay right here as we honor America." 2 To me it's a very empty gesture. (1) It interrupts the flow of the game. (2) It's not the national anthem, so I should not be told to rise and remove my hat for it. (3) I understand that 9/11 was a tragic event and I personally know those effected by it, however, I don't think that singing 2 this song helps them cope with the loss of their loved ones. (To the tune of god bless america) pro-o-pa-ga-an-da! It has also diminished the concept of the 7th inning stretch and significance of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. In the old Yankee Stadium, they showed the words to GBA on the screen but 2 not TMOTTBG. People now sit down after GBA and ignore TMOTTBG. 1. God has nothing to do with baseball 2. I don't need to be forced into empty patriotic gestures 3. It doesn't jive with my 2 politics 4. Why do we have to stand up for it? Is this church? 2 1. Not all players in MLB are from USA 1) Baseball is a sporting event, no reason for patriotic songs that have nothing to do with the sport or the law to be sung. 2) Not every team in the league is even in America. Do we not want God to bless the Toronto Blue Jays as well? 3) I'd guess that half the players in the majors come from another country. If i were one of those individuals I'd find the playing of this 2 song pretty repulsive. 2 7th inning is reserved for "Take me out to the ballgame". Please no patriotic/religious songs. 7th inning stretch is for take me out to the ballgame. the game opens with the national anthem for a reason. If you want to be 2 patriotic, there are better ways than playing a song that isn't even good. 2 8 years after the 9/11 attacks, being so frequently played at sporting events has diluted its meaning. 2 A baseball game is a profound social event, one where noone should be made to feel awkward or unhappy. 2 A false way to show you love America. A lot of people do find the song political and it is explicitly religious in a place where those discussions don't necessarily 2 belong. I don't play ball in people's churches and would prefer they leave church outside the ballpark. a pretty empty gesture on MLB's part to appear patriotic and assert itself as the standard-bearer of americana. is the national 2 anthem not enough? i would prefer that a more secular song be chosen if one must be sung. and again, the mawkishness. A sporting event is not a place for ths kind of song. I understand that the playing of GBA is supposed to make me feel proud to be an American but it always makes me think that that patriotism is being force down my throat. The National Anthem 2 played before the game is OK- more of a tradition than anything else- but enough with the faux-pride. 2 A stupid, politically-correct, unnecessary addition to the game. Absolutely inappropriate. It totally disrupts the flow of the game and introduces a political elements into an apolitical event. 2 The fact that it's frequently sung by very bad amateur singer makes it even more cringe-worthy. according to baseball tradition and ritual, you stand and remove your cap for the national anthem before the beginning of the game. then at the 7th inning stretch, the only song you are supposed to sing is 'take me out to the ball game'. it's a good 2 formula, why mess with it? addressed above i guess. forcing people to listen to a patriotic song doesn't make people patriotic. Baseball is a game. It's 2 supposed to be a escape from all of the ails of the world, not a daily reminder of it. After 9/11 I didn't have a big problem with it, but it became overkill when it was commonplace across nearly all sporting events. My feelings really changed at Yankee stadium two years later when they blocked the aisles with chains to restrict people from moving during the song. The Yankees still play it EVERY game and I have to force myself to even stand for it. I do not remove my cap if I am wearing one. We honor the nation once with the anthem prior to every game, I stand and 2 remove my cap- it is not necessary to do it again. After 9/11, I thought it was great to add it to the 7th inning stretch. The way we all felt, I definitely didn't feel like singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game. It was perfect. But now that it's done every day, it cheapens the whole thing. It's an ordeal. 9/11 was 8 years ago. I'm at a baseball game. I'm trying to enjoy myself. Put Take Me Out to the Ball Game on and let's play some baseball. Two songs is too much, and it's enough patriotism already. I feel forced to put on a patriotic show, which is annoying to say the least when I'm a paying customer. What all fans share at a stadium is a love of baseball. I don't care how the guy next to me feels about America at the time. I care how he feels about baseball. Let's move on already and 2 stick with Take Me Out to the Ballgame. After 9/11, okay, I get it, especially in New York. But now it seems forced and out of place. And it takes the excitement out of a ball game, brings a lull to the crowd, the players drag themselves out of the dugout, etc. to shuffle in place while the song is 2 being performed. Again, being ``forced'' to feel as if this was a sign of your patriotism. Thought it was a contrived move by Major League 2 Baseball. And people stand for it--when it's NOT the national anthem. 2 Again, forces people to listen to a religious song in a public place. Not the ideal version of separation of church and state 2 Again, I consider it jingoistic, as well as unrelated/irrelevant to baseball (unlike "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"). Again, I object to nationalism and civil religion generally. Baseball has its own place within that religion ("America's game," prominence in the American-capitalist entertainment complex, etc.), so I suppose the song fits the context, but those of us 2 who love the game but hate it typically-American excesses would love these celebrations of a false ideal to cease! Again, it destroys the pace of the games. Baseball doesn't have and doesn't need a mini-halftime show. If teams want to play it, play it instead of the national anthem at the start of the game like the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) sometimes do. I also don't like it when the Yankees tell fans to "offer a silent prayer". I'm going to a baseball game, not a church service. I also don't like that the song has political and religious overtones (to me anyway). A baseball game isn't the proper time or place 2 for it. I go to games to forget about the rest of the world for a bit. Again, it is NOT the national anthem and does not belong in the middle of baseball games any more than the national anthem does. I also dislike that at Pawtucket Red Sox games they play it after the sixth inning ("Please stand and remove 2 your cap") so nobody stands up for the 7th inning stretch, so they have destroyed one of baseball's sacred traditions. 2 Again, it's a prayer. Also, the singers tend to over-emote when singing it and they are just awful Again, just because we have to listen to the song every game does not make us more patriotic. And the fact that it is at every 2 game seems to make it less special. Most people seem to find it annoying and I find it offensive to my atheist views. 2 Again, see my explanation above. Although my brother devised the idea on Sept. 11, 2001, it has outlived its relevance. Play a song - whether the national anthem or America, the Beautiful - that has a majesty worthy of its topic. If a patriotic song must be played during the sevent 2 inning stretch, that is. Playing the national anthem after the home team has taken the field should suffice. Am I a better American because I stand for fie minutes while an overweight Irish tenor sings a song about my country (not 2 his)? I go to baseball games to watch baseball. Period. American is supposed to be about freedom. Yet everyone is FORCED to stay in their seats for the duration of the song. It's 2 illegal to move. Get rid of the song. People don't need to be forced to stand still and sing a song to be patriotic. 2 appears to be political today. Was understandable in immediate aftermath of 9/11 but has no purpose now. As a baseball fan, i started to dislike it more when they would play it in the 7th inning stretch. I'm okay with the song being play b4 the game but not during 7th inning stretch. On another note, it is disrespectful when its being played in major events where people might not be Christians. People go to baseball games to enjoy the 7th inning stretch and sing TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME AND NOT TO STAND AND LISTEN TO GOD BLESS AMERICA. Why not, God Bless Iraq, God Bless Palestine, God Bless Sudan, God Bless Honduras,God Bless Haiti, God Bless Latin America, Africa, Asia. I can guarentee you that if you ask baseball fans, 99% would tell you that they dislike the song being played in the 7th inning stretch. They 2 should just play TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME. THAT IS A TRADITION. DON'T CHANGE IT. 2 As above, it's cheap, faux patriotism. 2 As above, this is a sporting event, not a pep rally. We already sing the Star Spangled Banner. As above. Also, who says God likes baseball? Especially since baseball has become international, many players aren't 2 American. as an atheist i'm not a fan of envoking god into sporting events and feeling pressured to participate (while getting dirty looks 2 for not singing along). As an atheist, I feel that there is no place for God Bless America at any sporting event. It is not our National Anthem and do not apprieciate feeling that I must stand at attention for the duration of the song. Not standing has created an uncomfortable situation for me and my principles when being confronted by others around me. Sing it at private events, churches, etc. not 2 at any public events. No politics or religion at sporting events. As an athiest, it offends me. I can't imagine having everyone stand and sing "I don't believe in God." I don't know how the 2 opposite is OK. As I explained in question 9 (I should have read all the questions before I started), the song has been taken over by those who support the war on terrorism and think that those who don't are not patriotic. Baseball is always making a connection with the military to show it's "patriotism". I don't think that is necessary and wish they would not. It's a game, not a political 2 act. (Well, maybe it is a political act, but that's for another survey) 2 As I mentioned above, we have the national anthem, and singing two intensely nationalistic songs is excessive. As I mentioned before, I already feel manipulated when people play the song outside of the huge stadium televised broadcast experience, so when it is played on such a stage it's even worse. I understand patriotism but I think it comes off 2 as blind faith without reflection or ignorant USA porn. 2 As I remember people werent even allowed to leave their seats. As I said above, I think it is using an experience having little to do with patriotism to condition children: they will always associate the song with baseball, it will make them emotional, they'll equate this with love of country and/or "my country right 2 or wrong." And, it makes those of us who dislike it feel uncomfortbale. As I wrote to Bud Selig several years ago (which he never responded), approximately 16% of the American population is non-religious, a larger share of the population than Hispanics and African-Americans. This song, and the fact that it is treated with the same respect as the National Anthem, is extremely offensive to me, and I suspect a great deal many other 2 people. In addition, it slows down the game even further than necessary. As I've explained previously some of the lyrics can be considered offensive. If baseball wants to "honor" America it should do 2 so. This song "honors" war and Christianity. As stated above, it is primarily because of baseball games that I hate this song. I am an atheist and an American citizen; I do not believe in god and I recognize our one national anthem. At baseball games, however, I am bullied (people yell and throw 2 things at me) and otherwise made to feel like a second class citizen, all because of this awful song. At every game we sing the National Anthem. We get our dose of patriotism there- and it's something we all can engage in. The inclusion of God Bless America breaks up the flow of the game. That bothers me. Plus the political connotation I see in 2 it now bothers me more. I want the song to be that song I remember from childhood- a nice patriotic song- not a hammer. at first, it was a nice sense of pride or whatever, immediately after the attacks. but again, overused, overblown, and ultimately i feel like it is highly inappropriate. as bizarre as it sounds, the singing of that song in a baseball stadium to me is completely un-american. something about a large group of people singing in unison for no particular reason (national anthem at start is fine and has been there forever--this is new) reminds me of a totalitarian regime with goose-stepping soldiers marching 2 through the stadium while the crowd sings for them. 2 At first, it was cool. Folks needed that nostalgic feeling. Now, it's just old. After eight years, can we not move on. At Yankee stadium recently, a guy tried to go the men's room during the singing of the song. The security guards stopped him and when he protested, they roughed him up a bit and threw him out of the park. The name of the song should really be 2 "God Bless America No Matter What". It is pro-war and it does not belong at the ballpark. Back to question #12, only on Sunday--fortunately. Sick to death of the song. Plus, somehow the song got associated with 2 New York City, particularly the Yankees and I am no Yankee fan. Bad enough they play the star spangled banner. I used to be a judge and I worked in courtrooms all my legal career. They 2 don't start court with songs or pledges. 2 baseball and politics are completely different thing. baseball is baseball. politics is... well.. its own world. 2 Baseball games are a public function, and no one should have to have religious opinion forced on them Baseball games are not only for Americans. While I respect that the games are usually taking place in the US, but there are enough other people there to not have to listen to it. Plus Tradition. Always and only take me out to the ball game. That is all I 2 want to hear. baseball games aren't pro-USA patriotic rallies. we sing the national anthem before each and every game. is that no longer enough proof that we are patriotic, hard-working americans? we do not need to sing another patriotic song in the seventh 2 inning. and being forced to stand still for the duration of the song, not allowed to leave until it's over? welcome to fascist city. 2 Baseball games should not be turned into Patriotism rallies. Brings back bad images. 2 Baseball games that feature players and fans from around the world is no place for a song such as this. Baseball has nothing to do with terrorism or the 9-11 attacks. It is not the forum for a political rally against terrorism and for 2 any war. Baseball is a diversion, a reminder of all that is wrong in the world isn't necessary. In addition, it is insulting. I do not need 2 the Yankees reminding me that I owe a debt to the military, etc. Baseball is a sport, entertainment, that stands on it's own as that. It should have no relationship to God or Country. I prefer 2 "Take me out to the ball game". Baseball is a sporting event, meant to be fun. We should not feel sadness for those who sacrificed their lives at a sporting 2 event. There are other places to mourn and take pride in the nation Baseball is a way for people to escape the problems going on in the country. "Take Me Out The Ballgame" is a baseball 2 tradition, and a fun song. To displace the song with a song that people now associate with 9/11 is uncomfortable. We also honor the country with the singing of the national anthem. It simply is unnecessary, and only serves as a reminder to the disastrous situation this country has been in under the last eight years. 2 Baseball is about baseball. It's not about God or politics. Baseball is America's past time sport but that doesnt mean that every Yankee fan has to support the USA. It is very hard to 2 tolerate the version of the song they play every single day. they should have ended it after the first game in the new stadium. Baseball is largely defined by its tradition. The seventh inning stretch is a time for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," not to 2 flaunt any patriotic obscenity Baseball is long enough to begin with. The repeated use has sapped the meaningfulness it originally had. I could say the 2 same for the anthem for that matter. 2 baseball is no place for "god bless america" especially during the seventh inning strech Baseball is not a political event, it is an antidote to the stupidity and hostility of politics. The addition of the song makes every 2 game a recurrence of the 1936 Olympics. Baseball is not just an American game - almost half the players come from other countries. Not all MLB teams are based in 2 the USA. 2 Baseball is sport and entertainment, not a venue for American triumphalism Baseball is supposed to be a place where Americans of all political views can come together and enjoy a non political 2 entertainment hat bonds us in our diversity. Baseball is supposed to be an escape from the problems of everyday life, including politics. The inclusion of a song like this 2 makes me think about things I don't want to be thinking about during a baseball game, and can lead to political arguments. 2 Baseball is supposed to be lighthearted and fun. This song does not belong in that context 2 Baseball is/should be secular. Not only that, but the Blue Jays aren't even American. 2 Baseball should not be a place to express nationalistic or political views. Baseball stadia are not churches, and we as a nation should not be wearing God on our sleeves. Whole crowds stand stiller and quieter for this song than they do the real national anthem. It's hypocrisy. Even Jesus said, "pray like no one is watching." This fascistic display of faux patriotism distills everything the rest of the world hates about the US into one 60- 2 second song. 2 Baseball teams should respect differences of religion. I don't believe in God. Baseball, politics and religion should NEVER be mixed. I do not go to a baseball game to have it interrupt the flow of the 7th 2 inning stretch by having to hear this song versus chatting/dancing/stretching with fellow fans. 2 Baseball, religion, and politics have nothing to do with each other. Forcing everyone into it takes everyone out of the game. Because (a) it's been 8 years since September 11th. Can we please move on? (b) it assumes tht you believe in a god, but 2 also the American jingoistic manifest destiny idea of a god. because a baseball game is a place for leisure and fun, a place a dad can go with their kids, its not a place to make a 2 political statement. play take me out to the ballgame and get me a beer and leave me alone! Because I feel that we already sing the National Anthem at the beginning at games, and I like "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" 2 during the 7th Inning Stretch Because I'm an atheist and think that baseball stadiums should not be converted into religious centers during the seventh 2 inning stretch. Can't we America the Beautiful? At least we can all acknowledge that it is. Because it is a sporting event. The Star Spangled Banner takes care of the nationalistic feel it at the beginning of the game. 2 The 7th Inning Stretch should say: Take Me Out to the Ballgame. 2 Because it is forced on us. 2 Because it makes me resent the song - it feels forced. 2 Because it slows it down 2 Because not everybody in the park is chrisitan or religous. 2 Because of the incident with the fan trying to leave Because, per my previous comment, it is an unpatriotic, religiously objectionable song; because further expanding the seventh inning stretch is unfair to the visiting team's pitcher; and because the national anthem, the "Star Spangled Banner," is already sung at the start of the ballgame, and if fans really want to show their patriotism I believe they should start singing 2 along to the national anthem when it is played. Besides my dislike of the song itself: baseball players are going out there and working their butts off. Say the home team goes out and puts up a big number in the sixth inning and starts building up some momentum. Then they hold the opposing team scoreless in the top of the seventh. Big cheer from the crowd, the team is all fired up. The comeback is almost complete! And now, everyone has to stop and stand perfectly still, caps removed, shedding a tear for this heart-wrenching song. How can they get that momentum back that their bosses just killed? We're here to play and watch a game. That implies FUN. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is fun. Hell, "I'm a Yankee-Doodle Dandy" is fun. Stopping a fun event mid- game for a funeral service is not fun. I can absolutely appreciate the tribute we give to our troops, and am grateful for what they do for us and the world. I believe this is something we should do. Before the game starts. Or, if it has to be during the game, with something that celebrates our soldiers, not mourns them. We took a song like "Yankee Doodle," sung derisively by the British, and made it a badge of honor during the Revolution. We should be defiantly laughing and singing 2 boisterously, celebrating what makes us American. 2 blatant nationalism has no place in professional sports 2 Boring, I came to see a game, not hear Kate Smith on a decades old recording. 2 Bunch of Republican owners sucking up to the Bush Administration. False, enforced patriotism. Completely overcooked it. It's one thing to do it on Memorial Day or the 4th o'July but every Sunday (and EVERY DAY at NYY? REALLY???). Sure I support the troops, but I don't need to be force fed a flag. The National Anthem is enough, and 2 to keep up with GBA just cheapens the song. I don't seem to recall anything about WWII-era fans doing this. 2 Delays the game, is unnecessary. Despite baseball's proud and distinctly American history, I dislike the song for the same reasons I dislike the pledge of 2 allegiance - zombie-like displays of unwavering nationalism. This one just happens to be set to an uninspiring melody. 2 Dislike references to deity. And national anthem is more than enough jingoism for one event. 2 Do I have to write it again, please see responses to Questions 9 and 11. 2 Do most teams still do this? I didn't like it because it made the games longer. 2 Do they sing "The Internationale" at baseball games? Does any other team include this awful song during their seventh inning stretch? Evidently, the Dodgers do, but it is not televised by the local network. At this point, it seems very forced. It's time for New York (and Los Angeles) to retire the 2 song. DOES NOT BELONG AT A BASEBALL GAME. The national anthem has been played at the start of the game, that's 2 enough. 2 Doesn't seem appropriate to have a Patriotic song in the MIDDLE of a sporting event. doesnt' belong in the 7th inning. they already have the national anthem at the beginning. at yankee stadium they have a 2 ridiculous pre amble about praying for troops and stuff. this kind of thing maybe made sense after 9/11 but now it's just silly. 2 Doing it on Sundays is borderline OK, but everyday with the Yankees is terrible. Take Me Out to The Ballgame loses luster. Don't believe in forced patriotism, especially religious patriotism. Also, with so many ballplayers from other countries, isn't it 2 insulting to them? Don't like it at every game. (I also don't like the Star Spangled Banner to be done at every game.) The SSB used to be done 2 on opening day, All-Star Games, etc., not every game. 2 Don't like the forced patriotism shoved down my throat when I'm there to enjoy baseball. 2 Don't like the national anthem at a ball game, either. It's baseball, not a patriotic rally. It's absurd to mix them. 2 don't mix religion, politics and sports 2 Drags out the stretch, way overdone, especially at Yankee Stadium where they do it at every game. 2 Enforced patroitism & enforced religion Enforced, false patriotism. 2001 was fine. Then enough already. Now it is 8 years later and we're forced to endure it over 2 and over. 2 Enough already. Even though I am a born and bred New Yorker who was there on 9/11, I do not like singing the song at baseball games any more than I would want to be lead in a Christian prayer or be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance. It's baseball, for 2 heaven's sake. 2 Every game? Cut it out already. 2 Everyday is way too much and removes any real meaning. False patriotism should not be forced down the throats of spectators. I have also been the target of insults and threats 2 because I refuse to remove my cap during such nonsense. Faux patriotism at it's worst. Baseball should play take me out to the ballgame. The game has so many intl players now 2 that it seems stupid to laud America during a game Feel other songs might be more appropriate. The 9/11 attacks were not about which country God chooses to bless. The use 2 of the song in this forum contributes to an inaccurate sense that America's problems are a part of a Holy war. 2 fine for a year or so after 9/11, but now sound jingo-istic, shallow and reactionary First, baseball claiming patriotism as it's own irks me, especially since they already play the national anthem. Second, I hate that they chose that particular song. How about America the Beautiful or something like that that doesn't involve supplanting 2 the value system our nation was founded on? First, it is sung like a dirge in most instances when it's really a very lively song. It should be a celebration of America, not 2 some cheaply sentimental tear-jerker. Second, it is treated with a reverence that is both ill-fitting and insincere. Following the attacks, the inclusion of the song during the playoffs and World Series at Yankee Stadium just "felt right". Now that it is popping up at stadiums throughout the country, it feels forced. I don't mind it so much when it is included with the National Anthem. However, it bugs me during the 7th inning stretch. The 7th inning stretch is about fun and frivolity, not 2 false patriotism. For me, baseball is an escape. Mixing religion, politics and the military with baseball is a bad idea. Arresting someone for 2 non-GBA participation (another reason to hate the Yankees) is fascist. For one, there's already a patriotic song sung at baseball games. Just because fans can't be bothered to show up on time doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Second, GBA isn't any kind of national anything. It's not a song that you stand and take off your hat for, and I resent the dirty looks I get from people when I refuse to do those things at a baseball game. And besides 2 that, the 7th Inning is for Stretching! Take Me Out To The Ballgame! For the reasons above. I think maybe, briefly, it had a sense of "help us get through this horrible tragedy" in its wake, but it LONG overstayed its welcome and I hate that it's become a tradition to the point where they arrest you if you get up to go to the bathroom. Plus it's become yet another platform for awful American Idol hopefuls to stretch their vocal cords and make all 2 our ears bleed. 2 For the reasons stated above. It is not the National Anthem; it is trite and overused; there are many other interesting patriotic songs. For the same reasons stated in question 9. The song doesn't mean anything, but they sing it at baseball games as if it were some meaningful tribute... to what?? 9/11? It happened EIGHT years ago. What does it have to do with baseball, especially now? And singing it at *every* game somehow diminishes the tragedy. Or, is it an expression of patriotism? I think the 2 national anthem more than sufficiently fulfills that "obligation." 2 forced patriotic displays are insulting 2 forced patriotism - you better sing/respect it, or you'll hear about it from the crowd 2 Forced patriotism and messes with one of my favorite baseball traditions. 2 forced patriotism in sporting events is just wrong- politics out of sports! 2 Forced patriotism leads to meaninglessness 2 Forced patriotism, Why? 2 Forced public patriotism is fascist. Forcing the song upon baseball fans is ridiculous. The national anthem is already sung at the beginning of the game, as if people didn't already know in which country they were watching the game. People go to the baseball game for 2 entertainment, not for jingoism. frankly, it's part of the whole "patriotic" hypocracy that gripped the country following 9-11, and it disgusts me. esepcially what 2 the yankees were doing, blocking people from leaving. glad they got sued. 2 Give me Take Me Out to the Ball Game! Then let's start the next half inning. Given the Star Spangled Banner is sung before every game GBA is redundant. Do 2 songs make us more patriotic or more 2 thankful for this country? God Bless America and the Star Spangled Banner were added to games in times of war. I can understand using one of the songs for a baseball game, but not both. It's overkill. Plus, I'm a fan of 'Take me out to the ballgame.' That is the perfect 7th 2 inning song. 2 God does not belong in a public setting. 2 God doesn't belong in baseball 2 God has no place in baseball God has nothing to do with baseball. Also, it's ridiculous that the Yankees play it at every seventh inning stretch. As a lifelong fan of the team, I feel the gesture is contrived. Do the Steinbrenners think they are more patriotic than the rest of us? 2 The Star Spangled Banner should be enough patriotism for the national pastime. god has nothing to do with baseball. The country is already honored at baseball games with the singing of the national 2 anthem. 2 God worship belongs in churches, not in public sporting venues. 2 Good for the 2001 season-trite since. Has absolutely nothing to do with baseball. While the National Anthem also has nothing to do with baseball and was added 2 during a similar hyper-patriotic time, at least it's a tradition by now. 2 has no meaning whatsoever to the event Has no place at a baseball game or any sporting event. Why should God bless us and no one else? It is like crossing 2 yourself before an at bat or a free throw attempt/ 2 Has no place at a baseball game, the national anthem is enough. 2 has no place in a baseball game, but neither does the national anthem for that matter 2 Has nothing to do with baseball and the games are long enough. 2 Has nothing to do with baseball. See #9 Hearing "God Bless America" in the middle of a game is almost like hearing someone bring up religion or politics at a dinner party: for those of us who don't agree with the prevailing sentiment, it can seem silly (at best) or uncomfortable (at worst.) I can respect playing the national anthem during a solemn moment before the game, but after the first pitch, I just want to relax 2 and have fun... making "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" a much better choice for the 7th inning stretch! Hearing the National anthem is tradition, much like hearing Take Me Out to the Ballgame is during the 7th inning stretch. Replacing real tradition with forced patriotism is annoying. Reading the story of the Yankee Stadium ban to leaving your seat 2 during the song was especially irritating. 2 hogwash has no place anywhere. I (in part) go to ballgames to be part of a crowd that is there for baseball, which is all-American enough. I did not appreciate 2 being hammered about my patriotism, which is what it felt like hearing it there. I absolutely hate that the song is sung during the seventh inning stretch for a number of reasons. 1) The song is about religion. Baseball games are about baseball. If certain players or fans are religious, that's fine, but the MLB shouldn't be making itself a de-facto Christian organization by having that song sung. It's place is not in the ballpark 2) By being sung in MLB parks after Sept 11th, the MLB was saying that this song was representing America. I don't want that song representing me. America has freedom of religion and freedom to not be any religion. The MLB should be about baseball. Not trying to create a national religious or patriotic consciousness. 3) Related to 2, by playing it in parks after 9/11, the MLB was saying that this song represented how the US should be feeling and reacting after 9/11, and that didn't represent my feelings at all. I felt like after 9/11 should have been a time for the world to reach out and come together to overcome the hatred of a few crazed groups, not for us to become wedded to the kind of us-first,God Bless us-not them patriotism that can foment hatred 2 in others. 4) Among the best parts of a baseball game was when they sang 'Take Me out to the Ballgame". You could sing along and do all of the hand motions. Those were some of the very best moments of my childhood. Now many parks don't do 'Take Me out to the Ballgame" because they are singing "God Bless America" instead. It makes me sad. I miss 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame" 5) Once again, what on earth does "God Bless America" have to do with baseball?!?! 6) To me, the song has also come to symbolize our nation's unnecessarily violent reaction to the 9/11 attacks, our subsequent War in Iraq, and the upsurge of social conservatism in the US, especially led by radical Christians, since 9/11. These things make me sad. I go to baseball games to be happy. 2 I already stand for the national anthem, and it's ruining the tradition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. 2 I am a Christian and I feel that faith is something people should be drawn to and not forced into. I am a major baseball fan and I feel that there is no place in the game for rhetoric and ideology of any kind. Even if I agreed with the message of the song I would dislike the fact that is played along with the time-honored "Take Me Out to the 2 Ballgame." I am against any imaginary entities being promoted as real to the primitive minds of the general population, in any setting, 2 including sporting events. I am an American who is an agnostic, liberal Democrat who loves baseball and its traditions. Playing GBA at baseball games offends me three ways - forced worship of a God I don't believe in, forced participation in a political "rally" whose 2 views I don't share, and the extended interruption of a sport that I love. 2 I am an atheist. I don't understand what patriotism and religion have to do with baseball. 2 I am just uncomfortable with this whole notion that God blesses one nation over another. I am sick of it... That is all. Baseball is about fun, every time I hear the damn song now I have to think about Sept 11... 2 ENOUGH! 2 I am tired of it. I understood it immediately after 9/11 (especially in New York), but enough is enough. I attend approximately 10-20 MLB games a year, and I think it is totally unnecessary. In fact, my dislike of the song is directly 2 related to its (unnecessary) inclusion at baseball games. I believe in baseball. I can see it, smell it and feel it. I also believe in the U.S., as I live here, studied it's history and benefit 2 every day from the freedom it affords me. None of these things should have anything to do with a myth. I believe it is a product of the Bush administration attempting to apply their right-wing conservative ideology. It has no business being played at a baseball game. I do not stand for it and I turn the channel when it appears on television. Had it 2 been America the Beautiful, I probably wouldn't have had as big a problem with it. I believe the constant playing of the national anthem and GBA at sporting events takes away from what the impact of those songs should be. Watch the crowd. They leave their hats on (for the anthem), don't pay attention, don't sing. We've turned 2 what should be an important, affirmative moment into a meaningless routine. I believe the song is being employed to support a particular poitical view and I don't think it's safe to assume that everyone at a baseball game shares the same political views. I especially don't like it replacing Take Me Out to the Ballgame, which I 2 think we can all agree is an appopriate song to play at the ballgame. The Yankees really over do it. I can not honestly say I've ever heard the song sung anywhere else besides a baseball game, so all my associations with the 2 songs and similar American songs are with baseball. I can understand some use of the song, but every game? I feel its time people move on... Some teams actually forbid fans 2 from not taking part in the song... which kind of defeats the true purpose of the song. I can understand the patriotism aspect after 9/11, but the usage of this song has run its course. It is not our national anthem, 2 but people treat it that way, which is wrong. I could maybe see this being a 'tradition' with the Yankees and Mets, since they're the ones who used it first. But every other 2 team be forced to sing it? Very annoying. I could understand it initially after 9/11, but we need to move on. Stick with take me out to the ballgame, no need to show 2 some faux sense of patriotism as well. 2 I deplore any propaganda and I like baseball. 2 I didn't know it was added at September 11! I don't agree with this at all. I didn't mind back in 2001, or even 2002, but eight years after the attacks we still hear it when we should only be singing the 2 traditional "take me out the the ball game." Its a religious song, not an American song. I dislike any form of forced patriotism at baseball games. I have always disliked singing the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning, itself added after a time of crisis-- during WWII. I prefer to appreciate my country in ways that are more thoughtful 2 and less coercive. I extremely dislike the religious message. 2 I do associate this song with a viewpoint, and I think it is overly broadcast at games. I do not approve of forced acts of patriotism. Singing the national anthem before games was not a part of baseball's history. It started during the second world war. And should have stopped once the war ended. Games are too long as it is. There's 2 a time and place for everything and with few exceptions (such as July 4) none of this pageantry belongs at a baseball game. I do not believe in God and do not enjoy the message. Also, I feel that this is a shallow/forced show of patriotism, similar to having all politicians wear flag pins on their coat lapels. The song also damages the MLB product (i.e. the games) by extending games that are already lasting longer (by historical standards). I fear that singing God Bless America in the 7th inning is now a practice that can't be stopped. Anyone who suggests that we stop singing this will be called an anti- 2 American. I do not believe it is appropriate. MLB is trying to cloak itself in patriotism for its own self interests. It was a song born during 2 war time and we are not at all in that situation now. I do not like that it is put on par with the National Anthem. By standing, removing hats and covering hearts, I feel like it's givng GBA the same standing as the NA, which I do not like. To me, it lessens the impact/importance of the NA by saying that what we do during that song should be done during any public playing of patriotic songs. I am offended that someone, somewhere, thought if I heard GBA every time I head to the ballpark, I might somehow become more patriotic, as though a 2 song can change my predilection and if I don't like the playing of the song, I'm somehow less of an American then the guy behind me and I hate that someone decided that if I heard GBA on a regular basis, I might somehow become more ok with being attacked by terrorists or war. It's been eight years. It's time to stop. I don't appreciate Organized Baseball's appropriation of God, which is what the song is all about, for use at the ballpark. 2 Given the way the game has been run (for the money, always), the use of the song feels hypocritical. I don't believe that it belongs during the seventh inning stretch of baseball games. It's not about the song having religious 2 overtones, as I am devout Catholic. It's more about the song being incredibly boring. I'd rather hear "America the Beautiful" I don't care about 9/11 when I'm watching baseball, and now the 7th inning stretch lasts 2 hours. Plus the people who sing it 2 are awful. I don't feel that a song touting a mildly Christian belief and is a very slow song about the grandeur of our own nation needs to 2 be sung during a playing of our nation's pastime. Take Me Out to the Ballgame is more than suitable. I don't feel that I should be made to stand and sing a religious song at a game that I spent my money to see. Forced 2 patriotism. 2 I don't feel that the 7th inning stretch is an appropriate time for a patriotic display. I don't go to baseball games for the national anthem and God Bless America. Take Me Out to the Ballgame is a traditional 2 baseball song; the others represent the outside world forcing its way in. I don't go to baseball games to be browbeaten with a superficial and intellectually lazy display of patriotism. I can't imagine 2 how foreign players must feel. 2 I don't go to games to be patriotic. I go to see a game. I don't have a problem with baseball -- and other sporting events -- playing the national anthem prior to the game's commencement. I think singing "God Bless America" during the 7th Inning Stretch is complete overkill and is a bit jingoistic 2 especially when considering that many players are not American. I don't like having patriotism forced down my throat. It also slows things down, by adding an extra 90 seconds-2 minutes to 2 that inning break. Finally, no one sings it very well. Half the time, they forget the lyrics. I don't like it. During the seventh inning stretch I don't have to stand if I don't choose, but it almost feels that if you don't for 2 "God bless america" you'd get mugged. I don't like mixing metaphors. Baseball is baseball, the National Anthem at least makes a weird kind of sense, but GBA? 2 Come on, really? I don't like the feeling that the government is trying to sway public opinion by manipulating baseball fans. The stench of Big 2 Brother hangs in the air. 2 I don't like the forced patriotism and overly religious lyrics. I don't like the mixing of "patriotism" and sporting events. A national anthem at the beginning is one thing. It's something 2 else entirely to use a song like this during the game. 2 I don't like the song because it's offensive. I don't like the song, and I feel like there's an unspoken compulsion to genuflect while it's being sung, which is what the Star 2 Spangled Banner is for. I don't like the way it is forced down people's throats as if it is the National Anthem. Also, "God Bless" really has no place in 2 anything truly about the USA, if it is to be for all of the citizens. I don't see a reason why a sporting event has to turn into a political event/rally, or why a sporting event considers itself important enough (and I'm a HUGE Yankees fan) to become the mouthpiece for patriotism. I'm used to having the national 2 anthem played that I don't mind that so much, but playing another similarly themed song is overkill. 2 I don't see the reason to sing this song I don't think it should be sung at baseball games. The National Anthem before the game and Take Me Out to the Ballgame 2 during the stretch -- now that's baseball. I don't think it's necessary -- we already sing the national anthem before ballgames. I also think that baseball is a truly international sport -- with players not just from the US but from central and south america, the caribbean, japan, korea, etc. -- so why are they playing a song about blessing just america? And why the god message? If you want to sing about how much you love america, why not 'my country tis of thee?' Same message, no religion. A baseball game is just not an appropriate venue. (It is all the more ridiculous when the Orioles follow up a solemn rendition of the song with 'thank god I'm 2 a country boy.') I don't think the song has any reasons for being included in a baseball game. I don't need to stand up and worship America in 2 the seventh inning of a baseball game before we sing a truly American baseball song, "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". I don't understand the point of it just like I don't care for the national anthem being played before every game everywhere. It 2 has nothing to do with the game. 2 I don't want to feel obligated to participate particularly around drunk "Patriots". 2 I don't want to hear any right wing propaganda when I'm at a baseball game trying to relax. I enjoy the National Anthem at the start of games. And as a Cub fan, I don't mind the singing of God Bless America before Sunday games, but it's not a 7th inning stretch song at all. Again, it feels like it's being shoved down my throat when they do 2 it at the stretch. I much prefer Take Me Out To The Ballgame, which fits with the baseball theme at baseball games. I feel as though this is just some attempt to test our patriotism. People are often berated for not removing their caps (although servicemen know they don't have to) during its playing; fights break out if somewhat doesn't show a level of decor that should 2 be reserved for the Star-Spangled Banner. i feel i've covered this mostly in the previous fields, but also, it's a sporting event. let people enjoy themselves at a pretty 2 meaningless event. I feel immediately after 9-11 it was a nice gesture, now it does not serve the same purpose. If it is done it should to 2 emphasize unity in country by all singing not individual performance. I feel it drags out the game. I would probably feel differently if it was sung before the game began such as immediately after 2 the star spangled banner. I feel it is inappropriate to sing a religious song at a baseball game. I should not have religion shoved down my thoat when I 2 am attending a baseball game. I feel it is overdone at baseball games, particularly Yankee Stadium, where it used to be preceded by a prayer for our soldiers serving "to protect our freedom and way of life." They have changed the wording slightly, but the old wording I found 2 particularly annoying, because netither the Afganistan or Iraq comflicts threatened our freedom or way of life. 2 I feel like it mixes politics into sports which is something I cannot stand I feel like it's part of the jingoism that infiltrated baseball. I think it's fine to sing the national anthem or "God Bless America" before the game, but adding a song to the stretch is too much. We know what country we're in, and I think we all like it. Too 2 many displays of patriotism will cheapen the feeling. I feel that it is enough that the National Anthem is played before every game and that it is an example of false patriotism for patriotisms sake. It is overdone. It's annoys me enough that I won't attend Royals games on Sundays, because that is when 2 it is always played. I feel that the emphasis on "God" has no real place at a ball game. I feel it to be divisive. When I don't stand for the singing of the piece... because I am an Atheist, I do not want to explain myself to my neighbor or be the recipient of dirty looks because of my feelings regarding "God". I also feel that this is an opportunity for Christians to wear their patriotism as a badge, a badge that also says... " I am better than you", "if you don't believe the way I do, you do not love your country". I go to the 2 stadium (or to any sporting event) to cheer on my team, not to be confronted with politics and religion. I feel that theres really no need to do so anymore. It was originally added to remember those who lost their lives on 9-11, but I think 8 years later many people have forgotten that already. There are children who go to baseball games who weren't even 2 born back then and have no idea why its sung. I feel the only "patriotic" song that should be sung at ballgames is the Star Spangled Banner before the game, as that is the national anthem. There should be no attempts to force religion or excess displays patriotism onto baseball - baseball is meant to be a refuge from the religious and political debates that so often consume the nation. Also, by no means should a pitcher have to wait for a song to be completed before he could complete his warm-up throws before an inning - the singing 2 of this song often makes pitcher's arms colder and can decrease their level of performance. I feel the same way I feel about the National Anthem being performed at non-international sporting competitions: it's not appropriate. It's becoming more appaling to me with the increasing number of non-U.S. citiznes playing professional sports in 2 the U.S. 2 I feel the song is too religious to be forced upon a large, mixed denomination crowd. I get that its in celebration of America and everything, especially after 9/11, but its such as serious subject and such, kinda 2 brings down the mood of an intense/fun game. 2 i go to a baseball game to see baseball, not to be part of a forced feeling of patriotism. 2 I go to a baseball game, to see a baseball game. I don't think it is necessary. Sept. 11 was eight years ago. 2 I go to a lot of games. I am there to see baseball. Nothing else. I go to about 20 Yankee Games a year, and they still play it every game. I find it unnecessary and slightly offensive as a person who does not believe in the Judeo-Christian God. I feel like the song reinforces that a belief in God is a prerequisite to be a true American or a true baseball fan. Also, I find the fact that other fans yelling at people for not taking their hats off during GBA to be disrespectful to the National Anthem - the only song where American should be asked to remove their 2 caps. I go to ballgames to watch baseball, not to be subjected to a jingoistic expression of support for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, or other things that I have complicated feelings about. I love my country, dearly and devotedly, but whenever they played that song, I felt like an agnostic during Mass. I was uncomfortable with it. Never felt that way at a ballgame before, 2 and I never want to again. I go to baseball games because I want to see baseball games. I don't believe in God, number one. Number two, there's 2 absolutely no reason for it whatsoever. It's entirely uncalled for. 2 I go to games to get away from political and social problems. The attitude brought on by this song is sad. I grew an even greater disdain for the song. Baseball's supposed to be a source of enjoyment. A moment when you can sit back and forget the rest of the problems of the world, grab a beer or 20, and enjoy yourself for a few hours. The song not only put too heavy of an undertone in the middle of a game, but it slotted it right in that moment that's supposed to be the lightest. Singing "Take me out to the ballgame" hasn't nearly been as fun since September 11. I don't mind the religious undertone, nor the mindless pro USA propaganda so much, but this is absolutely ridiculous. We already have the National Anthem to open the game, we've got the flag flying in the outfield... if we must stop the game just to bow down to the great America for a moment so that the politicians can feel like they didn't screw up royally allowing the attacks can happen, at least give us a fireworks show to decent music or something. Laser Cure. Fireworks and smoke while Robert Smith belts out 2 "Killing an Arab" I hate it because during the 7th inning stretch you're supposed to sing along to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". That's it. Singing "God Bless America" just seems cheap and gimmicky. Isn't the national anthem, which, by the way, only got played 2 before major sporting events, such as the world series and all star game, until World War II. 2 I hate it. I hate the faux-patriotism aspect that feels shoved down my throat every single game. An ordinary, non-holiday game is not 2 the time and place for it. And like any pop song that gets overplayed, I've grown to dread God Bless America. I hate the inclusion of the song at baseball games. Whether it's performed by an American Idol wannabe or played on a prerecorded tape, it's completely phony. I generally use this break to run to concessions or the bathroom to avoid GBA, but 2 I like Take Me Out to the Ball Game, which is the only song that should ever be sung during the 7th-inning stretch. 2 I hate the song for one, and can we please keep the stretch baseball oriented. I have never been comfortable with the national anthem before the game and felt that the addition of GBA was inserting 2 jingoism into a non-political event. I was most upset when GBA replaced Take Me Out to the Ballgame, but less so when they are both sung. I just feel it doesn't belong in the 7th inning. The tradition is "take me out to the ballgame" not "god bless america" Its weird, it 2 shouldn't bother me but it does. I like it and don't mind it being played once in While like on the 4th of July, but we have a national anthem and it is already sung at the start of the game. There is no need for the patriotism that this poses as. Real patriotism is in what you do, not in 2 symbolic gestures. I like Take Me Out to the Ballpark better. Plus, I'm not entirely comfortable with the whole post 9/11 God Bless America 2 sentiment it's supposed to represent Also, people perform the song terribly when they do sing it, with all the false sentiment. I like the old tradition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and feel that injecting GBA into the mix adds a political and religious 2 tone that I find offensive. I like the tradition of "Take me out to the Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch, so I'm not a fan of replacing it with this song. Plus, as I've said, it's an annoyingly sacchrine song. Most importantly, I resent having the religious element forced upon me 2 during baseball. I love baseball and intensely dislike the turn to the right this country has taken in the last 9 years. I do not want baseball and 2 any politics mixed. I only heard it during Toronto Blue Jays games at the Skydome, and it was silly because they were playing it in a foreign country that, while respectful of what happened on 9-11, felt awkward listening to some song they were not familar with, 2 especially knowing that there was no way a Canadian would ever hear "Maple Leaf Forever" in Yankee Stadium. 2 I paid to watch baseball. I can respect my country my own way on my own time. 2 I prefer to sing the upbeat "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Luckily the A's don't do it anymore. I rarely meet people who think about religion, using songs like this in public formums is innapropriate. It creates intolerance 2 for anyone who is not Christian, b/c that is the religion most ppl blindly follow in the U.S. I really don't like it because it's not part of baseball tradition. I feel that baseball (and other sports) already have the national anthem sung at the beginning of the game, and that's the way we have long honored our country through sports (as far as I can remember, anyways). To me, the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" has long been more "sacred" to the game of baseball and the seventh inning stretch, and trying to squeeze another song in there for the sake of so-called patriotism, I particularly don't like. And what I really really don't like is that it gives semi-professional or amateur singers the chance to come out and sing again, after they already did the National Anthem, and (usually) spend the song trying to show off their voice rather than do a simple reading of it to honor the country like the song is sort of intended to do. Instead it becomes just another way for the singer to do some runs on notes, drag out the song, try and impress the fans, rather than do what the 2 owners, who supposedly want to do this out of patriotism, want to do. I repeat it's faux/symbolic patriotism. People don't know the words to our national anthem (many teams don't even put the 2 words on the jumbotrons), talk during the anthem, etc. But they shush people who don't stand at attention during this song. I sort of got why it was played after 9/11 but now it is just overkill (especially at Yankee Stadium where they play it every day). Similarly, I don't understand why the National Anthem is played at all. We don't play it before a concert, play, etc. 2 Why at sporting events? I strongly dislike forced patriotism. I think that it cheapens any meaning it does have by making it into something you go 2 through the motions with in a baseball game. I strongly prefer that baseball teams and players keep their political positions to themselves. I don't care if Curt Schilling or John Smoltz is a Republican, but I don't want to find out that my beloved Andy Pettitte is, too. And God Bless America is a 2 Republican anthem. 2 i think "take me out to the ballgame" is more appropriate and less political I think a better song that would include all Americans is O Beautiful which is a lovely song about the whole U.S. that has no mention of God or religion. It's about the majesty of our country. But I don't really think any song needs be sung at all 2 baseball games that represents more than just the Church of Baseball. I think I already answered that. It is forced and false patriotism. it reminds me way to much of what I read and heard about Germany in the 1930s. Why not sing it before all operas, movies, plays? Is it somehow insulting to be sung before crowds of less than 20,000? Maybe we should have a time scheduled every day where everyone in the whole nation stops what they are doing and sings both God Bless America and the National Anthem? Then we'd have a nation full of patriots, right? 2 Yes, I am being sarcastic. 2 I think it is a dishonest attempt to link baseball with this false patriotism and how 'real' americans should feel. I think it is one thing to show pride in one's country, and I think it's great to start off the game with the national anthem, but it 2 is another thing to shove a rigid adherence to a certain viewpoint down the fans' throats. I think it is only appropriate on national holidays/rememberances (Memorial Day, July 4th, September 11). In some places, it 2 is played every game at the seventh inning stretch. Strong reference to god seems out of place. i think it is unnecessary and strange. i understand that baseball is america's game, but the song seems out of place and puts 2 too much importance on what baseball means to our country. I think it is way overplayed at this point. There's no reason that it should be continued to be played during the seventh-inning 2 stretch. The more it's played, the more is lost to its meaning/impact. I think it shouldn't be sung anywhere because of the political implications. At a baseball game or in any venue with a mass 2 audience it's like a Nuremburg rally from the Riefenstahl film I think it was a way of pressuring people to support a nationalist agenda and silencing, by the sheer numbers of attendants at 2 a ballpark, any and all opposition to that agenda. 2 I think it's a form of faux patriotism. I think it's very much out of place at baseball games. I was fine with people singing in after the 09/11 attacks...and even for 2002. But, after that, I think that singing it at baseball games trivializes the song and takes away from the baseball game 2 experience. It's a GAME afterall...people should be allowed to have a little fun and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"...like I did when I was a kid, and what my parents and grandparents did when they were kids.

2 I think that I've covered this sufficiently already. I think that it was a patriotic gesture for the first year or two following the Sept. 11 attacks, but now it is overdone. The playing of the song at one particular stadium does not make that team more patriotic than another. And there are now 2 guidelines in the stadium as it is playing, where you are forced to participate and cannot leave your seat. I think that singing God Bless America at baseball games is a fabricated bit of pseudo-patriotism. Immediately post 9/11 it was performed extensively by many groups, and that's fine, as it's a musical expression of a worthy emotion, but it is NOT 2 the national anthem, and is now completely over used. I think, temporarily, in our generation's darkest hour as Americans, the song was a source of "connection" with the American people. Eight years later, I don't think we need it sung during the 7th inning stretch of baseball games. It's not relevant 2 anymore I truly think this song should be used for specific, patriotic occasions (i.e. a holiday, day or remembrance, etc.). Having it played EVERY game at Yankee Stadium has made me hate to hear it, as it is so forced. They are forcing us to be "patriotic" for no reason, especially at a time when we have been imposing our views in certain parts of the world. It is not the time with 2 Anti-American sentiment to be patting ourselves on the back and asking God to bless only us. I understood its inclusion in the games directly after 9/11. After a while it got old and this year the Dodgers started to include it but it was obviously because of Obama's election. Dodger Owner Frank McCourt was a public support of Obama so its 2 obvious why he choose to include it. I want to watch a baseball game, not witness the progressive decline of our culture and the fulfillment of George Orwell's 2 dystopian vision. I was fairly ambivalent about the song until it started being forced on people at baseball games after 9/11. Now when I hear 2 it I think of forced patriotism and specific religious points of view. I was very disqapointed at the recent inclusion of this song to Dodger Stadium (this year). First, it detacts from the greatest experience at the ballpark, the traditional seventh-inning stretch. The unnecessary injection of politics/patriotism (do we really need to mark our patriotism with two hat-doffing America songs?) is made more galling with the owner's decision to start this now, years after 9/11. I can understand the importance/tradition in NYC, but it is generally annoying here. When I traveled to San Diego to see a game, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this traditional stronghold of military did not have to be 2 subjected to the song. I'll concede the national anthem at the start of a game (though the song is a horrible one about battles and war and whose melody is difficult to sing--America the Beautiful is so much better), but you're almost forced to stand up and participate when God Bless America gets played. Sorry, but to me, it has undertones of Nazi Germany and totalitartian states like N. Korea when we're forced to stand up and sing patriotic songs. Besides, GBA is NOT a stand up song. The Star Spangled Banner? 2 Yes. GBA? No. 2 i'm a baseball fan, i don't have to like America 2 I'm a Canadian and a Toronto fan. 2 I'm a Christian, but I don't want, nor do I think many others want, references to God at their public sporting events. I'm a die-hard fan, but I don't like how MLB goes overboard with the patriotic expressions. What does patriotism have to do with baseball? Why does a sport with a huge percentage of foreign players insist on TWO patriotic songs at every game? Why did the Hall of Fame uninvite speakers who elsewhere criticized the Iraq war a few years ago but had been invited to 2 speak about baseball movies at the HOF? I'm a religious person, but I believe strongly in the separation of church and state, and baseball events are things that all 2 people should be able to enjoy and not feel that it's tainted with a particular belief. 2 I'm an atheist. I'm an atheist. Did god really bless America? Did the god(s) of the American people actually "bless" America? The song is being played in response to the 9/11 attacks, but the fools who carried out these horrendous acts of hatred were DOING SO IN THE NAME OF GOD! They succeeded. And according to that one Bin Laden tape, they exceeded their expectations. Apparently, god blessed the fuck out of those vile pieces of shit. Look, I don't believe in such a thing as god. I think it's a detriment to society. I think it's ridiculous to hold faith in higher regard than science. The pope is against Africans using 2 condoms. W T F?!?! 2 I'm at a baseball game for entertainment, not patriotism or worship. 2 I'm not christian, but I still love baseball (and america). Why do I have to sing/hear about the christian god? I'm not sure it serves a purpose to be sung during the middle of a baseball game, replacing Take Me Out to the Ballgame, a 2 playful song. 2 I'm sick of forced patriotism I'm there to watch baseball, not to have God and America rammed down my throat. They already play the national anthem. Let's leave it at that. And the stretch is for "Take Me Out To the Ballgame," which is a tradition I'd be more willing to fight for 2 than GBA. 2 If I wanted to hear about God I'd go to church, people shouldn't be subjected to it at any sporting event. If it is done in lieu of the national anthem, then I am fine with it. Adding it after 7th inning stretch is a bit much. It is a 2 baseball game not a political rally or a government production. If it were just for the rest of the 2001 season I could have lived with it but we still hear it at Yankee Stadium every single 2 game. Enough. We know that Steinbrenner thinks he's Gen. Patton, but enough already. If teams wanted to honor troops, then they ought to do it in ways that actually make a difference - donating to organizations that support the troops/veterans, helping families of folks at war, etc. To their credit, many of them do. But focus on that 2 stuff, and NOT playing a song. Playing a song is about the least helpful thing they could do, yet there it is! If the point is to have something patriotic or show that we are all Americans and standing strong, I think "america the 2 beautful" would be better. We also already sing the National Anthem. If the song is special, then any of its appeal is lost by playing at every game. It is something that you must sit through to 2 watch the game. Just like the national anthem. People want the anthem to end so they can watch the game. Im as patriotic as the next guy, but the National Anthem at the beginning of a game gets the job done. Its much better than 2 God Bless America. In the throes of a national crisis, it was an acceptable, probably good way for people to show love of country, support for 2 democracy and freedom, and bring people together who otherwise felt fear and angst about events. 2 Inappropriate 2 Inappropriate and jingoistic 2 Inappropriate. 2 Inappropriate. Most players aren't American. Much prefer Take me Out to the Ballgame 2 increasingly dislike these forced displays of "patriotism" and militarism at ballgames. A ballgame should just be a ballgame. 2 Injecting religion/patriotism into a sporting event is not necessary. 2 injects patriotism and religion into sports Introducing this in the 7th bastardizes a decades-old tradition of just singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." We sing the 2 national anthem to start the game. I feel like we don't need to infuse God or Patriotism into baseball at any other point. Irrelevant to the event. If I disliked the country and didn't want God to guide it, would that mean I wouldn't be allowed to 2 watch the game to which I had purchased a ticket? The anthem is traditional, but enough is enough. is a joke, MLB baseball is worldwide now, so a lot of the players were not even born here, putting them through that is just 2 embarrassing. what are we china? Isn't one patriotic crappy song per sporting event enough? What is this North Korea now? Maybe we should sing a patriotic 2 song every inning. Did I mention it's a lousy song? It adds religious overtones to the games and introduces a much longer delay than necessary during the seventh inning 2 stretch. 2 It adds too much time between innings and baseball should be about baseball and not patriotism not god 2 It brings religion into the baseball game, where it should have no place. 2 It cheapens the song, it feels manipulative and disingenuous 2 It doesn't belong at a baseball game, especially if it is played every night like at Yankee Stadium. It doesn't belong. Canada has an MLB team, and major league ballplayers are a very international group. Plus, we already 2 hear the national anthem before every game. 2 It doesn't belong. I don't agree with the custom of singing National Anthems before sporting events either. It doesn't have a place at the baseball park because it is about sport not religous/patriotism to be shown and shoved down 2 everybody's throat. 2 It feels like a big ceremony in the middle of a game that is not needed or speicial. It feels like a cheap appeal to idiot "patriots" who freak out when pols don't wear lapel flag pins and want a constitutional 2 amendment to ban flag burning. 2 It forces "God" into another public arena It forces a viewpoint on people who do not believe in god, or who do not believe that god blesses one country more than 2 others. 2 It forces religion. It generally doesn't affect me too much. I still stand and pay my respects as I would on any occasion, but I think it is too much. The constant need to overtly express patriotic feeling strikes me as contrived and cult-like. It's like people feel we have something to prove as a society with regards to our patriotism, whereas I am a more low-key type that isn't as strong on 2 group expression. It's just a little over the top, to me. It has absolutely no place at a ballgame. Its inclusion in the immediate wake of September 11th was perhaps understandable, but to retain it after eight years is more than regretable -- it is an advertisement for militarism and a not-so- subtle form of coercion, especially if you were one of those people, like myself, who tried to go to the men's room at the old Yankee Stadium during the singing of the song, only to be barred by uniformed guards. Did they even realize the irony of 2 prohibiting people from going to pee during the playing of a song that ostensibly celebrates our freedom? It has absolutely nothing to do with the game and adds nothing at all to the whole experience. The national anthem at the 2 beginning of the game is more than enough patriotism. 2 It has lost its meaning now that it is played so much It has no business being part of the 7th inning stretch. The National Anthem is sung before the game, and that's plenty - I go 2 to sporting events to avoid politics and I despise empty gestures. It has no part in baseball games. Playing and singing the National Anthem before the game is sufficient. Take Me Out to the 2 Ballgame, not God Bless America, is the only other song that should be regularly played at baseball games. It has no place at a baseball game, period. The anthem is played before the game, and that's all we need. It's been nearly 8 years since 9/11. Let's give it a rest and move on with our lives already. I know it may be easy for me to say, but still... "God Bless America" was probably not played at many games after Pearl Harbor, so why now? It's probably the 2 conservative, GOP politics involved. It has no place at a baseball game. If people want to express their support for the country, there are plenty of ways to do so, 2 but invoking Christian imagery to do so is divisive. Most importantly, when I go to a baseball game, I go there to watch a game and relax with friends and family, not to "express my patriotism."

2 It has no place at the ballpark 2 It has no place being sung at a baseball game. Stick to "Take Me Out To the Ballgame". It has no place during the 7th inning stretch. It only prolongs the game and has no connection to the game. There is already a National Anthem, which sufficiently delivers most of the same message that GBA does without the political subtext that has 2 been injected into the song post-9/11. 2 It has no place in a baseball game. Dressing up a ballgame of any sort with the national anthem is bad enough. 2 It has no place in baseball. it has NO place in the game. we sing the national anthem, great. but, after that we are at a game. a game being played, and watched, by people from many different countries and from many different beliefs, and many different cultures. FORCING / DEMANDING people to stand (why?) and sing goes against everything our country stands for and the song 2 celebrates. It has no place in the tradition of one of our country's most traditional games. If they wanted to add a song, they should just 2 sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame twice. 2 It has NOTHING do do with BASEBALL It has nothing to do with baseball and feels "forced". The national anthem at the start of the game is quite enough forced 2 patriotism for a baseball game. it has nothing to do with baseball and has long passed its prime and purpose. They say it's to honor the troops. Then what is the national anthem and silence for in the beginning of the game? it is redundant and lame. baseball games should be fun. 2 not depressig right when it should begetting exciting It has nothing to do with baseball other than the silly outmoded ideas that baseball is somehow representative of America. There is no need for it to be played at every game, and there is certainly no need for it to be shown on television, as the 2 Yankees do. 2 It has nothing to do with baseball. 2 It has nothing to do with Baseball. 2 It has nothing to do with baseball. I don't care for forced patriotism beyond the National Anthem. It has nothing to do with baseball. Take Me Out To The Ballgame is far superior. I just don't get why they still use it. Isn't 2 the National Anthem enough? It has nothing to do with baseball. The addition of singing this song to baseball clearly sprung from the mind of some namby- pamby soft Nancy boy. Actually, I would bet everything I have that it came from a woman. It mixes religion -- and worse, a specific religion -- with "America". I don't believe in God so "God Bless America" makes no sense to me. Also on the negative side, I cannot stand it being sung at baseball games, and further, what REALLY pisses me off as a loyal, patriotic American is that people are directed to take their hats off, but "God Bless America" is NOT, repeat NOT, a song for which 2 men are required to remove headwear (Only the National Anthem and Taps rate this). It has nothing to do with baseball. It wasn't a "tradition" until after 9/11, and it forces fans and players from all faiths and all countries to bow down to the altar of Americana. It's inappropriate and insensitive. We don't sing the Battle Hymn of the 2 Republic. 2 It has nothing to do with baseball. The national anthem is enough. I want to hear take me out to the ballgame. 2 It has passed its usefulness. 2 It has taken on the aura of a substitute national anthem, which is ridiculous. It has the wrong mood for a mid-game song and distracts from the fun Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I also strongly 2 associate it with the Yankees, which is not a positive for most other baseball fans. 2 It introduces a nationalistic riyual into a game. 2 It is a ball game. Not an affirmation meeting of my patriotism. The National Anthem is enough. It is a faux show of patrotoism. Wether or not you stand or not, or play this song, or sing this song, should NOT be a measure of how much you like or love your country, and it should NOT be included at baseball games. It is NOT our national 2 anthem, and we should not be forced to stand for it, and remove our caps as if it is. It is a forced intrusion of current "political correctness" where it is neither needed nor appropriate. The game is, on its own, an affirmation of American history and, by association, American values. It doesn't need this. It's like the government requiring "Can't Buy Me Love" at every wedding. We already have the tradition of the National Anthem at the start of each game. Adding another song doesn't make the game or the fans more patriotic, and to the contrary makes the whole thing 2 seem forced, insincere, and rather desperate. It is a hymn, a religious song focused on a deity specific only to certain religions. It has no business being played routinely at 2 public events in a society which has freedom of religion as a founding principle. It is a waste of time, it adds needless time to an already-overlong 7th inning stretch, and it goes further towards making a 2 baseball game into a propaganda spectacle. It is a waste of time. I don't like my favorite baseball team endorsing a religious point of view. Baseball games should be 2 about baseball. As far as honoring America, I feel that the national anthem is enough. 2 It is absurd It is an injection of politics. I would have no problem if it were used instead of the National Anthem before a game. I would 2 rather "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" be sung during the 7th inning stretch. 2 It is an intrusion of religion and politics into what is just a game. 2 It is an overtly religious song. Sure, it never specifies what god it is about, but it is still about a god. As an atheist, it offends me that a major sporting institution started singing it. I especially didn't like it because it seemed to support the Bush Administration push for blind patriotism. And I hate that the Dodgers broadcasts don't cut to commercial until after the song is over. It is baseball, not church or a patriotic rally. God blesses nothing, god does not exist, god could very easily be the reason for 9/11. God is positively the reason for oppression, depression, and the stupidity reigning supreme across our country. 2 George Bush seriously was re-elected.... enough said. It is cloying and out of place. The Star Spangled Banner which did not come into play until World War is plenty. I am a 2 veteran, former military officer and consider myself patriotic, but I cringe when they play it. It is completely unnecessary. I believe that it is fake patriotism since the National Anthem is already performed and a bit of overkill especially since about half of the major leagues is composed of foreign players. The 7th inning should be reserved 2 for Take Me Out to the Ballgame rather than more shows of "patriotism". 2 It is exploitive. 2 It is inappropriate. The Star Spangled Banner is played at the beginning of baseball games, and that is enough. It is just faux-patriotism. Making 50,000 people stand and sing a song about America does not make them patriotic. And 2 please leave God out of baseball. It is not a song that was designed or meant to be stood to or have hats removed or being a required event. It shouldn't be a 2 commonplace song. It is not an official anthem of our nation, and I should not be forced to hear it or sing it. There are better songs that show our 2 love for our nation, and many of them do not include religious ideas. 2 It is not needed and brings politics to games. 2 It is not sung at all baseball games. I thought only at Yankee games (one more reason to hate the Yankees evil empire...) 2 It is NOT the national anthem, this is NOT a christian only nation. Baseball has become an international sport. It is not the national anthem. Its inclusion assumes the fans are not only united behind the nation, but united behind God as well. (The attackers behind the 9-11 attacks were united by God, too.) Forcing the players, who are much more diverse in 2 citizenship, stand and salute as well is even more ridiculous. 2 It is overplayed and has falsely patriotic and republican overtones. It is particularly ill-suited to a public, secular gathering like a baseball game, in which it is a given that many attendees (and TV/radio viewers) are not of a religious bent. I would have fewer problems with "America the Beautiful" being sung at baseball games because that, at least, is neutral as to religion. But mostly, my objection is based on the fact that "God Bless America" has replaced "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at many parks for the seventh-inning stretch, a cherished 2 baseball tradition for me and countless other fans. 2 It is stupid and jingoism. It is the placement/timing of doing the song. It cheapens it to make it part of the seventh inning stretch, which already has its own wonderful tradition. I do appreciate doing the national anthem at the beginning of the game, but having God Bless 2 America being sung in the middle seems jarringly wrong. 2 It is unbelievably annoying. 2 It is unnecessary and a token display of patriotism. It is usually introduced by saying "we now honor America...". You don't "honor America" with "God Bless America". You honor America with The National Anthem. Singing GBA is no different than singing "Take me Out to the Ballgame" or "Sweet 2 Caroline" at Fenway Park. 2 It just doesn't belong. Take Me Out to the Ball Game is a much better 7th inning stretch song. 2 It lengthens games that are already too long. It should be included on, at most, Sundays and holidays. It lengthens the already-too-long seventh-inning stretch. It actually affects the outcome of games, due to the dynamics of pitcher warmups, possible substitutions (which are common at that half-inning break), and most of all, completely changes the textuality of the seventh-inning stretch, which was one of my favorite traditions of baseball, and is now something I 2 loathe. It links baseball, the national pastime, with George Bush/Republican exploitation. It feels like an attempt to marginalize 2 liberal democrats. It must sound crazy and paranoid to say this, but that's how it feels. 2 It loses it's impact if it is played at every game. It made sense for maybe a year or two. Now, it's time to move on. I think that the Yankees are the only team still playing it. 2 They need to stop. It makes me not want to be a baseball fan because it makes me feel like a lot of the folks who like the game are basically conservative, republican red-neck types who basically are reactionaries about the so-called terrorist threat and that the song 2 appeals to their love of country that is misguided. 2 It makes no sense really. Adds time and most people at this point don't want to hear it every night. It makes the seventh inning stretch, a wonderful tradition in baseball history, into a political and patriotic moment. There is 2 already too much of that in sports, and it has now marred a sweet tradition. 2 It mixes politics and sports, which is entirely inappropriate, and leads to much phony patriotism. it over emphasizes ties to patriotism and religion. it was ok for the remainder of the 2001 season but should have been 2 discontinued at start of 2002. now its a bad tradition that will be hard to get rid of. 2 It politicizes America's National Game. It promotes jingoism and xenophobia, and it has no place in baseball--especially during the 7th inning stretch. It also makes 2 for an unusually long break between the halves of that inning, which throws off the pace of a game. 2 It reinforces church/state identity to a sulnerable population. 2 it seems inappropriate and unnecessary. It seems like forced patriotism. There's already the national anthem before the game. I don't see why it's necessary to do it again in the 7th. It was a good, emotional gesture in the immediate post 9/11 months, but I think it's now just rote and 2 meaningless. It serves no purpose, what happened to Take Me out to the ballgame? It's nice to play it, but hearing it every game gets 2 annoying. overkill... It slows down the game and seems redundant after already having the national anthem sung before the game. It also feels 2 like enforced patriotism, which feels un-American. It slows down the game, and baseball is already a pretty slow game. I resent the expectation that I stand and reverently buy into a religion that I don't practice. It smacks of the intensification of American civil religion that followed 9/11. And above all, the seventh inning stretch is for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". I mean, if they varied it up - did "This Land is Your Land," for instance, that would suit me more, politically speaking, but really, the thing is, there is already a song for the seventh inning stretch, and it ain't "God Bless. . .". If they just have to inject Americana into the seventh inning stretch, sure, I'd dig something a little lefty-ish and less full of God, but really, I think it's a colonization of what should be a more autonomous 2 institution by religious/political hoo-hah. Also, generally, the singers over-do it. 2 It slows down the game. It smacks of bumper sticker patriotism. The least you can do for your country is to proclaim your love, the most is to do some 2 action that leads to a better country. I think this song represents the former more than the latter 2 It stops the game in an unnecessary way It stops the game in progress, unlike the national anthem which is sung before the game starts. Disrupts the flow of the 2 game. It takes extra time. And it adds nothing to the baseball experience for me. I'm there for the game, not indoctrination. I also am very discouraged by the Yankee Stadium policy of forcing fans to stay in their seats during the performance. That's not 2 freedom. 2 It was a nice tribute immediately following the terrorist attacks, but it's time to move on. 2 It was added purely for marketing reasons, to make MLB seem more patriotic. 2 It was appropriate after the attacks because of our sense of nationalism but it is time for it to stop. It was fine after 9-11, but some teams have gone overboard and physically assaulted or confined people who refuse to 2 participate in the singing of the song. 2 It was fine at the end of the 2001 season. Since then it's been a tedious and forced appearance of pretentious patriotism. 2 It was fine for a bit after 9/11, but is totally unnecessary at this point; we already play the national anthem It was fine for a while. But now I don't think we need to mix sports and the singing of a patriotic song at a "non-national" 2 event. it was fine for a year or so but i'm sick of it. I've also been yelled at at yankee stadium for moving 4 feet to get to the end of 2 the bleachers during the song. It was fine immediatly after 9-11 as an additional way of paying respect to the country, especially in NY. Now, enough is 2 enough. 2 It was fine in September/October 2001 in New York. now it's overdone 2 It was fine when it was just on Sundays, but now it is every day. It was nice for a while, but it's gotten extremely old. It has nothing to do with baseball, and every time they sing it, it loses it's 2 meaning even more. It was nice for awhile after 9/11, but at this point it is ridiculous that they play it at every Yankees game. Also, it bothers me 2 that people think you need to take off you hat when you hear it, it isn't the National Anthem. 2 It was okay in 2001 after the attacks, but we already play the National Anthem, so it's unnecessary. It was only added to Yankee home games. Which is fine, the attacks affected so many in New York. But now, it's spread 2 throughout baseball, and I'm tired of it. 2 It was perfect for a time, but now, enough already. And the Kate Smith version is far from the best. 2 It's a ball game it's a time to forget reality and enjoy ourselves without having to get patriotic at every flippin occassion. 2 It's a ballgame, not a prayer service or memorial 2 It's a baseball game, not a church event or a contest of who can be more patriotic 2 It's a baseball game. I don't even understand why we sing the anthem at a baseball game, frankly. It's a bunch of bullshit forced patriotism. All these sheep at Yankee Stadium buy into it and it's frankly pathetic. I also hate the morons who yell at other fans to take off their caps. That is reserved only for the national anthem. I also hate that the YES Network shows God Bless America between the 7th inning but never shows the playing of the national anthem. Speaking of 2 the national anthem, that was another act of bullshit forced patriotism during WWII. 2 It's a farkin' baseball game! 2 It's a forced tradition, not a historical one. It's a holdover from an overreaction to 9/11 that MLB is afraid to shed due to the threat of being perceived as unpatriotic or ungrateful. To expect 50k people a night to sing a song in memory of a nightmarish occurrence from eight years ago is 2 ghoulish and has no place in baseball. 2 It's a horrible song and it's a way of wrapping yourself around the flag without doing anything and not being patriotic even though it's what they want. It's a manufactured tradition invented by an unpopular commissioner that seeks to wrap Baseball in the patriotic flag of 2 America, to me, it links up with my answer to question 11 at this point It's a NY, and specifically Yankee, tradition. Leave it in NY. Dodgers started doing it this year (2009), and I can't stand it. And it's a typical American response: ignore any kind of substantive debate or issue, and just loudly proclaim how great this 2 country is, so much so that God must bless it. It's a rotten song, and I shouldn't be asked to "rise" for it. In the 7th inning, that is reserved for "Take Me Out to the 2 Ballgame," a song that is actually good and fun and inclusive. 2 It's a sporting event, not a political rally It's a terrible song--but beyond that, there is already an acknowledgment of patriotism at the beginning of the game. A second infusion mid-game just smacks of totalitarianism. It's a mindless and unnecessary interference with the light- 2 heartedness of the 7th inning stretch. It's a waste of time and should be sung before the game as an alternative to the national anthem. I love America, but I don't need to sing about it all the time. After September 11th, it seemed appropriate, but now, it's sung at every Yankees and 2 Brewers game, it detracts from any special meaning. It's baseball not a political rally or a religious service. The National Anthem is more than enough patriotism for an 2 entertainment option. It's baseball, not a religious or political event. I'm OK with the national anthem before the game, but the interruption during 2 the game seems silly and out of place. 2 It's become a bludgeon. 2 It's become a de facto alternate national anthem 2 It's completely unnecessary. I'd also assume it's annoying for the many, many non-americans playing in the MLB. It's creepy to be in a stadium of 50,000 people seemingly shutting down their brains to indulge the god delusion and worship 2 the state. 2 It's disrespectful to force people to stand for a non-official anthem. 2 It's fascistic to use a sporting even to ramp up nationalistic ferver. It's fine once in a blue moon, but to make it mandatory like the Yankees did (not just mandatory, the security staff bottles you 2 into your section so you cant move) is a bit much. Makes me dislike the song. It's forced and ruins the tradition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." We have the National Anthem at the beginning – that's 2 enough for me during a game. It's forced jingoism. IT's not patriotic. I could understand for the first few months when people were scared and hurt - 2 especially in New York - but it's an alienating song. It's not inclusive. "America The Beautiful" would be a far better choice. 2 it's getting tired. The games are long enough. 2 It's inappropriate...I want to watch a game not prove how patriotic I am by waving a flag and singing a song 2 It's jingoistic, it takes too long, and it's unnecessary. 2 It's jingoistic. It's just a bad song. Plus, singing it at baseball games seems to assume that everyone there is of a Christian persuasion, 2 and it also adds sinister overtones of a holy war to our involvement in the Middle East. It's lapel-pin patriotism, a meaningless gesture that somehow makes people feel as if they're doing something that might 2 help. 2 It's long since served whatever purpose it was supposed to, and now it's just phony patriotism wasting my time. It's not as if the people rose up and demanded MLB do this. It was just another marketing gimmick and it continues for the same reason that politicians feel they have to wear a little American flag lapel pin. They don't want to be accused of being 2 unpatriotic. 2 It's not our National Anthem. It's not that I'm unAmerican, because I love America, but I feel the same way about this song and the National Anthem at baseball games. Why do we sing them? We don't say the pledge of allegiance at the post office. We don't salute the flag at 2 a water park. Why do we sing patriotic songs at sporting events? It's not the national anthem, so it's just forced peer-pressure prayer. It has no place there. The only appropriate song in 7th is 2 Take me Out to the Ballgame 2 It's not the place or the time. It's not the traditional seventh inning song, it's blatant pandering to state and religion that has nothing to do with the sport, 2 and the song just kinda sucks musically (it's no Sousa march). It's not traditional, and the only reason its sung at baseball games is for a non-baseball related reason (post 9/11). We don't 2 sing it at NBA games, or NFL games, why should we sing it at MLB games? It's not traditional. And it's a major buzzkill during the seventh inning stretch. I have no problem with God, or with America. 2 But during a baseball game, it just seems like hallow patriotism. It's obnoxious, faux-patriotism that sells America in a ridiculous way while making baseball seem like some sort of America 2 Party 2 It's overkill with the national anthem being sung at the beginning of games. Pick one, don't have both. 2 It's overkill, as is much of what Selig does. 2 It's overkill. We already sing the anthem at the beginning of the game. How many songs about America do we need? 2 It's overkill. We sing the national anthem at the beginning, that's enough. Stop shoving your patriotism and right-wing religious beliefs down our throats. It's overused. It's not the national anthem. It's become enforced and faith-based patriotism. We already sing the national 2 anthem at the beginning of each game (why, exactly?) - this is overkill. 2 It's phony patriotism. The national anthem is plenty. It's redundant - we already sing the national anthem before every game. Baseball is already americana and conservative- 2 toned enough without the blatant reminder in the 7th. 2 It's sung at every game and that's too much. It's been cheapened by overexposure. 2 It's the wrong time/place. The national anthem is already sung. It's redundant. 2 it's to make the home team look like patriots 2 It's too long, it's too overwrought, and it's deified to an uncomfortable extent. 2 It's too much patriotism and it takes too long. we sing the national anthem and that should be enough. It's too religious, and it has nothing to do with baseball. Is it played at other sporting events? I say the tradition of singing 2 "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is much more appropriate. It's treated as if it was a 2nd National Anthem. I feel like it's an excessive display of patriotism. Plus it intrudes upon Take Me 2 out to the ball game which is just a far better song. 2 it's unecessary. isn't the national anthem enough with pledging loyalty to the US? It's unnecessary - we already have the national anthem. How many pro-America songs do we need at a sporting event? 2 Also, the song unnecessarily ties nationalism to religion. It's unnecessary, it's a waste of time, it interrupts the flow of the game, and it cheapens the song and the sentiment that 2 inspires it by singing it at every Dodgers home game. 2 It's unnecessary. The national anthem before the game is enough. 2 its a baseball game, not a national observance 2 Its a baseball game, not a religious or poilitical gathering...it has no purpose at a sporting event 2 its a propiganda bullshit song 2 Its a sporting event, not a church service. Its addition was of the moment, but the moment has passed. I much prefer that what goes on during baseball games be 2 related to baseball -- rather than, say, terrorism. 2 Its baseball.... not church. Or congress. Or a candle light vigil. Just stick to the 7th inning stretch. Or hot dog races. 2 its non-secular and interupts the flow of the game. Its not so much the use of the song in games. In fact, I love the national anthem before the game. But the phrase that has developed that really bugs me is "to honor America". I.E.- "Please rise 'to honor America' during the performance of 'God Bless America'" I voluntarily rise during the national anthem played before any event in public to show respect for the 2 country I grew up in and live in. There's just something about "honor America" that rubs me the wrong way. 2 its not take me out to the ballgame 2 Its total bullshit.... this song has no place in a basebal game. 2 Jingoistic songs/attitudes have no place in sports (or anywhere). 2 Just annoying. Just no place for it any more. It's one thing to do something after a tragic event to bring people together - that's a beautiful thing. Now it's a routine...a way to make people think they love their country. Why, instead of recycling or caring about 2 issues, I'll sing this song and that'll take care of my patriotic duties! Yee-ha! 2 Keep God out of my public events 2 Keep God out of the issue. 2 Keep religion and patriotism out of sports, please. Not everyone attending or watching has to be a Christian and/or American. Learning about baseball has been a remarkable experience, filled with the unexpected. Ken Burn's PBS film documentry only served to whet my appetite. What I have enjoyed most has been "baseball in the larger context of American history." This game that most men of my generation played with unbridled furvor as boys (even poorly) has been similarly played (in wide variations) by nearly every generation of American boys since our colonial period. As the boys & girls game developed into an adult activity the on-field game became in starts and stops the highly skilled game we come to view today. The business (off-field) development of professional baseball, first became an opportunity for players of the game to make some portion of their livelihood while playing the game. Other, more enterpenurial types, saw that there was some potential in making money by owning and managing teams of players. Although, there were great risks and many failures in these late 19th century enterprises, the strong did survive, usually through a combination of being in larger markets, sometimes doing business with less than honest politicians, smart and aggressive marketing, and sometimes attempting to pull on the patriotic sentiments of fans. Early on, in large cities, 19th century military bands were often featured at ball parks to provide additional specticale and entertainment, to make the price of admission all the more worthwhile. Because these military bands were available, usually at no cost to the team owners (perhaps just the price of an admissions for the band to view the rest of the game) this was a popular and common activity. Because of the marshall nature of the music performed by such bands, the playing of the National Anthem was a "natural" outcome, thus the tradition slowly grew and became more formalized during WWI. The inclusion of "God Bless America" in my view is forced. It lacks the slow natural progression of the game and its traditions. It somehow, seems like overkill - the Anthem has been performed and appauded by most if not all, now "play 2 ball!" No P.A. announcer finds it necessary to tell the crowd, "to please stand, remove your hats and join in the singing of Take Me Out..." The playing of "God Bless America," is almost always accompanied by a set of similar instructions (sometimes with the additional instructions to "face the flag and remain at your seats.") Something is un-natural in all this. I can't recall, where or when, but I am certain that I have been to professional games where the PA announcer was simply said, "Ladies & Gentlemen, please rise for our National Anthem," period. Most if not all, oblige. Whether this is out of a sense of baseball tradition or patriotism or simply habit is unquestioned. In fact, in terms of the National Anthem, a simple "Ladies and Gentlemen, our National Anthem," would probably be more in keeping with our spontaneity as Americans. Granted, because the first word of the Anthem begins with its first musical note, asking everyone to please rise, may have the practical purpose of giving all those rising an opportunity to do so before the song commences. I recall the grainy film images I have seen on several occassions through the years of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. I often wondered whether every German in that crowd was a committed Nazi, and if not, could they refrain from standing, cheering their leadership or their flag. Singing, "God Bless America," with all its accomanying instuctions and commands may be the most un-naturally American thing we have come to find ourselves doing at a professional baseball game. Think about crowd dynamics, are we really "free" to not stand, not face the flag, not remove our hats, not sing. What about that big burly guy behind us that has already had a few beers, do we wonder if he may "accidentally "spill one on us, or worse still, initiating a comment that may lead to one or both of us not getting to see the game we came to the ballpark to enjoy. 2 Leave baseball alone! What's next, stoning people trying to move during the song to death? 2 Like above. Forced phony patriotism and religion. Look, I don't even think the National Anthem should be played before ball games. Why should it? Do we sing the National Anthem before going shopping? Before eating dinner? Before watching The Simpsons? Why before a ball game? So, adding 2 another "patriotic" song is just stupid. 2 Makes me want to barf. 2 Makes the 7th inning stretch way too long. Dminishes take me ou to the ballgame. Unfair to visiting team. My opinion is strictly about the song being played at Yankee Stadium. Prior to the song being played at Yankee Stadium, the PA announcer asks that we stand to honor our troops stationed around the globe and to honor those who are defending our freedoms and our way of life. First, I prefer that we not have our troops stationed around the globe, but rather that we bring them home. Second, I do not believe that U.S. troops are in any way defending "our freedoms and our way of life." I prefer 2 not to stand in support of empire and immoral foreign wars. My opinion was explained in the previous box but I feel as though the baseball organization is using it to pander to the fans. As an atheist and a baseball fan, perhaps traditionalist (not sure if I am old enough to be considered that) I do not like its 2 inclusion. National anthem and other pre-game "patriotism" activities is more than sufficient. My understanding is national anthem in sports was added around WWII for same "patriotic" reasons. Many teams during anthem now invite local service members to sing/carry flag, play recorded video from overseas on jumbo-tron, etc. That doesn't bother me because it's inclusive to all Americans. Adding a second song is redundant, but still doesn't bother me, it's a good song. However, the direct link to 9/11 is blatant, offensive politics. It is designed to reinforce a "war on terror" mentality on the world, inter-community relations and 2 U.S. foreign relations. Its a subtle but important difference. I really do wish they would disassociate the song from 9/11. national anthem before the game is fine. i'm at the game to have fun, not think about politics. having it force fed to me at 2 games is making me dislike the song. 2 National anthem is appropriate. It's total overkill. Why are baseball teams so obsessed with proving that their so patriotic? 2 National anthem should fulfill the patriotism quota, don't care for the God reference, don't like the group-think atmosphere. 2 Nationalism has no place at a baseball game. No point at a sporting event. They already have the national anthem--for which everyone must stand up. Makes going to a 2 baseball game that much less appealing. 2 no reason to mention god or religion, should only be used at religious functions 2 No reason we should be subjected to someone else's brand of patriotism. 2 Not a part of the game. If sung, should be done before the game 2 Not an appropriate forum 2 not everyone agrees with the sentiment of the song, but you are a pariah if you don't stand and give your respects to it 2 Not everyone is Christian or believes in a god. Also, religion and politics do not belong in a sporting event. 2 Not gonna say it again 2 Not necessary. Gets in the way. Not there to participate in a patriotic song, 2 Not needed, with the national anthem played. We all get it now. Be patriotic. 2 Not sure what God or any form of religion has to do with baseball. Not the national anthem. I hate how people want me to salute to the song. Horrible. I would much rather honor our country with the anthem at the beginning of the game and then be done with it. Furthermore, it's one of the worst national pride songs. I would rather hear Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA, America (My Country Tis of Thee), or America the 2 Beautiful. 2 not the right place. i go to or watch a game to get away and be entertained, not have patriotism shoved down my throat 2 OK - immediately after. But it's been 8 years, time to move on. On holidays, sure, sing it, but the game already opens with the national anthem. It was cathartic in the early days after 9/11, but there was a time to phase it out and that time came and went years ago. This is a baseball game, not a political pep rally. 2 The politicization of patriotism post-9/11 really disgusts me and the singing of GBA during the 7th inning stretch smacks of exactly that.

2 Once again as a non believer i dont want to sing a song about god. I am not in church. 2 One forced singing of a patriotic song at a fun outing is probably too many for me. Adding a second one is insane. One national anthem is enough in a free society but if another America The Beautiful is truly a stirring, patriotic and stirring 2 song especiall by Ray Charles. Kate Smith sings like a sick cat. 2 One national anthem is enough. One nationalistic song is enough...The 7th inn stretch is too long when you add Take Me Out, and in Milwaukee...Roll out the barrel. Inclusion of the song is knee jerk reaction to a NYC -centric world view. It is a lovely song, but it's schmaltzy patriotism 2 at best. 2 One patriotic song is enough. 2 Only should be done on special occasions (i.e. 4th of July, Sept, 11, Memorial Day) 2 Only Yankees do it and it's annoying. Other than on a Holiday, Songs saluting a country should not be sung at a regular season game in any sport. Cheapens the 2 whole thing and desensitizes the fellings the song is meant to engender 2 OVERKILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 Overkill. The national anthem is already played. It's a sporting event, not a political rally. 2 Overly Patriotic 2 overplayed, forced patriotism, and we already sing the anthem! 2 patriotic shot sucks. 2 patriotism and religion have nothing to do with baseball. leave it out. 2 Patriotism is fine but it is just a terrible song. Patriotism is good. Having someone hold me captive and force me to be patriotic is not. That is not freedom. I go to baseball 2 games for baseball. I go to my town's Memorial Day parade for patriotism. Pausing a sporting event to make a strong public display of patriotism has a bit of the feel of ancient Rome or 1930s Germany. What's next, a loyalty oath? Then there's the over-the-top cheesy delivery. Having it played at us is sort of 2 belittling-- as if we need to be reminded in very simple words that we live in a good place, or we might forget. People are forced to stand and treat it like the national anthem, that's ridiculous. There s only one of those. I hope they do 2 away with it. 2 people should be able to enjoy a ballgame without injecting religious ideas or political messages. 2 Phony patriotism is more harmful than no patriotism. Playing it at a sporting event where (statistically speaking) thousands of people are atheists, agnostics or not practicing any religion (or practicing religions with no "god") in the 21st century is outdated and extremely offensive. There are other 2 patriotic songs that do not include the word "god" or "bless" the country. Religion has NO place in a sporting event. Please see my answer to number 11. Here ia a case where I (a Red Sox fan) feel that Steinbrenner got it right, and I would 2 probably feel very differently about hearing the song at the ballpark if it were sung in its entireity. 2 pointless to sing it. we already sing the star spangled banner why sing both? 2 politics and baseball need not mix... 2 Politics and sports should not mix. They play the anthem, that is enough! 2 Previously mentioned. It's overkill and unnecessary and it ruins the tradition of singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" 2 Proselitizing 2 Public prayer is inappropriate at baseball games. Religion, esp. Christian religion [I'm an ex-Catholic], is creeping into too much of our life. The U.S. was founded on the 2 freedom of -- and from -- religion. Religious overtones--I'd prefer "America" if a song must be sung in the seventh. Plus, the seventh is traditionally "Take Me 2 out to the Ballgame" territory. 2 Religious propaganda has no place at a baseball game. Obligatory patriotism is wrong. 2 Religious themes do not belong at secular events. If I wanted religion I would go to church! Religious views have no place at a baseball game. Sing American the Beautiful if necessary. I actually turn off the TV and 2 radio when the song comes on in the seventh inning. 2 Repeating it 162 games a season does not make baseball stadiums civic cathedrals for worship of the hybrid church/state. 2 Right after 9/11 it was fine. Now it is overplayed and has lost its meaningfulness. Bring back take me out the ball game. Same as above - I'll sing the national anthem but not for that song - I get why the Yankees did it - we were all tramatized post 2 Sept 11th. Enough already. 2 Same as feelings about song in general Same as the above mentioned reasons, plus the 7th inning stretch already had a song and the National Anthem is already 2 sung pregame. 2 Same comment as before. This song doesn't belong at baseball games. 2 Same reason. Kate Smith blows, jingoistic crap. It's been almost 10 years too. 2 Same reasons as above. Seems overtly religious Same reasons as expressed above. I refuse to stand for the playing of "GBA" and have been heckled by other fans for sitting 2 down during the song. Same reasons that I dislike the song. There's no place for enforced patriotism and religion in a baseball setting which is 2 intended as entertainment. I don't object to the playing of the National Anthem, however. 2 See #9 and #11. I see it as inappropriate to the occasion, and as a cynical tool of conformity. See above-- Kids don't need to be hearing a song about god blessing "america", inferring that other countries are not as 2 worthy of god's attention or protection or whatever. See above. I also think that even if the people who are responsible wanted to get rid of it, they are too afraid being 2 considered anti-American to suggest it. See above. We already sing the national anthem before every game, and I actually do sing the thing out loud and I know all 2 the words. We don't need ANOTHER patriotic break. See above. Yes, it's because I of course could recognize the sudden change, and what it signified is what ticks me off. It is 2 the audio equivalent of the compulsory flag pin. 2 See above. Also, the 7th inning stretch should be reserved for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." See above. It serves no purpose. If it were up to me, though, I'd forego the National Anthem before each game, too (maybe including it on Sundays and holidays). For me, it's less about an expression of patriotism than it is a time-waster and a 2 showcase for the untalented. See answer 11. By the way, I've only heard it used in MLB games, not in minor leagues and college, for which I am very thankful. I hate that MLB requires its inclusion on holidays. In st Louis, they playit at the beginnig of games, and get it out of 2 the way, so people can avoid it if desired. See answer above. Too much god being pushed on us already. I'll use the timing of the song to go get food/beer or take a 2 bathroom break next time. See part of my answer on #11. I would also add that it felt like a marketing ploy by MLB to try and show how American they 2 are. I would think that singing the National Anthem before EVERY baseball game would be enough. 2 Seems forced. Ran its course about 7 years ago. 2 seems pretty self-centered to me...... and the god bless part. seems very out of place. the national anthem is already sung (and that's fine with me). we don't need another song -- especially added to the 7th inning stretch, where it competes with 'take me out to the ballgame.' additionally, i don't like that 2 men are expected to remove their hats for this song -- that should be reserved for the national anthem. Separation of church and Baseball! I was particularly disgusted one Sunday in Detroit when the Tigers used "God Bless America" during the 7th-inning stretch--even though it was Islamic Community Appreciation Day. The Detroit metro area has 2 the largest Islamic concentration in the U.S. 2 Seventh inning stretch should be for take me out to the ballgame only Several reasons, but i'll state a one: baseball is an escape, it is a way to leave behind the worries of the world, your job, your life, and just enjoy being alive, enjoy the vicarious thrills that being a fan enables, preaching to me about my country invoking 2 the power of god to do so, really rubs me the wrong way. 2 Should perform Take Me Out to the Ballgame Similar reasons as my comments above. Additionally, I found the way the song was foisted on attendees to be frustrating. It 2 was like they were trying to force us all to be jingoistic America-firsters. SING THE ANTHEM AT THE BEGINNING AND TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME DURING THE 7TH. TOO MUCH RAH 2 RAH PATRIOTISM GOING ON, IT FEELS FORCED. Singing the national anthem is appropriate and tradition. Other than that, it is an entertainment sporting event, not a pro- 2 america rally Singint the national anthem is enough to express my respect for U.S. This adds nothing. It detracts from the fun of singing 2 "Take Me Out...." during 7th inning stretch. 2 slows down the game, that's what the nat. anthem is for Song has nothing to do with baseball. We've already got the national anthem at the beginning of the game. 7th inning stretch 2 should be for Take Me Out to the Ballgame. 2 Sport, not a political or nationalistic rally Sporting events are one of the few venues we have left where everyone in the community can leave their political and 2 religious creeds behind and come together to enjoy the game. 2 Sports and "patriotism" should be like church and state 2 Sports and politics / religion should not mix Sports don't need interludes for politics. Baseball is seeking to be an international game and the way to promote that is 2 through inclusion, not through pro-God/pro-US bandwagoning. 2 Sports should not be politicized, and baseball is international. 2 Star Spangled Banner at the start of the game is enough 2 Stupid and pointless. Take me out to the ballgame and sit down. 2 Super-patriotism has no place at the ball park. 2 Take me out to the ball game is far more appropriate. Take Me Out to the Ballgame has been a baseball tradition for over a century. Why change it? What about the people who 2 don't believe in God? Are we saying that baseball is exclusively a Christian/Jewish sport? Takes too long - makes it seem like a second national anthem. IT'S NOT THE NATIONAL ANTHEM - HATS DON'T COME 2 OFF AND IT SHOULD BE OPTIONAL TO PARTICIPATE. 2 Teams recognize the country and troops already at the beginning of the game. No need to do it again. Tedious, uninteresting, commonplace nationalism does not add to enjoyment of game. Song helps breed american exceptionalism - also disagreeable and has no place at ballgame. Game already has national anthem to start. Will we have 2 to recite pledge of allegiance as well? Temporarily, it seemed nice. but now it is mostly perfunctory and jingoistic, neither of which are admirable qualities. plus, Take me out to the ball game was and is a better stretch song. it is light and fun, not dripping with the fake gravitas of GBA. 2 mostly, it's just unnecessary, and theerfore uncalled for. The "Star-Spangled Banner" is already played before baseball games and is the accepted national anthem. Including "God Bless America" in front of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", to me, is a cynical ploy to manipulate the paying customers into 2 proving their patriotism, something they already do before the start of the game by participating in the national anthem. the 7th inning stretch is for take me out to the ball game. The national anthem before the game has a rich history dating back to WWI. God Bless America in place of Take me out to the ball game is just a idiotic move by Bud Selig and other 2 owners to hop on the trendy "patriotic" bandwagon The 7th inning stretch is meant for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." When we switched to "God Bless America," the terrorists 2 won a little bit. The addition of "God Bless America" in MLB games always struck me as Bud Selig trying to score PR points. Nobody 2 remembers why we do it now, so why not get rid of it? 2 the game already starts with the national anthem. 7th inning stretch is for "take me out to the ball game" 2 The game did not need an infusion of hyper-patriotism, tinged with the militarism of the post-9/11 world. 2 the initial rationale behind it was probably sincere, but now I think its merely ritual and pomp forced upon a captive audience 2 The Kate Smith version is very old. The National Anthem before the start of the game? Okay. Tradition. God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch? No thanks. I grew up going to Baltimore Orioles games, and the 7th inning stretch song was John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," which was unique and, well, neat (and yes, slightly strange). The Orioles did away with that many years ago when they opened their new stadium (in favor of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," I believe) and I saw that as just another homogenization of the whole baseball experience. To a large extent, I see this the same way. And then there's the issue of 2 mixing politics/patriotism with sports -- enough already. The National Anthem is already played at the beginning of the game. Baseball games are supposed to be fun & entertaining, and God Bless America 1) forces people to consider why the song is being played (which I concede may not be a bad thing), 2 but 2) takes up time that can better be spent enjoying Take Me Out to the Ballgame and local favorites between innings The national anthem is already played or sung before every sporting event, at all levels. If the national anthem isn't patriotic enough for someone, then I worry about what they are actually reaching for. There is also the fact that the song is almost impossible to remove. Remove God from anything and there is a political base that will fly into action, add "patriotism" to the equation and that song is stuck there, forever. I don't enjoy the feeling of being bullied, and when I have to hear this song at games it feels like it has been shoehorned in to make someone else happy. Like we must all pay attention to a child showing 2 off the picture they drew or face the wrath of their tantrum. The National Anthem is already played, think that covers any need for patriotic music during a game. I might feel differently if 2 it was America the beautiful, but forced patriotism through a crummy song doesn't do much for me. The National Anthem is already sung at the start of the game. Singing GBA, usually at the seventh inning stretch, seems 2 quite forced, especially when the PA announcers ask all to rise. I feel forced by the crowd pressure, otherwise I would sit. 2 The National Anthem is already sung prior to the game. 2 The National Anthem is at the start of a baseball game. No need for it in the middle. 2 The national anthem is at the start of the game. No need to do another towards the end 2 The National Anthem is enough. The National Anthem is enough. At the 7th inning stretch lets do just that...stretch and not have to stand at attention while 2 some amateur clobbers a already bad song. The National Anthem is enough. At the 7th inning stretch lets do just that...stretch and not have to stand at attention while 2 some amateur clobbers a already bad song. The national anthem is enough. It just seems like complete over kill. The 7th inning stretch is for take me out to the ball 2 game. The National Anthem is enough. We've got plenty of other oportunities for folks to show us how wonderfully patriotic they 2 are...like bumper stickers and flags on their antennae. The national anthem is enough. But to make everyone stand up and be respectful of the song is treating the song as if it was 2 a national anthem, which it is not. 2 The national anthem is enough. Heck, why don't we sing a patriotic song in between every inning? 2 The National Anthem is enough. It was fine right after 9/11 but they should have stopped because they have played it out. 2 the national anthem is more than enough The National Anthem is more than enough to satisfy anyone's national pride. And the 7th inning stretch already has a song 2 fans can sing along to. 2 The national anthem is played at the beginning. That is all that is needed for my-country-right-or-wrong patriotism. The National Anthem is played prior to first pitch. Why do we need another song to champion America? The fact that the Yankees do it every game annoys me as well. They may be my favorite team, but a few years ago, they used to introduce 2 the song saying how we must remember the servicemen and women fighting against those who are against us and "our way of life." It kind of seemed like they made it seem like people who dislike America are against us because we're at a baseball game which is not the case at all. 2 The National Anthem is sufficient. There is no need to inject more patriotism into the actual baseball game. The national anthem should suffice for those who need to express their patriotism; the addition of America the Beautiful is forced on a paying crowd who really would rather sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The overblown renditions are all 2 American Idol caliber- and I dont mean the winners. The playing of God Bless America at baseball games is an exercise in forced conformity to a point of view that I find 2 distasteful. The polarization you receive depending on how you view the song (you either enjoy this and show you're a patriot or you dislike it and prove that you hate America) and the blatant appeal to be the most patriotic sport make the playback distasteful 2 and is the reason the song has less meaning to me. The post-9/11 climate is very complicated. While baseball is (or at least once was) America's pastime, it is increasingly and international game with regard to it's players and audience. I believe at the end of the day we should not politicize or nationalize the game in any way, but simply enjoy it as a game. Also, as an atheist, I'm just never very psyched to hear ten's 2 of thousands of people singing about God. 2 The power of the song is diminished by overplaying, particularly at Yankee Stadium. 2 The religious overtones of the song make it inappropriate for baseball. 2 The seventh inning is for Take Me Out To The Ballgame, not Take Me Out to The U.S. by singing God Bless! The seventh inning rightfully belongs to "take me out to the ballgame." We already sing the national anthem. There is no 2 imaginary supreme being that we should acknowledge as having anything to do with this country. The seventh inning stretch has "Take Me Out To the Ballgame." That is it. It is baseball tradition and has been going on for a very long time. To add another song to the seventh inning stretch is to take away from it. It is supposed to be fun, not 2 solemn. The singing of anthems generally is an absolutely idiotic practice; nationalism masking as patriotism - not that the two are that far apart - that began during the Second World War has become a thuggish tradition that continues. I have repeatedley not stood up for anthems and receive a torrent of verbal abuse for it...it has no place a sporting event, but in the way that nationalism is also deeply bound up with masculinity, the anthems at games too serve the purpose of accomodating to and 2 affirming these subject positions. The song gets used, just to be used. It also takes away the fun and variety I feel should be put into sporting events. Sports 2 are just games, right? The song has no place at baseball games; a sporting event is not a place for nationalist jingoism (especially considering how many players are NOT AMERICAN). Even the National Anthem prior to a game is borderline but has become ingrained 2 enough in tradition to be unavoidable. The song has nothing to do with baseball games. We have already saluted America with our national anthem and the song feels out of place, like it is pandering to the conservative voice that would call the team "unpatriotic" if the song was not 2 played 2 The song has nothing to do with Baseball. The song is being used by Corporate America to imprint the growing trend toward nationalism via faux corporate patriotism. It used to be fun, "take me out to the ball game", now the use of this song inserts both God and America (separation of church 2 and state, anyone?) into the "national pass time". I resent it. The song is completely overused and has lost its weight as a result. I would support the occasional rendition during ceremonies or playoff games but forcing 40,000+ people to stand at attention for every single game is presumptuous and creates an oppressive atmosphere - especially after already standing for the anthem prior to the game. Not standing, paying attention or removing ones hat can lead to uncomfortable confrontations in the crowd at a game. If our nation preaches tolerance and the freedom to practice religion or nationalism as we see fit, doesn't this 7th inning ritual actually tarnish this 2 freedom? 2 The song is slow paced, it doesn't match the flow of the game or the 7th inning strech. It is sort of a buzz kill. The song makes me feel like I have to stand at attention when it's sung when I don't believe in God. Just because I am an atheist doesn't mean I'm committing treason or I hate my country. I was yelled at by a soldier at Yankee Stadium for not 2 standing for the song. I don't think not standing for the song means I don't support our troops. The song makes the 7th inning stretch longer, and takes focus away from the lighthearted, whimsical "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". It gives sports a political and religious position which alienate me and do not represent me, as an atheist, anti- American baseball fan (yes, we do exist). This use of sports -- as a large congregation of citizens across many social strata, to reinforce religious and patriotic values through social pressure to publicly enjoy the song, feels propagandizing and 2 vaguely fascist. 2 The song seems more like a call to worship than a call for patriotism. It does not belong in stadiums but in churches. The Star Spangled Banner is already sung; we have the patriotism there already. The 7th inning stretch is for "Take Me Out 2 to the Ball Game" I don't believe in changing things due to a trigger (like 9/11) or the cold war, or WWII. The Star Spangled Banner is enough for me. I'd rather just enjoy Take Me Out To The Ballgame as we've done for...quite 2 some time. 2 the star spangled is enough in the way of patritic songs The Star-Spangled Banner at the beginning of the games is plenty. Even with baseball being saddled (in this context) with 2 the moniker of "America's national pastime," we get it. The Star-Spangled Banner before the first pitch is more than enough to sufficiently pay homage to our country. And if there's 2 anything I hate more than combining religion and patriotism, it's combining religion and sports. 2 The strong religious references are inappropriate. They should play Take Me Out To The Ballgame. 2 The traditional song for the 7th is "Take me out to the ballgame". I am also not fond of "God bless America". 2 The traditional song for the 7th is "Take me out to the ballgame". I am also not fond of "God bless America". 2 the two should not mix, not to mention other sports don't bother - why should baseball The whole point of going to a ball game is to escape reality for a few hours. I get the reason why it was added to baseball games, to be patriotic. I think that the purpose of the game itself is supposed to be enjoyable and most associate the addition of that song at baseball games with the 9/11 attacks. We are already showing our patriotism by having the "Star Spangled Banner" played prior to the first pitch and that shouldn't change. I think the fad of "God Bless America" during the 7th inning is a thing of the past. Lastly, the majority of Major League Baseball players are not American, but I guess the MLB office 2 figures it's not about the players it's about the fans. SMH. There is a moment for patriotism at sporting events, and that is before the game, during the national anthem. I don't like that the 7th inning is now some sort of reverential moment, and I resent that the tradition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" has 2 been superseded by this forced, faux-nationalism. 2 There is already a 7th inning stretch tradition in baseball and the National Anthem is sung before the game. That's enough. There is no need to constantly play the song. It is not the national anthem and by continuing to play it'll lose it appeal and 2 feeling. there isn't a need to do that. making the players stop and listen to it doesn't seem right. it is a 'stretch'. you stand and sing 2 that and not sing a song about the country. that is done prior to the game like in all other sporting events. There should be levity at a baseball game. The national anthem is enough of a gesture of gratitude for freedom. For me, 2 even THAT'S too much, but I understand how strongly people feel. 2 there should be no national songs at sporting events. There's already too much easy patriotism at ball games - and baseball is increasingly an international sport, among both 2 players and audience. It makes me very uncomfortable to have this type of patriotism highlighted. There's no need to have it sung. We already sing the national anthem. God Bless America shouldn't be in the same 2 category as our National Anthem. 2 There's no place for this song in a baseball game. The anthem at the start is enough There's no point to it. The National Anthem before the game is more than enough. I can see the Yankees doing it after 9/11 2 and even today most teams doing it on 7/4 or memorial day, but to do it everygame is pointless. 2 there's no politics in baseball! There's no real reason why a baseball game should be an expression of national unity, but for tradition's sake I like the national anthem before the game. That said, we sing the national anthem before the game! Why do we need to have a 2 patriotism-fest TWICE in one game? Plus, as previously mentioned, it's an awful song. There's no reason for it to be included. The national anthem, I think, is unnecessary, and this song even more so, to say 2 nothing of the Christian connotations in a country with freedom of religion... 2 There's no reason for it. That's what the National Anthem is for. There's no reason it should be sung at a baseball game. It interferes with baseball traditions, and feels like forced patriotism. People treat it like a sacred song at baseball games, which is what offends me the most. I can accept going along with 2 rituals that treat the national anthem as sacred, but not some other song just because it praises the nation. They already sing the National Anthem before the games, and it seems to be a matter of the team associating itself with 2 America, saying "Root for us, we like God and America." and that feels like shallow propaganda. They don't sing it every game, just on Sunday games at Ranger games. It drives me we are in the part of the game where 2 things are about to get serious then we have to pause for a slow song. They often play it at baseball games (Yankees are major offenders) and while a lot of players are american born, every year there are more players and fans from East Asia and Latin America (where the US doesn't hold a favorable position) and now there are two players from India playing in the Pittsburgh minors system. Its America's Past time, but its the World's game. Stop playing it at baseball games. Also there are a growing number of peole who don't associate with religion and want to 2 maintain a secular ideal for this country. This is forcing a christian ideal on baseball fans and players 2 They play it in the 7th inning and it takes away from the traditional 7th inning stretch song take me out to the ballgame. 2 They should sell baseball and concessions ay ballgames, but not patriotism. They tie it to the military, and I am a peacenik who hates war and hates the fascistic philosophies that push our country into 2 wars, especially needless ones like vietnam and Iraq. This has NO place in baseball games (even though this is not a universal application). National Anthem = appropriate, God 2 Bless America = blind jingoism. 2 This is a secular nation and not everyone is religious. We shouldn't have to indulge others' religious views. 2 This is an overblown hypocritical attempt by MLB to cash in on nationalist sentiment 2 This is NOT our US national anthem for god's sake! This is a baseball game, not a rally for our troops! This is only in regard to the Yankees. As a lifelong Yankee fan, I've come to resent the forced-patriotism of the 7th inning stretch ritual. The impression is that the Yankees believe they're more patriotic than other sports teams. They should revert 2 to Take Me Out to the Ballgame, which is a fun ritual. The current one is just annoying. This is the perfect example of what I mean by being told when to express patriotism. Honestly, when I go to a ball game everyone looks forward to "Take Me Out To the Ballgame". When "God Bless America" is played I see a very tepid reaction 2 and participation. This isn't a standard thing you know. Most games do not have this. For the Red Sox, for example (I'm a season ticket holder), they only play God bless America for Nationally televised games (always for Fox, most of the time for espn). Which shows that it's even more bullshit. It's another way to pound the cliche of 'America's passtime' and improves MLB's brand for 2 the Fox network. Fox's coverage of ML Baseball is one of my deepest hatreds in life. Though baseball is the American pastime and as such is expected to serve the interests of the nation-state, I like the sport 2 for its athletic merits and I hated having to sit through the pageantry and jingoism of the post-9/11 baseball game. 2 tired of it being sung at every baseball game To be made to stand at attention while such a song is played is embarrassing, both as a free thinking American and atheist. Part of being an American includes being able to make my own choices and have my own independent thoughts. This song 2 and the practice of being made to honor it is contrary to those principles. To me baseball is a sport and has nothing to do with nationalism. I also feel that you shouldn't be forced to stay in your section or even stand up during the song if you object to the song or nationalism in any way. The fact they force the song upon you is already too much. I also feel that they should keep religious things out of sporting events - not everyone believes 2 in God or the same God(s). 2 To me, it represents forced, phony patriotism and a pointless commingling of religion and sport. To my knowledge, the Yankees are the only team that plays the song at all of their home games. I find that and their "no moving during God Bless America" policy to be obnoxious and actually very un-American. The Irish tenor who sings it most 2 of the time is also a joke. However, I do feel that it is acceptable for teams to play the song on July 4th and September 11. 2 To the best of my knowledge, Christianity is not the official religion of Major League Baseball... 2 Too much and forced 2 too political AND religious 2 too preachy, too much patriotism, too religious 2 Too solemn and too forced. 2 too too much !!!! it turns a balgame into a Nuremburg rally!! 2 Totally inappropriate. The National Anthem at the start is okay. Totally inappropriate. It helped enlist major league baseball in flag waving, militarism, and war mongering after 9/11. It's 2 manipulation, and in the case of the Yankees, it's forcible patriotism since guards force patrons to observe the song Traditionally the 7th inning stretch has been "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." There is already the national anthem at 2 baseball games, and no need for Yankee Stadium security to not let people out of their seats. Traditionally the national anthem is sung at the beginning of a baseball game and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is sung during the 7th inning stretch. The inclusion of "God Bless America" undermines the importance of and respect for the national anthem by providing the collective audience with another opportunity to display their patriotism. Also, for the above stated reasons, I think it is an unnecessary addition to the baseball game because it brings politics and unabashed patriotism to an inappropriate place. The national anthem celebrates America without beseaching God to favor it above other nations, it 2 is a much more appropriate song for a baseball game. Two reasons: 1) The seventh inning belongs to "Take me out to the ball game", and 2) we already express our patriotism by 2 singing the national anthem at the start of the game. Two reasons: (A) Baseball games, especially Yankees games, are long enough without making us sit through the full version 2 of the song. (B) It's a baseball game. The song can be used beautifully for special occasions, but not for every game. Um, why religion and baseball? We already have the national anthem. We don't need anything else but take me out to the 2 ball game. Unless you can buy peanuts or cracker jacks on the fruited plain, it doesn't belong. I should say that I have no problem with it 2 (or America The Beautiful, etc.) being sung on appropriate holidays — July 4, Memorial, Veterans, etc. 2 Unnecessary 2 Unnecessary to sing. Already have the national anthem/ 2 unnecessary. Takes away from the fun of Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the stretch 2 Unnecessary... national anthem is enough. 2 Waste of time. Watching baseball is an entertainment. Inauthentic (forced) patriotism is not entertaining. It is a reminder of all hypocrisy 2 and selfishness inherent in manufactured public responses. The irony is that if it was spontaneous I would actually respect it. Way too many religious overtones and it it's frankly embarrassing to see all these good hearted but misguided people 2 unfurling flags in the stands. 2 we already do the anthem 2 We already do the National Anthem anyway. And god shouldn't be forced upon people at a ballpark. 2 We already do the National Anthem at the beginning. It feels a little forced to do another one in the 7th inning We already do the National Anthem. It makes people uncomfortable that they have to rise to sing this song. It also goes 2 against the separation of Church and State. We already have a moment for patriotism before the start of the game. I don't like mixing sports and nationalism and I feel 2 the addition of another patriotic song adds an added dimension of nationalism which makes me uncomfortable. 2 We already have a national anthem. It's overkill... 2 We already have the anthem at the start of the game, and putting it in the 7th Inning really slows down a game needlessly. We already have the National Anthem before baseball games; why add a second patriotic song? Also, I associate it mainly with the Yankees at this point, so when it's performed at other stadiums I feel like it's MLB imposing New York's preferences 2 on the rest of the country. We already have the National Anthem before the games. "Take me out to the ballgame" is the 7th-inning stretch song (plus 2 "Country Boy" at O's games). GBA is unnecessary and takes too long, especially when some singer wants to put a "stamp" on the song.

2 We already have the national anthem. It feels like overkill. Especially because Kate Smith is a terrible singer. 2 We already have the national anthem. It's overkill. We already have to suffer through the National Anthem (which wasn't played prior to sporting events until WWII), do we 2 really need another dose of patriotism? 2 we already honor america with the national anthem at the start of the game We already play the national anthem before the game. It's gotten to the point that no one particularly knows why they play it during the games when it's not a national holiday. It's indicative of a tacky and shallow concern for veterans, up there with 2 wearing camouflage uniforms and those ugly flag hats -- a way for teams to pretend they care when they don't. We already sing the National Anthem at games, why add another patriotic song. Like I said before, I think it was added to 2 support the war, and I don't like when things like this are forced in a public arena. We already sing the national anthem at the beginning of a baseball game. I love that., and it's patriotism enough.There is no need to sing "God Bless America" at seventh inning stretch, especially the way it's usually sung. Please don't subject us to 2 the trashy renditions that we usually get! Just let us sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and be done with it. 2 We already sing the National Anthem to start, why force this "pseudo patriotism" on everyone??? 2 We already sing the National Anthem! We already sing the Star Spangled Banner. That's enough. Also, baseball is an international game now, so we appear 2 xenophobic. 2 We already stand for the anthem, and that is more meaningful. We already stand for the National Anthem at the beginning of the game and many teams have American flag patches. Why 2 do we need to force patriotism down our throats more so. The seventh inning stretch is for "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" We already stand one for the NA at the beginning of games that is enough. If there is another national trajedy, will we have to stand for another song after the 3rd inning. Also, why do only people who go to sporting events have to honor the country. 2 I'm not saying get rid of NA before games but GBA is just overkill. 2 We do the anthem. The anthem is enough. We do the national anthem in the begining. the 7th inning is a fun time to stand up and enjoy the game and sing take me out 2 to the ball game. I am really not a fan of god bless america during the 7th inning stretch. We honor our country with the singing of the National Anthem at the start of every game. That's an appropriate display of patriotism. I'm there to watch a ball game, not to wrap myself in the flag. Doesn't mean I don't love my country, but enough 2 is enough. We sing the national anthem at the start of the game--that's enough. And the seventh inning stretch should be reserved for 2 "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," traditional and more appropriate to the setting We sing the National Anthem prior to the game. There's a reason we do it & there's a reason it was named our National 2 Anthem. No need to have 2 patriotic songs, especially when sports transcend politics. We stand for "The Star Spangled Banner." No problem there but "God Bless America" just seems unnecessary now and I 2 find many fans don't respect it anyway. We're already playing the national anthem before the game and the seventh-inning stretch already has a song. It's 2 superfluous and almost jingoistic. Well, as I said above. Also, I find the injection of the Christian (or any) religion into public or civic life extremely distasteful, especially when it is, at least below the surface, employed for normative purposes, to dictate what an appropriate response 2 is. Well, for one thing, it's just so typical--taking a real, genuine moment like the FIRST time it was sung at a ball game, and then trying to replicate it over and over again until it loses all meaning. Also, really, I think actually just being at a baseball game, 2 scarfing hots dogs and beer, cheering on the home team, etc., is freakin' American enough. 2 Well, I'm a Yankee fan... and I'd really prefer the 7th inning stretch to take less than 30 minutes. 2 What does God, whether real or a figment of the believer's imagination, have to do with baseball? 2 what does it have to do with baseball? what does it have to do with baseball. it is also a shame the ways that some clubs force participation upon paying fans (i.e. 2 yankees). 2 What happened to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame?!" What has god or America have anything to do with a baseball game? It's bad enough we are subjected to the National Anthem before games; why do something meaningless again during the 7th inning? I'm there to enjoy the game, not to be 2 subjected to forced participation in a show of nationalism. Next thing you know, we'll all be chanting "Zeig Heil" to god! 2 what is the purpose? When it is used in a public setting like at a baseball game, you have a captive audience who only came there to watch a baseball game, rather than to receive further religious indoctrination from what is supposed to be a secular sporting 2 institution. When it was sung during the 2001 playoffs by the firefighter with the wonderful voice, it was intensely moving. Now it's just a 2 canned, dated version While addition of the song honoring those who died in the 9/11 attacks may have been OK for the rest of that season, it has since been elevated to equality in stature with the National Anthem, including compulsory doffing of caps and being forced to stop everything during the performance. It feels like a right-wing propagandist movement as opposed to a grass-roots 2 display of patriotism. While I was as upset as anyone by the September 11th attacks, I was further disturbed by the cheap, easy, empty displays of 2 jingoism that followed. The Yankees' early response to the attacks in their backyard was generous and moving, but quickly degenerated into an alarming, ongoing display of war worship from a franchise owned by a military contractor. Eight years into this, I'd really like to go back to "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." While initially it was great, I think it's importance has become minimized as now it is more pious than patriotic at baseball 2 games. Teams should stick to Take Me Out to The Ballgame. While its important to mourn the losses of those we lost on 9/11, the middle of a regular baseball game is not the forum for 2 such a remembrence quite so often. It's okay to mourn, it's not always okay to remind....over and over and over. 2 Why are we politicizing sports and forcing people to embrace a simplistic patriotism at a baseball game? 2 Why do we have to rattle the saber at a baseball game. Why not some other patriotic songs like "America the Beautiful," "America," "Coming to America" or "This Land is Your Land." I usually head for the bathroom during the Nuremeburg-reminiscent GBA performance during the 7th inning stretch. But now they are piping it into the men's room. I didn't even have to pee at that time, but I went, anyway, and began singing "This Land," while other guys in reaction pumped up their own volume to GBA, proving that patriotic song-singing is the province of drunken men who couldn't wait till after the song was played. At Nationals Park, every game, management points out on the big screen "our heroic" servicemen upon whom they bestow VIP tickets. It used to be war wounded from Walter Reed. Now that they have run out of wounded, they are parading run of the mill GIs out there and demanding that fans pay tribute. I used to defend democracy when I was a journalist, and I am a loyal employee (contractor) of the United States government. Why don't I get publicly lauded? Not that I require it. I am heroic just for going to games played by a team that has a good chance of being the worst in history. If MLB wants to promote "patriotism," it should encourage its players 2 to volunteer for the armed services. 2 why not stop movies and make audiences sing jingoistic pap, as well! Why politisize baseball??? I feel massive uncomfortable every time I attend a yankee game dispite their being my favorate 2 club. At least now your permitted to get up to go to the bathroom. Why should it be played there? Because it is "America's Past Time?" I go to a baseball game to watch and have a good time 2 and whenever I hear this song, I cringe. 2 Why? It serves no purpose would be fine if done at start of game instead of star spangled banner or if only done on national holidays but every game at 2 yankee stadium is too much 2 Would much prefer "Take me out to the ballgame." Have no need for God at a baseball game. 2 Yankees abuse the use of it. 2 yankees play it at every game (and i'm a yankee fan!!!!) 2 you got that already. you know that scene in sound of music where everybody is heiling hitler at the outdoor music festival? well, that's not equivalent, but still it's what i think of whenever we do the patriotic stuff at sporting events. god and patriotism have no place 2 at sporting events! btw, i don't like it that we sing the star spangled banner at sporting events either. "Take me out to the ballgame" is the traditional song. "God Bless America" has put a political and religous connotation to the 3 game 1. I would like to keep my beloved game as a God-free zone. 2. Same as to baseball implicitly endorsing a particular 3 political position. 3. All of that I could have excused briefly post-9/11, but it has gone on too long. 3 7th inning stretch is for "Take me out to the ballgame." Besides, we already have pre-gane anthems. 3 Adds unnecessary veneer of syrupy patriotic platitudes to an athletic contest 3 After 9/11 it made since... but 8 years later I don't get it. After 9/11 it was appropriate and patriotic. 8 years later, every night at Yankees games, makes for overkill and a lack of 3 meaning Again - overuse - why do we need it at baseball games? - they already have the National Anthem - is that not enough? I also think it is simply a boring song - doesn't move me in anyway - but the National Anthem and America the Beautiful do move 3 me. I do consider myself a patriotic person - just not in an exclusionary way, 3 already have the national anthem. don't like forced patriotism. 3 As a Yankee fan, I feel it is overdone As far as the song alone is concerned, lyrics are great, melody is beautiful. But as far as enforcing the American pride and everything else, it should be enough by now. Also, keep playing it like the national anthem every single day on broadcasts 3 around the world might have the opposite result: people getting sick of it the the whole American pride stuff. As I mentioned above, I'm uncomfortable with things that link religion and patriotism. I would be much happier with 3 something like "America the Beautiful." At first, I saw the reason for it. People at the time wanted patriotism. Now, I feel like it is being shoved down our throats. Particularly egregious is the Yankees' (of whom I am a fan) use of the Kate Smith rendition of the song, which is perhaps the most tired version of all. I've had to listen to it 81 times a year now going on 7 years. That's over 560 times. I'm about as sick of it as that summer in high school where I worked at a store and heard nothing but that Bryan Adams song from the Kevin 3 Costner Robin Hood movie, or that one hit that Four Non Blondes had. 3 At this point, it rings hollow. 3 baseball games should be about baseball. nothing else Baseball is my favorite sport, but it certainly doesn't need to be MORE American. The addition of "GBA" seems like overcompensation for a bad thing that happened. It strikes me in the same way that the addition of the "under God" line to 3 the Pledge of Allegiance does--like it's an effort to make sure that "we" show "them" how proud we are. Sort of childish. Baseball is not exclusively American and should not be used in this way for jingoistic purposes. Plus, we already sing take 3 me out to the ballgame - that's enough singing already! 3 Baseball should be about sport not about politics. Baseball, while the "national pasttime" and my favorite sport of all time (bordering on obesession, actually), is not a sport specific to the United States. Further, Major League Baseball doesn't solely operate within the US, a huge percentage of players are not US-born, and a huge percentage of fans are not US-born; the use of "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch seems to single out the greatness of the United States and perhaps also makes citizens of the US seem overly focused on the US without considering other nations and nationalities and their contributions to the sport and pretty much everything else. The Star Spangled Banner should be enough to solidify our patriotism - at least when Canadian teams are 3 playing within the US, the Canadian national anthem "O Canada" is also played. 3 Because it's propaganda, baseball should be a respite from cable news disinformation. 3 Becomes a routine over time and loses significance. 3 didn't mind it at first, but its time to drop it from the program. it served its purpose, and now time to move on. 3 Do not like Kate Smith's version of it and Ronan's is a little too heav for a ball game Either the Star Spangled Banner or God Bless the land that I love -- one is plenty. If baseball owners want to display their 3 patriotism why not charge less for tickets to honor Americans? Enough already! I was fine with it as a gesture after 9-11, but the Yankees don't need to keep it for every game. Take me out to the ballgame was a better alternative--secular, and more appropriate to the occasion. The national anthem is great and 3 that should be sung at every game but there isn't a need to pile on the patriotism. No need to protest too much. 3 Enough is enough! 3 Even though baseball is America's national pastime, it seems unnecessary to stop, late in the game, for a very somber song. 3 excessive delay of games 3 False patriotism 3 feel the national anthem is enough...it's a baseball game 3 for special games (world series or all star) its fine but it doesnt need to be played everyday For the reasons above I think it can be exclusionary to include God at a baseball game. But I don't have a strong objection to 3 it. 3 Forced 3 forced patriotism is unpatriotic 3 God and nation thing in sporting events. 3 God does not belong at baseball games 3 God shouldn't be included in sports, especially since it is a public venue. has nothing to do with baseball and teams are made up of players from many countries other than the US, the national 3 anthem is played before each game that is fine and enough of a salute to the US 3 Has nothing to do with baseball or baseball culture. Knee jerk pro-American reaction to scary events. Heritage, history, and tradition develop organically; this musical gesture, though appropriate during the closing months of the 3 2001 season, has nothing to do with the terrorist attacks and now commemorates only itself. I am opposed to singing the Star Spangled Banner -- no one does it well -- we should be singing My Country Tis Of The or America the Beautiful -- So singing God Bless America could be a replacement for the Star Spangled Banner, but both are a 3 bit more than necessary. 3 I am tired of it 3 I am tired of it. I don't like that version of it. I associate the 7th inning stretch with Take Me Out To the Ballgame, which is fun, and fun to sing. God Bless America is 3 neither. I attend many Yankee games and hear the song every time. It certainly loses meaning when you hear it over and over again. 3 Additionally, it is a poor recording of the song that is used only because it was used by the NHL's Flyers. I believe baseball (and other recreational sports) are for the purpose of letting you get away from the other things that are 3 going on in your life and in the world at large. I like to separate my politics from my baseball. I believe the Yankees have been playing it during the 7th inning stretch since before September 11th. I could be wrong 3 though. I can see being sung during holidays, but I don't feel it should be used at every game. For one we already have the star spangled banner play, two a good majority of players aren't necessarily Americans so really an argument can be made as to why we don't sing songs about their countries. Thirdly, while I believe in God, not everyone does and well I'd be pretty pissed 3 of I had to sing the song if it was Allah bless America, or Yahweh bless America. I can only imagine for others it is similiar. 3 I dislike the song and think the seventh inning is a poor place to put it. 3 I do not like forced patriotism or religiosity. I do not love it because it seems a bit contrived and forced patriotism. The Star-Spangled Banner is all that we need to do. 3 This is akin to some of the recognitions that seem a bit disingenuous (like everyone wearing #42 for Jackie Robinson) I do think that baseball is a great American pass time and I don't necessarily fill that this song has a strong religious connotation (If I did that might be a reason "dislike" but I just don't associate it that way). I just don't like it because that 3 seems like kind of a downer at the fun game! I remember songs like take me out to the ball game or Van Halen's Shout. I don't care all that much, but I think it's kind of hokey. Also, I figure it's a fairly cynical assertion of baseball's status as "America's game." That said, I don't like the song, and, if baseball feels the need to spend the seventh inning asserting its 3 patriotism, I'd prefer "This Land is Your Land" to "God Bless America," even if we omit the "controversial" verses. I don't care much for that use of it. I think the national anthem is enough, but I do not have a strong dislike. What bothers me is faked, forced, or manipulated expressions of patriotism. Peer pressure is hard to deal with. I believe singing should be 3 voluntary. 3 I don't like God's inclusion in what should be a non-religious sport 3 I don't like the religious message being mixed in with politics or patriotism, nor with sports. I don't like to ever listen to or sing along with the song, whether it's at a baseball game or in any other setting. Also, playing the song at baseball games seemed to indicate that the U.S. had entered a war in a traditional sense, which I felt was 3 misleading and cheap propaganda. 3 I don't mind it on special occasions, just not every game. I don't need patriotic songs at sporting events other than the Olympics or major events like the World Series. I think it is 3 ridiculous at ordinary events like a Pirates-Marlins game on a Tuesday night. I don't support any nationalistic anthems at baseball games or any other sports events. In hockey they only play the US anthem if both teams are based in the US, but both the US and Canadian anthems if one team is based in the US but the other in Canada. Never mind that half the players, and often the star players, are from other countries in the world. Talk about absurdity. A Russian, a Czech and a Swede score a goal apiece to lead their team to 3-2 victory over their opponent, yet their countries get no recognition. Granted, the opportunity is here in North America, but there's no reason for us to rub it 3 in the faces of hardworking Dominicans, Mexicans, Fins and Norwegians. I don't think baseball games should be used to spread a pro-war message. The song has become associated with people who espouse the view that the war is good and right and that if you don't support the war you don't support the country. I am also uncomfortable with overt displays of a single religious view. God Bless America is a Christian song even if one could 3 argue that the reference to God is not specific. I don't think it's necessary to hear both the Star-Spangled Banner and GBA. The National Anthem is enough. I also don't 3 know what the etiquette is for GBA - do we remove our caps? hand over the heart? I don't think we should play it at games. we are there to relax and enjoy the ballgame. we already had The Star Spangled 3 Banner. 3 i dont believe in god. i dont think kneejerk patriotism is appropriate at ball games or anywhere else. I dont like it because its merely another form of sunshine patriotism, like the yellow ribbons. Plus its overdone. Baseball is a 3 game, a diversion - and let it be at that. I feel it served its purpose for patriotism and unity after the 9/11 attacks. But now that feeling is gone and the song doesn't 3 need to be sung during the 7th inning stretch anymore. I feel that enforced patriotism is false patriotism, and that America actually has more diversity of political opinion than Major league baseball and tv stations wish to associate themselves with. I also feel that we already do the National Anthem before the game, and that the stretch should be reserved for a communal celebration of baseball only through Take Me Out to the 3 Ball Game 3 I feel that it takes away some of the importance that "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" has. 3 I feel that its use is political. I have serious issues with Chrisitianity and the force feeding of Christianity to all Americans as an absolute, inviolable truth: 3 that a white man who lives in the sky judges us. I just feel that it's inappropriate for a baseball game. I get why they were doing it in NY immediately after 9/11, but I think it's 3 over the top for it to become some kind of mandatory baseball tradition. I like God Bless America, however I feel that its inclusion in baseball games, in addition to the National Anthem, is an 3 unnecessary act of forced partiotism. 3 I liked it after 9/11, and think it should be sung on patriotic day games (4th of July, 9/11, etc.), but every other day, no. I liked it for the first year after the attacks but it feels contrived now. Also, it feels different to hear it when you believe that our 3 approach to the rest of the world has become so aggressive and religiously slanted. I love baseball and would prefer people sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"; few people sing it at Yankee Stadium, nowadays. As far as patriotism/propaganda goes, government influence is everywhere, so it'd be silly to complain about it in 3 this instance and not in others. And ultimately, it's just a song. I think it is okay for some games, but not on an everyday basis. Like I said it's just overdone. I'm a huge Yankees fan, but 3 seriously, every game. 3 I think it is overkill especially at yankee staidum. leave it for the playoffs 3 I think it is unneccessary and overdone. There is no need to add patriotism to the 7th inning stretch. I think it is wrong to impose anything, this song included, on people without their permission. I do not need to hear this song 3 or any song to love my country or to feel patriotic towards my country. I think it was good after the attacks, but has lingered too long. It should not be a permanent fixture during the 7th inning stretch. We already have the National Anthem pre-game. On important holidays, like the 4th of July, it is perfectly fine to do 3 this pre-game. I don't like breaking up the flow of the game with it. 3 I think its too much to do it every game as it starts to lose the specialness. Its not as meaningful when its played every game. I think that signing the National Anthem is enough America "horn blowing" at the ball game. Having the song played or sung during the 7th inning stretch for a period of time in NY after 9/11 seemed appropriate. Now I'd just like to sing "Take Me Out 3 to the Ballgame" and be done with it. I think the 7th inning stretch should be about baseball and not 'patriotism.' When in those situations I feel almost obligated to 3 sing, whether I want to or not. 3 I think the national anthem is enough of a show of patriotism at a sporting event. I thought it made some sense in the immediate aftermath, but they should have dropped it starting in the 2002 season. We already enjoy a patriotic moment with the playing of the national anthem at the start of the game, so this feels like gilding the 3 lilly. Plus, the sentiment of the national anthem is far more stirring; a nation that's been battered but won't falter. I thought it was good right after Sept. 11 and maybe for 2002 but it's not as necessary now and is a bit tiresome. I miss Take 3 Me Out To The Ballgame. 3 I thought it was ok just after 9-11, but is completely unnecessary now. I understand that it was played following 911 to promote a sense of unity. However, I think at this point its just become another tradition like "take me out to the ball game". It should be reserved for big games like the all star game or world 3 series and not over played every single game. 3 I understand why it was done, but "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is tradition, and we already do the national anthem. I used to not really care one way or the other but now its ALWAYS played during baseball games (especially Yankees' games) and that is inappropriate in my opinion. We have the national anthem at the beginning which is OK but we don't need 3 ANOTHER patriotic song. We should go back to singing "take me out to the ballgame," not another patriotic song. I work at Oriole Park as a vendor in the seating area, so I hear it every Sunday when the Orioles are home. I dislike how the fans treat it like the National Anthem by removing their hat, putting their hand over their heart and being totally silent. It's NOT 3 the Anthem, it's just another song like they play between the innings I worked for a Major League Baseball team from 1997-2003 (in ballpark entertainment, where booking the "God Bless America" singer was my responsibility, so I might not be the most impartial person here). Still, for me, it represented not a true display of love of country as much as it was a form of propaganda to unite the "Us" vs. "them." As more and more info about the second Gulf War and the second Bush administration came to light, such uses of the song in superficial displays of 3 false patriotism made the song (and others like it) feel hollow for me. I would prefer "America, The Beautiful", if a song other than "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" is required, because it reflects 3 the pastoral beginnings of the game. I'd prefer to keep the Sports world and the Political world seperate, and although I feel the song is inherently a symbol of America, the way in which it has been placed into MLB feels forced. I think The National Anthem covers the thanks we all 3 have as Americans on its own. i'm all about saluting america at sporting events. however, i feel that singing the national anthem to start the game is 3 satisfactory. stopping the game to again salute america with an additional song seems like we're trying too hard. I'm all for having people stand up and sing together--Take Me Out To the Ballgame, Sweet Caroline, for example--but this 3 made love of country, and by extension love of the national pastime seem like an obligation or a test of patriotism. I'm cool with singing it on Opening Day or July 4th or 9/11, but if it's sang every 7th inning it loses some of that solemn power that it'd have if it were less frequently sang. To sing it every 7th inning stretch makes me associate the song itself with baseball, but if it's sang infrequently I feel like the song remains more associated with the special dates or times. And I feel 3 like the latter should be the case, not the former. I'm OK with it on Sundays, but only if they also play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." It really annoys me when they substitute 3 it for "Take Me Out." I've been a baseball fan all my life. I felt the inclusion of the song was partially a result of Bud Selig's influence as commissioner to propagandize on behalf of his friend, George W. Bush. Most people at baseball games aren't thinking very hard; they want to relax, get drunk, and perhaps pay attention to the game. So I don't think they would think critically about 3 the implications of playing the song, post 9/11, or its true intent. 3 If they wanted to be patriotic, they could have chosen a better song. 3 Immediately after 9/11, I thought it was appropriate. Now it just seems gratuitous and out of place. In Milwaukee they only do it on Sundays and on holidays. That's better than every game, which would almost force the song 3 into meaninglessness. In particular, I dislike the goons at Yankee stadium trouncing on personal rights and common sense (like being able to go to the bathroom). There is nothing patriotic with forcing people to act as you want. This song was written as a peace song 3 against Hitler and the Nazis. The Yankees are now misusing it as Hitler would have. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, particularly in NYC, the song was a reminder that baseball doesn't occur in a vacuum, and that games flourish because of freedom. The song was also a public and common declaration of a grieving nation. 8 years down the road, the song has lost most of its power because of overuse. And, also because we have sometimes not acted honorably or justly as a nation in response to 9/11. It makes me think of lost opportunities for how we could have lead the world after 9/11. It reveals divisions now, instead of establishing unity. Plus, the 7th inning is for another song alone: 3 "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." In the weeks after 9/11, I think it was great as it gave us all a sense of comfort. But it no longer belongs in baseball games - 3 the 7th inning stretch is about popcorn and crackerjacks, not about patriotism. 3 Intolerance 3 It does not add anything to the game nor say anything about one's patriotism or such 3 It feels a little forced, especially cramming it into the seventh inning stretch along with Take Me Out to the Ballgame 3 It feels like forced patriotism. 3 It felt special immediately after 9/11. Now it's just another song at the ballgame 3 It has become a meaningless ritual that slows down the game. 3 It has become obligatory and tedious. A disservice to the song. It has become overly played. It does not need to be played at every game. I do not like that there are religious references in 3 the song. 3 It has nothing to do with baseball. 3 It has nothing to do with the game. 3 It involves Bud Selig pandering to the Bush Administration and Fox News. It's cheap and easy patriotism. It is redundant with the National Anthem for one thing. I am also generally uncomfortable with nationalism and ceremonial shows of patriotism. In a stadium environment especially, where one is often wearing a cap and there is strong peer- pressure to remove it, it is very difficult to avoid feeling forced into a pledge of support for the country, even if you may not personally feel the need or inclination to do so. I'm speaking as someone who has great admiration for what the country stands for. I just don't feel that symbolic salutes are consistent with what is great about this country and to be compelled to 3 participate, whether by authoritative or social compulsion is not a positive thing. It is unnecessary, and breaks the fun feeling of a baseball game. We know it was added for 9/11, but why do we need to 3 bring up those feelings at every ball game. We are there to have a good time. It it an interesting fit because it serves MLB well as a way to show their tradition and how they are Americas pasttime. Baseball is all about history so it is no surprise that they use this song to make their product seem more American and 3 timeless. 3 It just reminds me of 9/11 everytime I hear it. Brings back awful memories. 3 It politicizes a non-political moment It seems redundant to play both the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America; I am slightly uncomfortable with the 3 phrase "God Bless." It seems surpurfluous - we sing the National Anthem, we acknowledge injured soldiers, etc. at games, I am there for 3 baseball, not to wind myself up in the flag or be overcome with parioxisims of patriotism. 3 It serves no significence. it should be either/or on the national anthem or GBA..... but we don't need to do it twice when I just want to watch a baseball 3 game 3 It should be like in the years gone by. " Take me out to the ballgame". I am in to tradition... 3 It should be sung on the weekends only, and not be broadcast on TV. 3 It slows down the game. It's about baseball, not some sort of phony expression of patriotism. 3 It speaks of close-minded ethnocentrism rather than patriotism or nationalism. 3 It takes away from a great tradition of the seventh inning stretch. 3 It takes away from the National Anthem, which I find to be much more patriotic. 3 It takes the place of a timeless baseball tradition It was a nice gesture to help bring people together after a tough time. Now that it's 2009, I think it's a bit much that it is still being sung in New York. The effect is diminished to me, and is starting to seem a little pretentious. Peter Abraham, who covers the Yankees, says it well: "Does New York love America more than the rest of the country?" or something along those 3 lines. It was cool after September 11 but I think the Star Spangled Banner is enough. I am there for a baseball game, not a 3 concert. it was fine right after 2001 and maybe 1 year afterwords. Now i think it should only be sung on Sept 11 and maybe 4th of July 3 at baseball games. It was fine until the conclusion of the 2001 season (and perhaps the opening of the following year) when the impact of the attack were fresh and the scars still raw, but after that it became, in my opinion, over-politicized. In a baseball context, it has become over-used. I think that the tradition of singing the Star spangled Banner is enough, and the addition of the GBA at mid-game has diminished the intent of both. It feels like someone forcing patriotism on me in a situation where it is not 3 needed. It was fine when only done once a week or just weekend games. Not every game. I appreciate the sacrifice of our troops and everyone owes them a debt of gratitude. However I came to the baseball game to be entertained, not to be reminded of 3 the harsh reality of war, economy etc. it was great in the months after 911 but ENOUGH already- this is a sporting event not a rally. isnt the nat anthem enough? it 3 should be It was great that it started after 9/11/01. But they do the National Anthem already and there is a reason it is called the 7th 3 inning stretch. I hate being forced to sit in my seat and not go to the bathroom when it's sung. 3 It was in my opinion supposed to be an added show of support after the attacks. Now it feels like grandstanding. It was included because of an emotional reaction instead of a thoughtful manner. They could have picked America The 3 Beautiful. 3 It was nice after 9/11, now it just makes games longer. We already play the anthem at the beginning. It was okay for a while, but enough is enough. It kind of distracts from the game, almost defeating the purpose of playing baseball. Baseball is a distraction from the realities of life, as was proved in the aftermath of 9/11. Now singing the song is some kind of macho thing and it should stop. Like, if you don't sing the song and love George Bush, we're going to kick your 3 butt. It was okay in the year or two after 9/11, but it's not necessary anymore eight years later. It disrupts the flow of the game. 3 The Star Spangled Banner before the game starts is enough. It would be fine if it was only on Sundays, or national holidays or something. Every game seems like a bit much though. Its 3 not the National Anthem. 3 It's a fun experience: a game It's supposed to be free of any geo-political and religious nonsense. 3 It's a slightly annoying, not much need for it, but it is a good song for the country 3 It's a somber, somewhat depressing song. 3 It's a symbol of forced patriotism it's a waste of time; anthem ALREADY sung at beginning of game, doubt patriotism has waned by the 7th inning. Also, many 3 baseball fans may not believe in God - where does this leave them ? 3 It's baseball, and the 7th inning stretch, gimme take me out to the ball game instead. 3 It's becoming cliche. 3 It's like forced religion on me. 3 It's mandatory nature is equivalent to bullying. 3 It's not a joyful, happy song. It's a solemn song. It's not all baseball games, by the way. It isn't just about it being a baseball game, either. It is about the way a song that talks about God is being pushed upon fans, as some sort of religious-political statement. That's not what I think this country is 3 about. 3 It's not an official anthem and therefore shouldn't be a mandatory happening. 3 It's ok on special dates, but every day is overkill. 3 It's overkill. Sing it on the 4th of July maybe. Otherwise, let's stick to Take me out to the Ballgame for the 7th inning stretch. It's overkill. They've been doing it for almost 8 years. I understand that it was important right after and I enjoyed it. But I 3 don't think they should do it for every game. Just memorial day, 4th of july and sept 11th. 3 It's pandering. 3 It's repetitive and unnecessary 3 It's the 7th inning stretch, people! Not Take Me Out to the Ballgame with an added chorus of God Bless America. 3 It's too much already. It's too much. We have the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the game. It's not a patriotic event. It's a ball game. 3 Way too much jingoism gets mixed into every day events in the U.S. It's totally uncalled for. We already have the National Anthem at the beginning of games. Why do we need to add this? Were 3 we playing it during games while we fought WWII, the Korean Conflict, Vietrnam? 3 It's unnecessary and lengthens the game. 3 It's unnecessary, people should not be forced to stand or stay in one place while it plays 3 Its a silly, jingoistic addition that takes away from the real baseball tradition of singing take me out to the ball game. Its is not the national anthem, so it should not be mandatory at ballgames. Many clubs actrully do not play it at their stadiums anymore. . Baseball is an entity that bridges people of different factions together. I, myself am not fond of the U.S. at all, yet 3 love and enjoy going to ballgames with people that do. Baseball brings people together, while politics and nationalism divide. 3 jingoistic 3 just have fun at the games. Sing "Take Me out to the ball game"! No need to sing a serious song. 3 Kate Smiths is balls and that recording is worse.. how about a little sinatra? Like others who personally felt the loss of 9/11, I valued the emotional sentiment expressed during the singing of the song in 2001. Not merely the patriotic sentiment of the song, but the feeling of those singing it in the ballpark. Everyone sang, unlike the national anthem, and everyone sang with emotion. It was quite moving. But by the 2002 season, with the immediate impact of 9/11 behind us, it didn't have the same emotion. Suddenly it was just more enforced singing and seemed like a political tool. The religious references in the song, in addition to the increased length of the stretch, became irritating. Suddenly the focus was not on enjoying a game of baseball, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, but on the political game of forced patriotism and religion. I was glad when teams started dropping it, and I think everyone should go back to the way it was - even the Yankees and their fancy (non-American) tenor. Every game has a genuine patriotic sentiment when it opens 3 with the national anthem. This forced addition, with its conservative and religious undertones, has no business in baseball. 3 Love the National Anthem before the game but I feel God Bless America is forced on us during the seventh inning stretch. 3 Mainly because I like "Take me out to the ballgame." 3 Makes no sense to me 3 may be sung, but not at 7th inning strech My loyalty to "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the fact that "God Bless America" is seemingly viewed as a "better" song than 3 the national anthem. 3 national anthem is enough. take me out to the ballgame is good enough. 3 No need to do it every game. Perhaps only on Sundays. 3 No need to force religion on others. And patriotism is already covered with national anthem. 3 No point. The national anthem is enough. Not everyone at the ballgames follows a Judeo-Christian system of beliefs. I personally do but I can't help but feel that the 3 song makes people who have another view...or no view at all, feel rather uncomfortable. Now that it is ubiquitous it feels like propaganda, more so than the National Anthem, perhaps because it seems to conflate 3 God and patriotism. I am Catholic but I am disturbed by statistics that I saw during the past presidential election that indicated the majority of Americans would not vote for an atheist for president. I now feel that this song encourages this view. Often go to NY Yankees games. Served it's purpose for a while after 9/11 but now it's overdone. No need to sing the song 3 anymore. 3 ok for special commemorations; not for everyday. national anthem is enough 3 One patriotic song per game is enough. Out of place; we already do the anthem before the game; no need for this song in 7th inning stretch in lieu of Take Me Out to 3 the Ballgame; everything about the way the Yankees do it is arrogant, dictatorial and obnoxious 3 over done ....maybe once in a while ...but every game is a bit much 3 Overkill. We start games with the anthem. It was fine at first, but it should have been temporary. 3 overkill.....we already hear National Anthem. 3 Overused political statement 3 Patriotism is the last refuge of..... Playing the song so often makes it much less of a special song. It think it should be limited to special patriotic occasions 3 such as July 4th, Labor Day, etc. Other days should just stick with Take Me Out to the Ballgame. 3 Preferred "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" over "God Bless America" Prior to 9/11, all baseball games began with the national anthem (or anthems, for games involving Canadian teams), and all seventh-inning stretches included "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." These traditions are time-honored. Adding an additional song to the seventh-inning stretch has always seemed like patriotic posturing to me. I do think there was any real benefit in adding an additional ritual -- it seems like it serves only as an affirmation for more-patriotic-than-thou types. Now that the song has been introduced, it will probably remain a fixture because any team that tries to remove it would be accused of a 3 lack of patriotism. This seems unfortunate to me. 3 Religion has no place at a baseball game. Right after 9/11 the song was used a coping mechanism for all of us affected by the attacks. Now it is just time to move on. Plus I do not like that fact that security guards and fans at Yankee Stadium yell at or ridicule those who chose not stand or go 3 to the concession while the song is playing. Being patriotic has nothing to do with standing quietly for song. See comments in number 9. I have been an attending fan for years and after 9/11 many fans have been hostile and aggressive about what can only be described as compulsory participation when it is played and song. Not a pretty sight with 3 young children watching grown men and women scream, shout and curse at others that actually practice freedom of choice. 3 Seems contrived, it's not the national anthem but they makes a big show [hat's off, hands over heart etc.] 3 Seems out of place - especially singing it by interrupting the game in the 7th inning. If sung at game, should be at the start. 3 Seems too redundant. 3 seperation of church, state and baseball Should have been done away with after the conclusion of the 2001 season. I appreciated the fact that baseball interrupted their season after the attacks and felt the song was appropriate then as a statement that the American spirit could not be undermined. It has now however become another example of corporate (in this case MLB) control over the experience provided their customers. I am sure there is an SOP issued by MLB to the teams stating when, which versions, and how 3 many minutes/seconds the song must be played. Hence, by doing that, future removal becomes a political hot potato. 3 Should have never broke tradition of the seventh inning stretch. 3 Shouldn't be sung at every game at every seventh inning stretch. why not save it for special occassions? Silly. This song does not make one more apt to recognize or appreciate the true bravery and responsibility of those 3 sacrificing their safety to defend America. 3 sing it before the game, not during the 7th inning stretch. 3 Sing take me out to the ball game. 3 Sitting through that song PLUS take me out to the ball game is too boring. 3 Slow's down the game, Star-Spangled Banner is enough patriotism for one game. 3 Take Me Out to the Ball Game is the ONLY song that should be sung during the seventh inning stretch. The games are long enough nowadays with commercial breaks for TV/radio, player rituals in the batters box; when you add in live performances of God Bless America by people who think every time they sing is an audition for American Idol and they embellish and drag out even the simplest phrases, those extra few minutes seem like an eternity. Plus, if you want to include GBA as part of the game, put it right after the national anthem, like most high schools do if they perform both at sporting 3 events/concerts. The mere fact that the song is played does not particularly bother me. The idea that it may be used to force "patriotism" 3 (where this does not mean simple love of country but a particular worldview held by certain people) is distressing. The National Anthem has traditionally been sung at baseball games for decades. The addition of God Bless America is overkill. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is such a great thing to look forward to in the 7th inning, especially for the kids. It 3 should stand alone. 3 The national anthem is enough. This many years after 9/11, we should let it go already. 3 The National Anthem is enough. It's a ball game. Not an American rally. The National Anthem is sufficient. This is overkill. And at Dodger Stadium, it takes away from "Take Me Out to the 3 Ballgame," which is a tradition that I really value. 3 The National Anthem is sufficient. We do not need to breed rabid nationalists. The national anthem is sung before each game. You cheapen both God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner by 3 giving them equal weight. The pre-game national anthem and the flying of the star spangled banner should suffice for national pride/patriotism and 3 support of our nation during a time of war. There is no need to add it in the middle of a sporting competition. The seventh-inning stretch has always been about baseball. Now it's about making a political statement. Baseball may be the American game, but it should be a release from worldly worries, including politics and America's place in the world 3 community. It's just baseball. Bring back "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" and leave it alone. 3 The traditional Christian God represented in the song does not represent the diversity of beliefs in MLB or amongst their fans 3 There are few things more American than baseball. No need for patriotic songs. There are many different people who play and attend the games of all different nationalities. A baseball game is not the place 3 to express your love of your country. You are there to express your love for your team. 3 There is no need for it in light of the fact that the national anthem is already sung. 3 There is no reason to sing this song at games. In fact it annoys me greatly. There's already the national anthem to start the baseball game, and "take me out to the ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch, what's the need to sing another? Pretty soon they'll be singing songs during the 4th inning stretch for another event, and the 6th inning stretch for something else. Baseball games are already long enough as is... and we're there to watch baseball, not to have singalongs galore between innings. I have nothing against singing the song, but is it really 3 necessary? 3 There's no need to play both God Bless America and the Star Spangled Banner There's no need to politicize a game, especially considering the league in which it's played has expanded to our beautiful, northern friends in Toronto (and previously, and sadly no more, Montreal). I feel rather uncomfortable with the concept of making people who aren't citizens, but get paid to play here, sing along or hold their hearts to a song for a country they don't represent. How would the average citizen of the US feel about being required to sing along to a Venezuelan or Mexican song while playing down there? (And for those who think that they aren't required, just look back to the fact that Carlos 3 Delgado was vilified for not holding his heart during the song). There's only one song that should be sung during the 7th inning stretch: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." I was fine with it for the 2001 season, but 8 years later and the Yankees are still trotting out an opera singer to sing it every game? Overkill. I do think it is appropriate for the song to be sung on days such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, etc., because those days are celebrations of America. I also think it's absurd that the song is not sung regularly at every game (for most teams), yet it is sung during the nationally televised playoffs, as though the national audience demands the song being performed 3 while local games do not. That alone suggests to me that the performance of the song has ulterior motives. 3 They already do the National Anthem before the game, singing God Bless America is over the top. 3 They already sing or play the national anthem at the games It blends baseball and patriotism with religion They sing the national anthem before the game. That's enough mandatory patriotism for my tastes. The seventh inning 3 stretch is for Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and, well, stretching. This song is not a traditional part of baseball. It was touching to hear it at Yankees and Mets games immediately after the 9/11 attacks. It was a good reflection of the sentiment of the time and very moving since the brunt of the attack occurred in New York. Now it is brought out for every patriotic day, playoffs, and World Series. Especially annoying now is the fact that 3 the networks use this as an opportunity to showcase the latest music star. 3 tired of sports being used to push patriotism To correct your assumption in number 12-it is not played at every game as far as I know, but rather on Sundays. I see it as a transparent attempt by Major League Baseball to latch onto 9/11 for its own purposes. Are movie theater or Broadway 3 theater people any less patriotic because it's not played in those venues? I don't think so. 3 To jingoistic. 3 Too forced. I prefer "Take me out to the ballgame" or some other song less religiously, politically charged. Too many boundaries have been blurred since 9/11. Considering the fact that part of what this country was founded on is religious freedom (or freedom from religious persection) and the aftermath from 9/11 has undermined that, keeping references to God out of public events is a way to continue healing America. I haven't heard of anyone at a baseball game 3 being offended by "Take Me Out To the Ball Game". Keep the game about the game. 3 too much country at a baseball game. It seems the national anthem is more than enough. 3 too much forced patriotism 3 Too much mandatory patriotism. Two or three songs are sung at baseball games--The Star-Spangled Banner and Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and, with 3 luck, the home team's victory song. God Bless America is breaking tradition. We already do the Star Spangled Banner. There are other ways for a team to show that it's patriotic and now that the 3 Yankees can keep you glued to your seat for it, it has become way too Big Brother for me. Plus I don't like the tune. 3 We already sing the national anthem before the game. We don't need another song. 3 We sing the Star Spangled Banner, that is enough. Singing God AMerica is overkill Well I think it's cool we do it at the beginning of sporting events, but I think it's a little overkill now. The whole point of the 7th 3 inning stretch is to get up an take a break. But on the other hand, it's not like it really takes up that much time. Well, I believe it forces religion upon people, who's God [etc] and I object to it in the same way I objected to saying the 3 Pledge of Alligence in school. Also, I find it obnoxious and short sighted when players are from Mexico, Austalia, Japan, Taiwan, Columbia, etc AND it is especially dumb when the Toronto Blue Jays are forced to stand there in Yankee Stadium. What is the point? Take me out to the ballgame is a perfectly acceptable 7th inning song, and God Bless America actually 3 sounds frivolous and out of place. 3 what's the point? forced patriotism? no thanks... When the attacks of September 11, 2001 the country needed a rallying cry to keep everyone's spirits up following the tragedy. And that song to me was perfect for such an occasion. In a time of fear and confusion asking God to bless our Country seemed to help with the grieving process. I feel that now in 2009 and going forward the inclusion of "God Bless America" should be removed as a regular during the 7th Inning Stretch at Yankee Stadium. Every team plays on Memorial Day Weekend and during the July 4th holiday. Save the song for days like that, and should a team's game fall on 9/11 play the song then as well. I've lived in New York City all my life. Since that day the skyline and city have never looked the same, and never will again. But to keep reminding ourselves every Yankee home game what we already know I don't think that almost 9 years later helps much people's healing processes. I also think that the Yankees' security is going too far by forcing fans to participate. It should be the fans' choice whether or not to participate or not. It is of course their right as an American 3 to chose to honor the flag when the announcement comes over the Yankee Stadium PA system. When the Yankees added it to the seventh inning stretch after 9/11, it made sense. It felt like it fit with the situation. As time has moved on, however, more teams have added it as more and more time has passed from 9/11. It feels like baseball is trying to prove something by including it, that it's more American than the other sports. Instead, it feels forced and out-dated. The national anthem is already sung at the start of the game. That's enough. People haven't forgotten about America by the 3 middle of the seventh inning. While I feel baseball is America's pasttime, I do not feel that the song is appropriate for ballgames, especially in a league 3 where not all teams are American. While I feel like everything is in one way or another political, I feel like it's an excessive display of patriotism that is foisted on fans who, in many cases, will have already heard the stat-spangled banner an 2 hours earlier--is baseball so mind-blowing 3 that it makes you forget you're in america two hours after hearing the star-spangled banner? 3 Would prefer to sing "This Land is Your Land" 3 You don't mess with the tradition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." You sing the national anthem, the song that is supposed to be the official musical emblem of our country before every 3 baseball game. "God Bless America" is just overkill. about the same way I feel about the national anthem - which a believe became custom during WW2 -- my concern is that the 4 song becomes trivialized/marginalized by being played at every game. After singing the national anthem, it's a bit of overkill. I think "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" is more appropriate, especially 4 in light of the fact that many players are not even from America. 4 Again, it just feels overused a bit. 4 Already have the national anthem at the beginning. I like the song and the sentiment, but it seems to be overkill. Already sing the anthem at the start of the game. 7th inning stretch already has a traditional song associated with it. Do not see the need to pile on a political statement. Song looses meaning through overuse - rather reserve for holidays & 4 anniversaries of events important to America. Although it's not a true political statement song. The middle of a game is not the time for such a patriotic song. The national 4 anthem at the beginning of the game is enough. As a fan of the New York Yankees, I think the song is sung too often. It is played at every game and I think the frequency 4 takes away from the meaning of the song. It should only be played once a week or on special occasions. As a Yankee fan, I would like to see it sung only on Sundays and patriotic holidays. Hearing it sung at every game (the broadcasters won't even break for commercials during the 7th inning stretch as they used to) is getting tedious. And the way stadium security used to enforce a virtual lockdown during this time (although they have since changed their policy) was 4 dowright creepy. 4 As long as take me out to the ball game is still song I don't really care. 4 As much as I'd rather keep religion in churches, it's just a song and I don't really care. Plus I rarely attend baseball games. At first I thought it was a burden, especially because it kind of took prescient over "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". But as a 4 Yankee fan, I've adjusted to it, and when I'm not at a Yankee game, I'm surprised not to hear it. At first, the nation seemed to rally to cries of patriotism. The song fits that. Also, since Sept. 11 was in the final 3 weeks of the baseball season, MLB correctly felt that the song fit the purpose during the 7th inning stretch. I agreed then. Now, however, I think I am ready to retire the song from baseball and give the 7th inning stretch back to "Take me out to the 4 ballgame". Baseball is a GLOBAL game now, with a significant percentage of MLB players from countries outside the US. Also, the whiff 4 of politics it gives off doesn't belong in the game. 4 Baseball is not necessarily the correct place to force your "patriotism" or lack thereof on people. Baseball stadiums are a place where a lot of people congregate; singing the song in this context may suggest that this is what we all believe, and given my feelings about the song, I am troubled by this mob mentality approach. On the other hand, I am a New Yorker, and baseball helped me regain a sense of my country and "normalcy" after 9/11 and this may be the price I pay. It may be a reminder to me and other fans of our vulnerability. Maybe watching a baseball game is one of the places where I do celebrate my freedom and my life as an American. I'd rather sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame, which 4 doesn't seem to have these religious and patriotic issues. 4 becoming too routine, almost like becoming another 'take me out to the ballgame" Before games or after games is fine. If you're in New York it's understandable for the 7th inning stretch, but the 7th inning 4 stretch should be reserved for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." By having it every game, it seems a bit forced and less special of a song. It is important to be patriotic, but I can see how 4 some people may feel patriotism is being forced on them. 4 does not feel inclusive of all beliefs, or lack thereof. I do not like the linking of patriotism to Christianity. 4 doesn't belong in the game. don't remember all the words so I don't know if I agree with the sentiments expressed & that it should be included in a public 4 venue 4 Dont really care either way Early on it was a good feeling to sing God Bless America with other Americans at baseball games. Anything that brings people together I think is a good thing. However, I think the song has lost almost all of its meaning as it continues to be 4 played at Yankee stadium every single 7th inning stretch. Saturation will ruin just about anything. 4 Enough is enough 4 Fine at first, but no longer necessary. Let's just sing take me out to the ball game. 4 Fitting at first, but feels too out of place in the seventh inning. 4 For the first two years after the attack I thought it was an important thing, now I think it is getting kind of old. for the remainder of 2001 i generally liked them playing the song, but that was enough, it should have ceased after the 1 yr 4 anniversary. 4 Forcing people to participate is an infringement upon rights, but good to honor USA. 4 Frankly, it makes the 7th inning stretch seem a lot longer. God Bless America is a good song, but every baseball game starts with the National Anthem. Having more than one patriotic 4 song is just overkill. That said, it was very powerful hearing it at Old Yankee Stadium last year when we visited. Hehe. I was trying to figure out why I associated that song with baseball games. Your questionare explained it to me. I only go to a couple a year, so the association was vague and ambiguous. People all do things in unision at sporting events. It's part of the experience - cheering and singing for the same team. Bonding. It makes sense to a degree that people all do 4 something patriotic and civic oriented to take advantage of the crowd/group/energy. 4 I am inherently suspicious of patriotic displays, but this one seems harmless. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is fine too. I am not sure if I am correct, but from my understanding 'The Star Spangled Banner' was sung at baseball games before it became the national anthem. It was probably because of this that it became the national anthem. So the singing of a patriotic song at a ballgame does have precedents. Still there are times when it doesn't seem like the appropriate venue for it. Or that maybe just one should suffice. For instance, we just stood up, removed our caps, and put our right hands over our hearts as someone, oftentimes from the military, sang the national anthem, which might be accompanied by military planes flying over, and then we do it again in the seventh inning though this time accompanied by God Bless America. Why? To honor those risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan by removing our baseball caps twice a game? That is literally the least we can do, as it seems like we are not being asked to make any sacrifices at all while the military fights a two front war. I am at a baseball game to be entertained, yet I am being asked to honor the troops with this small insignificant gesture when no one 4 is asking to more in taxes for an improve GI Bill or better VA department. I don't just seems like a hollow act somehow. I am on the fence about this one. The 7th inning stretch is traditionally reserved for the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". With the inclusion of "God Bless America", the game is delayed even more. I would rather it be sung just before 4 hte National Anthem just before the game begins. I appreciate the patriotism involved, but it takes too long and does not need to be played every game. Save it for 4 holidays/playoffs/all-star game etc. I believe that it is a good way to express your patriotism, but it should not be forced on you like it sometimes is at baseball 4 games. I do like the song, felt it would make a better anthem than our national anthem, and they do sing the national anthem at games so there is precedent. It just seems a little forced - I like to show my patriotism in my own way, I don't want to be told 4 when to do something patriotic 4 I do not see the need 4 I don't feel that it should be sung at every game.. possibly just Memorial Day, Independence Day week, etc. 4 I don't have a problem with it, but I don't feel like it should take the place of a baseball song. I don't have strong feelings against it, but it feels like a bit of overwhelming patriotism during the games. The National Anthem has already been sung at the beginning of the game, and Take Me Out to the Ballgame is already sung during the seventh inning stretch. I thought it was more appropriate after 9/11 but maybe this is a way to help us not forget those 4 events so easily. I believe it is not played at all stadiums at the seventh inning stretch. I don't like the mixing of church and state and under the fevered time of immediately post 9/11 I did have misgivings about 4 the 'God' part of the song. I don't mind hearing the song live during postseason games, especially in New York. But the way the Yankees play a pre- 4 recorded version every single game bothers me. I don't mind if the song is played during the 7th inning stretch. However, I feel it's best sung live. Our AAA team in Norfolk 4 plays a Kate Smith recording in which the ending is drawn out... 4 I don't mind it - what I object to is the idea that many fans have that there is some sort of obligation to participate. I don't mind it being sung on days like the 4th, Memorial Day, 9/11, etc, but I think it is overdone at ballparks. Part of our 4 heritage is singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch. I feel we shouldn't have changed. I don't mind it being sung, but I do not see the need to have that song televised during games before going to a commercial break. I understand the patriotism and everything, but I think it's a bit too much. I respectalby stand if I'm at a game, but if I'm 4 watching from home, I find it annoying and pointless to have it playing before going to commercial as well. I don't mind the singing, but I STRONGLY object to being asked to stand and remove my cap, an honor reserved for the 4 national anthem. 4 I don't see how it can be bad. Again, no feelings either way about how I feel about the song. 4 I don't think fans should be required to participate like @ yankee stadium. What if you're from another country! 4 I don't think its necessarily a bad thing, but I don't think it is necessary. 4 I dont mind it being sung on Sundays....I think singing it every game is a little much I doubt they sing it in Japan, Korea - see World Baseball Classic. On the other hand, it gets some fans to clear out their 4 lungs. 4 I enjoy it but I'm also aware that others don't like it, don't care for mentioning God. I feel that this song should only be sung during the 7th inning stretch on certain occasions, such as Independence Day or Memorial Day. I do not believe that every baseball game needs a reminder of our country during the game; the National Anthem before the game is enough. I believe the stretch should be kept to the now traditional "Take Me Out To The 4 Ballgame." Other, local, songs may be added if desired, but "God Bless America" does not need to be sung every game. 4 I feel that while I like the song, having it played at all 162 games like at Yankee Stadium makes the song a little less special. 4 I felt it was appropriate at first, following 9/11, but don't feel it necessary anymore. I felt overall it was a missing the point and was being used to whip up the sentiment that has put us in the situation we are in today. As a New Yorker, however, and someone who watched the towers fall in front of me, it is just a piece of a strange 4 time in my life that I don't want to forget and that did, for a moment, bring the city together. 4 I has jumped the shark. Anything done too many times looses it's meaning. I have no problem with the sentiment behind it, but I think it has resulted in overkill. I believe it should be reserved for special events such as: Opening Day, All-Star Game, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, September 11th, and World Series 4 games. 4 I have no problem with the song's religious tone. In fact, I support it. I do feel that it should not replace the national anthem. I have others I prefer My personal favorite is America the Beautiful which I prefer over GBA and Star Spangled Banner I once heard and fell in live with a professional arrangement of America the Beautiful and Stars and Stripes Forever Best ever 4 combo of beauty and passion and pace I have some discomfort in that I realize some feel a religious overtone to it, almost like a hymn, even though God is only 4 mentioned twice. For me it is nothing more than a song about love of country. I like "God Bless America" very much. I just think its placement in MLB games outside of July 4th or Sept 11th games is 4 tedious. I'd like it to stop now. I'm very patriotic but enough is enough. 4 I like displays of patriotism in general, but I think that we could have chosen a better song. I like it as the song it represents as pure love for our country, but I dislike it when it is used to bolster support for jingoism and 4 militaristic agression. 4 I like that they shortened it at Yankee Stadium. It takes about 30 seconds and I fell that is a fair compromise. 4 I like the idea but it's kind of a religious song that people may not want to sing at a baseball game. I like the idea of it being played for holidays such as Memorial Day, July 4th, etc. I also like it when sung for special events. 4 It's probably not necessary for a generic game. I like the notion of patriotism. I dislike the reference to god. I feel as if the song is used too often to influence patriotic feelings, and that it has, ocassionally, been used for purely political purposes. I feel the same way about the National Anthem and the Pledge. My patriotism is personal, and shouldn't be forced. Further, I feel as if I can be patriotic without being a believer in 4 god. I like the song and when it was first sung after 9/11 I understood, but I think it may be overdone as a 7th inning stretch song. Sing it before the game. As somewhat of a baseball purest, I say save the 7th inning stretch for "Take me out to the ball 4 game". 4 I like the song just fine, but I'd rather see the seventh-inning stretch be devoted solely to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." I like the song, but singing it at the 7th inning stretch doesn't quite fit for me. It was OK right after 9-11, but probably should 4 have been dropped the next season I like the song, but there seems to be this mindset that the national anthem is not good enough and that God Bless America should be our unofficial anthem. I suspect that a lot of this has to do with the movement to push, or at the very least 4 celebrate religion more by the more conservative element of our society. 4 I like the song, I don't like the reason it has been included in baseball games. I like the song. You need something to do during the 7th inning stretch, might as well sing this song. Associating patriotism 4 and 9 11 is jingoistic and George Bush. I like the sound and its celebration of America, but I don't like the way it is used at sporting events. Seems like fake 4 patriotism in the name of appealing to some unknown (or non-existing) super-patriotic fan base. I liked it at the time, but I feel like it is time for it to move on. Maybe if the Yankees didn't over do it so much it would be 4 better. I love the song, but I admit it's pretty somber. I wonder if it doesn't take what's supposed to be a fun, entertaining event and 4 make it slightly moribund. Then again, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is kind of kitschy. 4 I love the song, but the 7th inning stretch could be well enough to be left alone. I suppose I like it, but it also strikes me as kind of cheap sentiment...and like everything else ritual, eventually it'll take on a 4 meaningless, rote quality that will rob of it of any particular meaning. 4 I think by playing it so often it minimizes the song and makes people desensitized to it. 4 I think it is fine to be sung at a game, however unlike the national anthem, participation should be strickly voluntary I think it is good to play, but every single game sometimes seems a little much, maybe on certain days such as memorial 4 day, independence day, september 11th, etc.. I think it should be reserved for special events, like opening day, the Fourth of July, September 11 anniversary and so forth. 4 Singing it every day diminishes its emotional resonance. 4 I think it should be saved for special ocassions, such as July 4th, Memorial Day I think it should be sung at some games but not every single one. It seems like overkill and it loses its meaning when its 4 sung at every single game. I think it was important for our national healing process, but now it takes too long and networks seem to feel obliged to show 4 it. 4 I think it's appropriate during holidays such as Memorial Day or Independence Day, but unnecessary for all 162 games. I think it's fine as long as it's done for special occasions (Opening Day, Fourth of July, All Star Game, Military Night, etc.), and 4 it fits ok since baseball is so closely tied in with our symbols of America. Not every game though. 4 I think it's fine once a week. I neither like or dislike it at baseball games. I think it's more hokiness added to one of my favorite American traditions. As I said earlier, I like the song all right, but it 4 depends on the time/place of its presentation. Baseball doesn't need it. 4 I think its fine for major events (World Series, playoffs)... 4 I think occasionally during the year it's fine, but doesn't need to happen every game I think that in the beginning it was going to be played everywhere no matter what just because of the attacks. But now, I think that it shouldn't be seen as "mandatory" to be played. We never played it before, some places should be allowed to go back 4 to what they did before 9/11. I think that it is a sweet sentiment to include this song during a break in our national pastime, but I don't feel that it is necessary to play it every day. Maybe once a week or so. Sundays, perhaps? The song's power has been diminished 4 through repetition. It isn't "Sweet Caroline" or "Rock N' Roll: Part II" and I feel that it shouldn't be treated similarly. I thought it was a nice touch in the month or so after 9/11, but it has gone on for far too long. There's already the National 4 Anthem before each game to more than satisfy anyone's need for an affirmation of patriotism. 4 I thought it was a novel idea after the September 11 attacks. However, it has become overplayed and feels contrived. I thought it was an appropriate observance after 9/11, but it feels a little bit like overkill to continue to do it today. I'd be just as happy with remembering our veterans immediately before the national anthem at the start of the game, then going back to 4 the old tradition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and nothing more. I understand the thinking - and I was moved first time I saw/heard/sang it. But - there's that God thing again and I love 4 Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I understood why it was important to declare our love of our country after we were attacked, but it has gone on to long and 4 appears a little strident and over the top. I wish good things for my country of birth but the song contains direct reference to ideas that I do not share. Also, patriotism 4 in a group forum can be intimidating. I would prefer it be sung prior to the game in place of the Star Spangled Banner. Take Me Out to the Ball Game should be 4 sung in the 7th. I'd just as soon skip it. But I don't feel too, too strongly about it. In Boston, it's only done on Sundays or special games. It's 4 not like it's done every game - which would start to irritate me. 4 I'd rather it replace the anthem at the beginning. Too often used as a means of forced group patriotism. I'm a "sweet caroline" fan to tell you the truth...but there is a calm and swelling that comes over the fans when this song is 4 played....and like I said before..it has some meaning to me beyond the 9/11 connection. I'm a Cubs fan, so it is not sung during the 7th inning at Wrigley. I don't think it should be imposed on fans on a daily basis. I 4 like the idea of doing it only once a week, on Sunday pre-games, as is done at Wrigley. I'm a diehard Yankees fan, so since 9/11, they have played it during the game. I understand the significance of it and participate in singing myself while I'm at the Stadium. However, I'm very happy that security at Yankee Stadium does not 4 prohibit you from moving around during that time. I'm a little torn because I feel like baseball is America's game and it fits. But I also understand how some people can feel a 4 little uncomfortable when the song is sung in public like that. 4 I'm a traditionalist and prefer "Take me Out To the Ball Game" for the 7th inning stretch song. 4 I'm beginning to feel it's being overdone. Almost feel it reminds me of Russian school children and propaganda. 4 I'm just not sure what it has to do with baseball. We don't sing it after the 3rd quarter of basketball or football games. I'm not sure that it's the best song for uniting people since these days any public display of any type of "religious" feelings or 4 thoughts is bound to stir up controversy. 4 I'm uncomfortable with using God at secular events. I've never associated politics or even patriotism with baseball, just summer fun. It seems forced to me - particularly when 4 watching a game with non-Americans. i've never been a big fan of any song(including the national anthem) sung at sporting events as if it had some semi-religious 4 significance. Immediately after 9/11, I can understand the use of the song. At least they have limited the use of the song to major holidays, excluding the Yankees, who for some reason can't realize that this song is not a national anthem. Yes play it on Memorial 4 Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day because they are national holidays, but every night, please. In 2001 and 2002, it was a great reminder of our country uniting for one cause, but after the Iraq invasion and the US's 4 subesequent loss of world support, the song seemed trite right away. 4 It feels a little forced. 4 It has been misappropriated for jingoism and as a test of one's love of America. It is a patriotic tune, BUT....participation should NOT be enforced. IT IS NOT THE NATIONAL ANTHEM! An EXACT analogy exists in Great Britain with 'Land of Hope and Glory', which is sometimes sung at large public events..it is NOT the 4 National Anthem 'God Save The Queen'..and is not treated as such! It is okay for the same reason as the national anthem is okay, but I'm not sure I like the idea of people being forced to sing 4 god bless america - that is antithetical to our nation's creed. 4 It loses meaning when its sang everyday. 4 It needed to stop a year or two after 9/11. It needs to be sung at a more up tempo pace, because it is a joyous song. Those who sing it at baseball games often follow 4 too liesurely of a pace It only takes a minute or two away from the game. I think we can give that time. It is dicouraging that this causes conflict. Not every team does it. If the Yankees wish to, let them. If they stopped, I would not be upset either. But, since they have it, 4 it's nice. They also play YMCA, Cotton Eye Joe and a host of other songs... It perpetuates an "us vs. them" mentality. ("God, please bless Our country, but not Theirs, if you don't mind.") On the other hand, it has a very pleasant melody, and one could argue that it gives Americans feelings of comfort and security to sing it en 4 masse, in public. It seems a bit contrived to add it to MLB games after Sept 11. Plus there is the issue of "etiquette" during the playing of the 4 song... It shouldn't be played at every game - perhaps just special days like Opening Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and 4 Game 1 of the World Series 4 It started out as a nice thing after 9/11, but I don't think it's necessary anymore. It was a touching sentiment when baseball resumed after 9/11, and especially with the playoffs and World Series in New York that year. But it's continued use seems to have less to do with genuinely honoring America, and more to do with 4 imposing a certain way of showing respect. It was fine after 9/11. But that was a long time ago. The Star Spangled Banner is enough. I'm patriotic and I love my country, 4 but I don't want this shoved down my throat at a baseball game. It was fine in the weeks and months immediately following 9/11 as a rallying song for the country, but is really out of place at a baseball game. I believe it will remain a part of baseball now because no one will dare to remove it for fear of being 4 labeled as insensitive to the 9/11 victims. It was nice during 2001, and maybe even 2002, but at this point it is played out, and the Yankees (even though I am a 4 Yankee fan) have killed any meaning the song once maintained. 4 It's a ball game. It's a great song, but loses its impact being played so often. See answer #11 above and refer to the Law of Deminishing 4 Returns. 4 It's an attempt to force solemnity / patriotism. 4 It's done too often, cheapening it. 4 It's getting tiresome. 4 it's good to remind ourselves of all we have to be grateful for but the song itself does not do that 4 It's nice for there to be a song, but I'm not sure that this is the best choice. 4 It's not necessary. We have the national anthem before the game. It's not really necessary and turns the pastime into a nationalist event. I go to a ballgame as an escape, so I'd rather hear 4 "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." It's not something I would've initiated, but it doesn't disturb me or bother me. I feel more like "We already sang the Star Spangled Banner, now let the Dominican pitcher warm up to pitch to the Japanese guy so the Venezuelan guy can get the 4 win already" 4 It's not the National Anthem but it does remind one of American values. 4 It's ok on special days but not every game. It's OK with me if its played, but if I have to go to the bathroom, or want a hot dog, I don't need Steinbrenner's goons to 4 pounce on me as if I were desecrating the flag. 4 It's puzzling that it and the national anthem are sung at baseball games but not at movies or shopping centers. It's time to retire it as a regular feature. I say that as a Yankee fan. Trotting it out for holidays (Memorial Day, July 4th, etc.) 4 would make it feel a bit more meaningful. Now it's just another part of the routine. 4 It's too long for most people, and they can't sing along with it. Most people are not at a ball game to give praise to God! 4 its a baseball game play take me out to the ball game Its Baseball...Its the 7th Inning Stretch. What about take me out to the ballgame? Also, the recorded version of God Bless 4 America used by NY Yankees is pathetic. 4 Its just overdone. Right after 911 or during a special game I'd have no problem but for every game its overdone. 4 Its not particularly necessary, but I don't think it effects the game much, so I'm ok with it. July 4, Memorial Day or even every sunday seems fine, but everyday at Yankee games (they are the only ones to do it every day, I think) is too much. Additionally, the notion that the organization cannot find a currently living person to sing the song 4 when they need it song in a cultural center such as NY is absurd. Kate Smith died in the mid-80s, isn't it time to retire the scratchy record they still play? Just seems to be a ritual now . Like ,well NY is doing it well we should do it..It just doesn't really go with baseball. 7th inn streach should just be "Take me out to the Ballgame" Don't get me wrong now; teams shouldn't be forced by our government to not play it because it might hurt someones poor little feelings because it dares to have God in the lyrics. Thats up to the Owners.I just think the song should be used more for maybe schools(oops..can't have God in schools) and Church 4 ,but more importantly I think Our congress should have to sing it everytime they meet---and mean it. Like i said, it is meaningful at the NY parks. At other parks. it seems like a feeble attempt to cram patriotism down everyones throat when it isn't needed. The game already has the anthem at the beginning. Plus, it really devalues the great 4 tradition of singing "Take me out to the Ballgame." 4 Like the song, and like the patriotic feeling, but not sure about forcing it on others. Like the tribute to the troops & the associations. But I know that not everyone believes in God. Also I like a separation of 4 church & state. But, honestly, baseball is not state. 4 Liked at first, but now is sort of overkill. living in new york, after 9/11 it was neat the way the yankees incorperated it. it helped to provide a soothing feeling after such tragedy. yet 8 years later, i dont think it still needs to be played. Patriotism aside, we are not a communist country. So when a fan behind me starts singing about people not removing their caps and placing their hands on their hearts (which 4 removing caps is NOT requested by the PA at yankee stadium), then you know that it's getting a little rediculous. 4 Many non-US players. And why should "Patriotism" be forced. 4 maybe do it during holidays..but not every game... Maybe if it was just Sundays, or on special event days. It is overplayed. Plus I am Agnostic so singing a song involving 4 something called God forces non-Christians to sing or celebrate something against or not part of their own belief structure. 4 Mixed feelings - although it's a beautiful sounding song it has too many negative associations for me Mixed feelings based on the fact that I dont see what patriotism has to do with baseball. But Im indifferent to the playing of it, 4 If it is important to some people, I say play it. It doesnt bother me at all. 4 mixed since in a way its ok, but seems somewhat unnecessary 4 mostly harmless, but a little overused. My feelings are mixed because I feel like the song played an important role after 9/11. On the other hand, I just don't like the 4 idea of God blessing a particular country. My opinion changes on this subject, but I overall I guess I agree with the faction of people that this country was founded on Christian Principles and should remain that way - So I guess I like that aspect of it - that the teams are making that 4 statement. However it slows down the game and may disrupt the rhythm of the game. 4 Necessary right after the attacks, but not now 4 No longer necessary to include during the 7th inning not all baseball games are in the US, an for those games it doesn't seem right. I like hockey games where the Canadian and American songs are sung. the inclusion of super patriotic experiences at ball games (or how at some football games there 4 are loads of military planes flying over, etc) feels like we have an identity crisis where we need to verify who we are. Not every baseball player is American. And considering the flap regarding the Canadian national anthem at the All-Star 4 Game... 4 Not everybody at a game is going to be Christian or American. 4 Not everyone who goes to baseball game believes in God, so naturally I can understand why it would offend some people. 4 Not necessary. 4 not sure its necessary...seventh-inning stretch good enough for me... 4 Not sure religion is something that needs to be brought into a fun event. 4 Nothing wrong with it, but recordings are really boring, live performances are interesting 4 NYPD incident at Yankee Stadium. Forced patriotism is against true "American" freedom. Occasionally would be ok but I don't like it having taken over at all games. I like "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at 4 ballgames. The "Star Spangled Banner" before the game is sufficient patriotism at a money-making, big business event. Oh, well, I didn't see this part of the survey when I entered my previous answers. So the answer is yes, when think of God Bless America, I think about how they Yankees play it during every 7th inning stretch. And I wonder if that will ever stop, not because I want them to stop, mainly because I'm just curious. In a way, I think it would be cool 30-40 years from now if they are still doing it and I could tell my grand kids, "You know, the started playing this in the 7th inning after Sept. 11", so in a 4 way, it might serve as a memorial to Sept. 11th. 4 OK right after, now it's just annoting 4 Once a week is fine. Every day is ridiculous as it loses any meaning. Once in a while OK, but every Sunday unnecessary. Take me out to the ballgame is good enough for 7th inning stretches. 4 MLB shouldn't feel that GBA makes it more American or more patriotic. Plus I wonder what folks in Toronto think... One of the most important factors in the performance of any song, but especially a song with this much meaning, is the performer. The majority of renditions heard in major league stadiums tend to be subpar. Perhaps if more talented performers were enlisted to sing more consistently, things could improve. Also, the seventh inning stretch is undoubtedly the inning in which the stadium can partake in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ball-game," a song which is more or less baseball's national anthem. So, for the purity of the sport, the sanctity of singing that song need not be undermined or replaced by "God 4 Bless America." 4 only should be played on holiday games.. memorial day, july 4th labor day flag day etc Only the Yankees play the song during every 7th inning stretch, while other teams will play it for special occassions. I think playing it for every game removes its specialness and renders it background music. I also think it's a little silly to immediately 4 follow the song up with Take Me Out To The Ballgame overuse can make something annoying eventually. i can understand use the first game of every series with a new team but 4 for every game-seems a bit repetitive. 4 Owners of team can do as they please as an expression of own views 4 Playing it on Sundays, as MLB does now, is fine. 81 games a year in the Bronx is overkill. Please see my answer to #9 with respect to my issue with the separation of church and state. Although baseball teams are privately owned and the league is privately financed, many baseball stadiums are publicly funded and therefor singing the 4 song during the 7th inning stretch does not feel right. Pregame ceremonies tend to be long and drawn out as it is. I like the song; however, placement during pregame can be 4 tedious. 4 Refer to above answer. It just seems like a "forced tradition". 4 Same as before... dislike it because of it being outdated but can't say I dislike it because of the theme. See above. I really cannot stand it at this point ,its always dragged out, and being a Cub fan, we dont sing anything but Take 4 Me Out to the Ballgame during the stretch- its kind of annoying to add something in there. 4 Seems like a New York thing. 4 should only be used at more important games and at most once a week Slows the game down. Don't see the connection between 7th inning stretch and this song. Wonder why this is deemed 4 appropriate for venue that is supposed to be a fun time...song invokes 9/11 to me now. Sometimes I feel the song absolutely belongs in baseball, which in my view, is still America's Game. At other times, I feel baseball tries to use the song to create a more positive image of the sport. My preference would be that the song be played 4 along with the National Anthem at the beginning of games, not in the middle of the game. 4 sometimes they do it and sometimes they dont, different stadiums do it different ways Sometimes you feel required to be patriotic and sing along when that song comes on because everyone else is doing it. I 4 want my patriotism to feel natural and genuine, not forced. 4 Somewhat feel that it is forced patriotism, but I like to be patriotic so I have no problem with it. 4 Sports should not mix with partisan politics Star Spangled Banner is already in place to honor our country, and the seventh-inning stretch is used, at least by myself, as 4 a time to stretch and go to the bathroom. 4 Thats enough already the anthem is enough. baseball does not need to be a tribute to america every game. i don't like anybody dictating to me 4 when i should be patriotic. The song is a nice song and is patriotic. When sung at baseball games people believe that it is the National Anthem and 4 they regard it as such. The song is all right, but I don't love it, and I don't think people should be forced to listen to it every baseball game. It's kind 4 of an empty gesture. There is no denying the tragedy of September 11th. However, when you consider the complicated history of European/American colonization throughout the world, you might question country pride...you might question the feelings aroused from reciting G-d Bless America. If the song provoked a critical view of America's role in global politics, I might be more in love with the song being sung so much, but I have the impression the song is sung with kill those arabs in 4 mind....Then again, maybe I am wrong. 4 They should save it for Special occasions 4 Too religious, in my opinion, for incorporation into national sporting events. But, I don't hate it. 4 use to be a nice way to try and support, apprecitate america and was associated with respect of troops 4 Was appropriate after September 11th 2001 but enough is enough. 4 Was fine at first but is now old hat. 4 was good at first - overplayed now 4 We already have the national anthem, so that's enough for America, right? We live in a free country. I fought for this country. I fought for these freedoms. I like that it is played but disagree with the 4 stringent nature that it was imposed. I respect the right of others to live their own lives. We start with the Star Spangled Banner, the 7th inning stretch has always been Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I think there is too much singing in the 7th inning. I also hate the commercialism of having someone sing America whose point is getting exposure for themselves, they feel the need to add their flavor to the song, and I feel that cheapens it. I think it should be 4 sung for special occasions, not every game. We're (blessedly) a pluralistic society. In the aftermath of the attacks, we needed a venue that unified us, that allowed us to jointly express our feelings. Baseball provided that -- it was ceremony for people who don't all believe in the same things. 4 Now, it's just empty tradition -- it's lost its meaning. It's calculated, schlocky. 4 We're almost 8 years past 9/11/2001 but too many people died that day to think about discontinuing this memorial. 4 What for? It's been eight years, and they're still "hockin a chynik" with it Enough already! When we rise for the national anthem at the start of the game, we are already showing our love and respect for our flag and country. Now, the 7th has become more solemn. I believe that since 9/11, we have been pushed into a "with us or against 4 us" mentality. Standing and singing, "God bless America", in my opinion, seems like a loyalty oath. While I like the song a lot, I have gotten pretty tired of how it's been substituted for the more traditional (and fun) "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The time for patriotism is at the start of the game, when we sing the Star-Spangled Banner, not three- 4 fourths of the way through the game when we need an excuse to stand and stretch. While I like the song and its admiration for the USA, I feel it has been appropriated for nefarious purposes. No longer is the 4 song sung as an ode to one's country. It is now seemingly sung as a jingoistic "America is better than the others" anthem. While I think it's appropriate to honor our country during baseball games, I feel like we already do that at the beginning with the singing of the national anthem. It may have made sense immediately after the Sept. 11th attack, but we've mourned and moved on. This is not to say we've forgotten or ever will but the it seems the singing of God Bless America at baseball 4 games is specifically done to commemorate those who died in the attacks. At some point we need to move on. 4 While the song does have tradition in that game of baseball, I think "Take Me Out the Ballgame" has more tradition While, I understand the reasoning for the addition after September 11, 2001, I feel it's overkill. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" 4 belongs in the 7th inning stretch. And "The Star Spangled Banner" belongs at the beginning. Yankees do it a bit too much - every game at the 7th inning is a lot. Maybe bring it out for special occasions but it's overkill in 4 its present state. "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack", sing a stanza or two of 'God Bless America' Now I don't care if my team ever will 5 win that... 5 a nice tribute, during america's pastime. 5 adds hint of patriotism 5 america past time 5 America's game is baseball. 5 American Sport, American song. Anything that allows us to step away for a minute or two and be united, regardless of what team we're cheering for, is good. 5 Besides, singing Yankee Doodle Dandy wouldn't fly at Fenway. 5 As an inherently American sport, such a prideful song does no harm if sung during the 7th inning stretch. 5 As I already mentioned: Yankees Fans never forget! At first (for the first few years after the 9/11 attacks) I loved it. By 2009, however, it seems kind of arbitrary. However, as a 5 veteran of the US Army, I appreciate the many ways that MLB supports the military and veterans. 5 Baeball is America's game. 5 Baseball is "America's past time" it seems fitting. Baseball is a very patriotic sport, its America's past time. I think the song instills in fans, or at least in me, a sense of pride in 5 my country and a reminder of the privileges and freedoms that we have (such as baseball) that other countries do not have. Baseball is about as American an icon can be, I consider it to be a huge part of our social history. At an event like a baseball game where 50,000 people are brought together by their love of a sport or support of a particular team; I think it is important 5 to take a moment and remember that we are all united in a deeper and (in my opinion) more important way too. 5 Baseball is America 5 Baseball is America, and this song is America in a nutshell - it's very appropriate. 5 Baseball is America's game and Americans should sing the song to it. 5 Baseball is America's game and the song unites both themes of patriotism and pride (of your country and team). 5 baseball is America's pastime 5 Baseball is america's pastime and God Bless America is a reflection of our country. Therefore the two go hand in hand. 5 Baseball is America's pastime and that connection can never be destroyed. Baseball is America's pastime and therefore it makes sense to play a song about America. Also playing God Bless America 5 helps the never forget sentiment about 9/11 in the USA. 5 Baseball is America's Pastime, so it makes sense to sing it during the seventh inning stretch 5 Baseball is America's pastime. Baseball is America's pastime. I enjoy singing The Star-Spangled Banner before the umpire shouts "play ball" and I like singing "God Bless America" during the 7th-inning stretch. It reminds me how thankful I am to be at a ballpark in a wondrous 5 country watching baseball. 5 Baseball is America's sport. 5 Baseball is an American pastime and it seems appropriate. Baseball is quintessentially American. It should bring people together. Liberal or Conservative. The destructive types who 5 complain, are just that, destructive types. The hell with them. Baseball is the "American Pastime" and although we also sing the Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America is a short song 5 that can be sung quickly while still honoring our country Baseball is the American pastime. Especially right after 9/11, the playing of it helped to remind people of how there are things 5 going on which are threatening our way of life and there are people out there fighting for our freedom. 5 Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie. Baseball is part of America's history and culture, so the song God Bless America certainly fits. 5 Becoming a more recent tradition 5 Being of my generation, I still think of baseball as "America's Pastime", and therefore the song seems appropriate. Carry over from the Yankees/D'Backs World Series; Yankees are "America's Team"; attacks happened in NY, many fans at 5 game personally affected; etc. For a while these were important moments after 9/11 - now I am comfortable with "God Bless America": only being 5 performed on Sundays. It doesn't need to be performed at every game. God Bless America adds about 60 seconds to a baseball game. I think it's worth it. The National Anthem is also played 5 before every game. Hits home on the symbolism of a baseball as an integral part (though there are many pasttimes that are as integral) of the 5 fabric and history of our country 5 honor america I am a huge baseball fan. A yankee fan at that. Baseball is more or less an American sport. From what I understand the Yankees are the only team to play this song every 7th inning still to this day. I view it as a moment of remembrance and the 5 pride we should embrace as being part of this country. It's a nice catch to do in the middle of an entertainment event. 5 I am not opposed to pause during a baseball game to honor our servicemen and women. it is a wonderful gesture. 5 I don't believe it should be compulsory for a team to have to play it. 5 I don't mind it. It's better than take me out to the ballgame. 5 I enjoy group signs of patriotism at ballparks where we play America's game. 5 I enjoy hearing people sing about outr country, and show pride in being an American. 5 I enjoy honoring our country and what we stand for. 5 I have no problem with it being played during the 7th inning stretch, it is as American as baseball 5 I like baseball and I like the song. I wish it wasn't recorded. 5 i like it 5 I like it - why not? 5 I like it b/c the yankees started it as a tradition considering it's proximity to history 5 I like it played at baseball games, but i would rather hear "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". I like it sung every now and then. I wouldn't mind hearing it instead of the official anthem in the beginning of a game. I like 5 "America the beautiful" just as much and would like to hear that as well or part of a rotation of 3 songs 5 I like it, but don't think it is needed every game I like it, but every game is a little excessive. Maybe just night games or just day games or only playoff, or interleague, or big 5 games against Boston and Mets or something like that. It loses its meaning when it is played every single game. 5 I like it, but maybe not at every game. It has become a little over the top at Yankees games. 5 I Like it, it doesn't do any harm 5 I like it. I didnt know all teams did it. I thought it was just the Yankees. I still kinda do. 5 I like it. It seems to fit with our national pastime. Best when used only on Sundays. I like the association between baseball and America. Baseball is part of US history, even though it was originally a British 5 game. 5 I like the song I like the song and therefore don't mind it being played. While I like it, I wouldn't necessarily miss it if it was not played 5 anymore. I don't understand, however, people being adamantly against it being played. I think 9/11 is something that should be part of our consciousness and inclusion in baseball games is one way to help people 5 remember. 5 i think it gives people a moment to stop and think about things 5 I think it is a good venue for people to come together and salute america 5 I think it is a nice song that unifies people at ball games I think it is a nice way to remember the troops abroad. I love the Yankees using the Kate Smith rendition of it as it fits with 5 the tradition of the team. 5 I think it is fine. The crowd seems to participate willingly I think it is nice especially during times of war to take the time to acknowledge those fighting for the freedoms we have including sitting in a stadium to watch a baseball game. It unites the majority of the crowd regardless of the team you are 5 rooting for. I do think people should be allowed to not participate if they choose. 5 I think it is nice that our country is recognized in that fashion. 5 I think it provides a nice break in the baseball game other than the "take me out to the ball game" singing 5 I think it was definitely cool when it started, but now it's rather cliche. 5 I think it's a good idea. It's not really a religious thing, and people don't have to sing it if they don't want to. 5 I think it's a nice tribute, when done occasionally and on special days. 5 I think it's nice. Not entirely necessary, but baseball is America's game. I think its appropriate for New York Yankee games because 9/11 occurred in New York and the Yankees were the team that 5 started the trend, and to my knowledge, are one of the only teams that continues to play it every game. I'm ambivalent about whether it's included or not. I can't see the song as offensive, however and that's where I see this survey headed (I may be very wrong). If someone doesn't like it, that's about a minute and a half of pain. I get that in 5 spades with the music that's played at every sporting event I've ever been to. 5 I'm basically in favor of MORE public displays of real patriotism, not less. Isn't this America's game? Why not then sing a song singing some of the praises of this country? I think pride in our nation is far too little and maybe this will help stir a little pride in our country rather than so many places trying to come up with more 5 divisions. 5 It allows people who want to a chance to display their feelings beisde the Star Spangle Banner @ the beginning of the game. it brings me back to when I was a kid playing. They played it at little league All-Star tournaments in the 5th inning stretch and 5 when I was a little older at American Legion baseball Tournaments at the Seventh Inning stretch. All before 911 It creates a feeling of unity and patriotism. Everyone, even the players, participate, whereas when everyone is watching the 5 game, they're doing their own thing. 5 It helps to remind us of the men and women of the armed forces and what they are doing for our country. 5 It increases the feeling of cohesiveness of the crowd in the stadium. 5 It is a nice tradition during the 7th inning stretch and break in the action of the game. 5 It is not offensive to anyone and our country was based upon God's blessings on America. 5 It pays tribute to the fallen 5 It roots us in two American institutions. It served a great purpose after 9-11, but now it should only be sung only on patriotic occasions. There is no reason to play it every game, as there is too much jingoism involved. Also, the crowds simply are not as moved by it as they were in the year 5 following the attacks. 5 It serves as a great reminder of how blessed we are as a nation and how integrated baseball is with our national identity. 5 It should be our National Anthem 5 It shows that this is Americas past-time. 5 It's a good reminder of 9/11 and the wars that followed it. 5 It's a good reminder of what our country is about 5 It's a historical song, part of our tradition, just like baseball. It fits It's a nice gesture, and a fine community-oriented tradition... in the same vein as singing the national anthem. There are men 5 and women fighting on our behalf overseas, so it's nice to pay tribute to them in our moment of leisure. It's a nice gesture, makes people reflect. Baseball is "America's game" so to speak so I like that we can hear this song at 5 games. 5 It's a nice touch. Plus it adds a homefield advantage. It's a nice tribute to our country, but I feel that singing it at EVERY game is probably a little too much. I just don't like the fact 5 that some people try to make this a political thing. Yucky Liberals. It's a positive new tradition brought on by 9-11 as a way to remember our loss. I prefer it over fare such as Take Me Out To 5 The Ballgame & Sweet Caroline although they certainly have their place in the game as well. 5 It's a reminder to think of the troops during this time. 5 It's America's past time...but it shouldn't be played so much. The Yankees overdo it. 5 It's Americas Pastime and its a 2 Minute song during a 4 hour game 5 It's fine, I mean, why not? 5 It's fine. Doesn't hurt the game or fan experience at all. 5 It's nice that everyone sings along. 5 It's nice to see all the players and fans honoring America. it's nice to take a break from the frivilousness of baseball and keep america in our thoughts during the game. we should all 5 be supporting our country and troops. 5 It's nice, as I like the song, though it may be a bit overused. 5 It's not any different than singing the national anthem at the beginning of the game 5 its good bonding for the fans 5 its just a feel good song to pick ya up 5 Its OK for AMERICA'S past time to celebrate a bit of patriotism while we are at war. 5 Just don't think its a big deal -- I like it because its a nice song, but its not all that important to me. More of a Yankee tradition. The attacks, affecting New York families the most, needed a commemoration by the Yankees, and this is what they decided to do. I consider it a Yankee thing as much as the Cubs have guests/celebrities in the booth to lead the crowd in singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at Wrigley. If it is sung consistently outside of Yankee Stadium, I 5 didn't really notice. 5 Nice to see a group of people together celebrating America and baseball is teh American pastime. 5 Patriotic - National Pastime 5 Patriotisim Personally, I just see the song being played as a way to remember September 11 and also as a way to pay tribute to those who serve. As a life-long Yankee fan, I have come to know that the Yankees are very aware of the sacrifice of all of the 5 servicemen and women. They often give away free tickets to those in uniform/honor them before the game. 5 Please, not at the 7th inning stretch of Cubs games. I prefer "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Before the game starts is better. Re: aforementioned description. Including this an an event that is "apple pie American" just seems to fit. Also, since baseball 5 games are traditionally begun with the national anthem, a little "refresher" late in the game is a nice touch. 5 Reminds me of out culture of equating baseball with america, tradition and other prideful feelings. Seems appropriate. In the song, "America" is a proxy for the U.S.A., not the continent. It is musically more pleasing thatn the 5 National Anthem - especially the Kate Smith version. 5 shows patriotism 5 Shows respect. 5 Sometimes it does get old.... 5 Song makes me feel proud to be an American and is a fine way to remember 9-11 5 Sure beats "YMCA" or "Cotton-eyed Joe" 5 take a break from the game The break for the song provides an opportunity to publicly express my feelings about the US. I enjoy the feeling of unity with 5 other people in this expression at a ball game. 5 The Yankees play it out of respect to the soldiers and first responers, and I agree. 5 The Yankees use it and continually show their support to our troops and the wars we are fighting. 5 They go together...you know.. like... baseball, hot dogs,apple pie, Chevrolet...and the USA! 5 This is America- if at a foreign game, I gues they sing some nationalistic ditty. To take a mere 2-3 minutes to offer people a time of reflection is not big deal whether it is offered, used, or ignored by a 5 portion of it's participants. We all need to be reminded that we are a nation at war. Every American should relish the opportunity to stand up and pay 5 respect to our great nation. 5 We are Americans We are Americans,and whether we agree or disagree with the politcal atmosphere, I think we can agree that we the country 5 can use, if not prayers, then positive thoughts. It is a harmless inclusion if you don't feel that way. We have the national anthem before the game and the 7th inning playing of it is in line.Of ocurs ethey could also do a take 5 me out ot the ball game song as well. 5 we should realize that we have the freedom to enjoy baseball in this country because of its foundation 6 As baseball is the national pasttime the singing of the song is quite fitting 6 In our recreation, we are reminded of the freedom we have to enjoy it. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was the old standard for the seventh-inning stretch, mostly due to Harry Caray and the Chicago Cubs. When "God Bless America" is sung, it reminds me to stop every now and then to remember the fight for 6 LIberty and how important it is to stop each day to think of the price that has been paid. Adds to the 7th inning stretch...gives fans a chance to remember those who are serving our country during the baseball 6 game 6 America's past-time is a great place to our appreciation 6 America's Pastime = Gotta represent the homeland of the game 6 America's pastime. 6 any time we can be patroitic and realize how truly god has blessed us it is a good thing As a Yankee fan and a New Yorker, it reminds everyone there of the heroism displayed on 9/11. It also brings back the 6 image of GWB throwing out the first pitch after the attack. As I said before, it's a great song, and it brings everybody together. I didn't know that it is now sung at all professional 6 baseball games. At first I thought it was just baseball or whoever trying to improve their image by showing off how patriotic it was, and I was at first against it (against it being at the games, not against the song). Its a 7th inning tradition at the Washington Nationals games. I do not know how many other ballparks still play it. I was curious about that when I was recently at a game in Baltimore, where they didn't play it, and that felt so awkward to me. To me now, its more part of baseball than even the 6 opening pitch. 6 At Yankee Stadium it is sung to honor those who have served their country both in the past and in the present Baseball and patrotism have a long, historic past. Baseball has endured as our "national pastime" and there remains a bit of nostalgia at every game. The connection between the song and our nation's history come together every game and helps 6 remind people what our nation is all about. 6 baseball apple pie and chevrolet america pastime Baseball has always been "America's Pasttime". Baseball has always been associated w/ playing the Star Spangled Banner 6 at the beginning of a game & now another patriotic song at the 7th inning stretch (though only on Sunday now). Baseball has been referred to and considered our "National Pastime", so it seemed natural and fitting to me to have it inserted / included during the 7th Ining Stretch. Again, it's a large, communal expression of shared gratitude about the 6 Country we live in. 6 Baseball is "the great American passtime... and this is a great song about an even greater country Baseball is (or at least was) the national pastime of this country. The song isn't overly complex, like the Star Spangled 6 Banner, and being tied to baseball just makes it all seem more simplistic and comfortable. 6 Baseball is America's game and it is a great way to show our love for our country. 6 Baseball is America's game, why not add to that atmosphere. Baseball is America's Game. God Bless America is an American song, and as previously stated, a song about love for one's 6 country. It is understandable that the two would fit so nicely together. 6 Baseball is America's game. What better song to play, than God Bless America? 6 Baseball is America's National Pasttime. It fits very well to sing "God Bless America" during it. 6 Baseball is America's past time and it is a good time to remember how blest we are. 6 Baseball is America's past time and the country should be honored during every game. Baseball is America's past time, both America and the sport have growth together and they should be incorperated with one 6 another Baseball is America's past time. Everyone knows that, and even the president said so himself. America supports baseball 6 and baseball should support America. 6 Baseball is America's past-time. Especially while we are at war, it is a good thing to appreciate soldiers. Baseball is America's pastime and I feel a song used to celebrate our country should be sung at every game. Many people don't arrive in time to hear the national anthem so to play God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch is another 6 way to pay tribute to the soldiers and servicemen around the world. 6 Baseball IS America's pastime so we should require sing it regularly.. Baseball is America's pastime, and I think its great to create a tradition of honoring our country and the men and women who 6 keep us free. 6 Baseball is America's pastime. It should be sung all the time in national events such as baseball games. 6 Baseball is America's pasttime and the song is a good way to celebrate America and its traditions. Baseball is America's pasttime. It is a great tribute to our country. A country which enables us to freely move, express our 6 view, and jsut allows us to attend a ball game if we want to 6 Baseball is America's sport, adding more of an American flavor to it is good. 6 Baseball is American's game. God Bless America is America's song. It is also a time when many Americans come together. 6 Baseball is Americas game! 6 baseball is americas pastime we should honor the country we love 6 Baseball is Americas pasttime; so hey God Bless America 6 Baseball is an American summer classic. The song fits it perfectly! 6 Baseball is as American as you can get. It fits. 6 Baseball is our game Baseball is our great American pastime and there is no better place for it to be sung than a baseball game, and singing at the 6 7th inning stretch is great in my opinion. 6 baseball is our nation's sport more than any other sport by the number of people who watch it. 6 baseball is our national past time Baseball is the American Pastime and I think there is no better song to sing then God Bless American as it has more 6 meaning then some stupid song like Take Me Out To The Ballgame. Baseball is the great American pass time. We sing the national anthem before the first pitch. Why not sing God Bless 6 America during the seventh inning stretch? 6 Baseball is the national pastime 6 Baseball is the national pastime, it is a fitting way to celebrate America. 6 Baseball is the U.S.'s greatest pastime. Why not sing a patriotic song? 6 Baseball is very American and we should recognize our country during the game. Because baseball is a truly American game. Also it gives people a sense of pride. It should be sung at all American public 6 events along with the Stars Bangle Banner. 6 Because I love both and have a high regard for both 6 Because it creates a sense of bonding and comraderie, even with the republicans I despise. Because it has been pushed out of every other public arena and I don't know why. If you don't want to sing it, don't sing it. It 6 isn't pushing anything on anyone. 6 because it shows theYankee s support. 6 Because its America's song sung at America's Pastime 6 Especially in NY - it helps us remember and support the people still fighting to keep us safe. Everyone at baseball games are fortunate to be there because of the country we live in, the sacrifices made by those who came before us. It engenders pride and a sense nationalism when sung and I feel it's appropriate, especially considering 6 baseball is our national past time. For a start it is their choice to add the song. Second I believe it is a good song to play at the game because if Baseball can 6 do anything it is to unite Americans 6 Gives one great pride in this great country Having experienced this personally many times as the 7th-inning performer, I find that this piece is more well received than 6 the SSB. I am a huge baseball fan. I feel it is a part of American life. To stop what is happening in the game and have everyone sing 6 together (fans of both teams) is a beautiful thing. 6 I am impressed the way NY Yankees fans sing it and hold up flags, game after game. It doesn't seem to wear out. 6 I believe it makes everyone reflect on the freedooms and liberties that this country give us. 6 I believe that this is a tremendious idea. I did not realize its addition to the game was so recent. I assumed it had always been sung on Sundays at baseball games. 6 Its tradition. 6 I feel it reminds people that God has blessed our country and we have the freedom to enjoy things like baseball as a result. 6 I feel it should be song (especially in New York) because of 9/11 I feel its a small way to honor the troops. Its not over done and its just a small reminder to everyone that the world is very 6 different than it was before 9/11. 6 I like anything to be more patriotic. I like it in the context of Yankee stadium.I liked how they started playing it during it during the 7th inning stretch at Yankee stadium. Sept 11th is one of the first things that come to mind when someone mentions NYC, and the second thing are the 6 Yankees. So I think it's only appropriate and fitting to play this song during the 7th inning stretch I like the fact that we can take a few seconds in the middle of a game, during a part of the game that is set aside as a "stretch 6 out and relax" part and remember our military. I like the idea of America's Pastime paying homage to America, especially on days like Memorial Day, Independence day, 6 and September 11th. 6 I like to sing!! :) Better done in conjunction with Take Me Out To The Ball Game 6 i love baseball, love america, love the idea of people singing about america. I miss the word GOD being in our language. It was taken out of the court oath (i.e. "so help me God." I even missed it at my divorce hearing!) America is afraid of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance -- so as not to offend anyone -- so if baseball games want to include a song with GOD in it and taking pride in our country -- like baseball, mom and apple pie -- than I say go for 6 it! And a double Amen! I myself sang it during the stretch in a minor league game last week It'sa good opportunity to get people in a patriotic frame of 6 mind. I think God Bless America should be played at all baseball games. Baseball is an American sport, to me baseball is as 6 patriotic as John Wayne, hot dogs, and apple pie. Plus, I really do hope God will bless America, we could really use it. I think I covered this one above but to add some more, I think the playoffs after 9-11 in New York, and with the sitting president throwing at the pitch at the games, and it being a strike actually tied all together and meant something to a lot of 6 the people in this country and that everything would work out for us. 6 I think it a great tribute to the men and women that worked tirelessly at Ground Zero I think it is a great show of love for our country and a plee for God (and it does not specify which God) to continue to guide 6 and protect us. I think it is appropriate to reflect on our great country and to appreciate all that we have, including the ability to spend a night 6 enjoying a ball game I think it is important for thounsands of people to hear the song on a daily basis. It reminds them of those people who we 6 have lost to be the kind of country we are today. Plus, baseball is Americans sport. 6 I think it is nice to get the crowd to feel a bit patriotic. 6 i think it is nice to honor america and remember 9/11 6 I think it is very appropriate to play in a public venue like a baseball game. 6 i think it reminds people of how lucky they are to live in this great country. 6 I think it's a very American song and baseball is America's past time. 6 I think its great to hear people all sing together, The unity when thousands of people are singing together is uplifting 6 I think taking a few minutes to honor the country and soldiers is the least we can do I think that it forces people to take a minute or two and come together as a group to think about how great our country really 6 is and how lucky we are to live here. I think to many people forget why we have what we have and most people need reminded of God and that we enjoy many 6 god given gifts in this country that most wish to forget !! I understand why and how people want "God Bless America" to stop at Yankee games, but I personally feel its only a minute of your life to reflect and join as one to be thankful for living in this country. There are soldiers risking their life for me over 6 seas, who am I to complain about a one minute song about my country they're defending? I wrote The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, my dad knew Kate Smith and worked on her radio show (she was the 6 inspiration for "It ain't over till the Fat Lady sings.") and so I had a special feeling about the song because of the connection to my dad. I loved hearing the song at the Stretch, as it gave me goosebumps and was inspirational. I'm a season ticket holder to the NY Yankees and think it's a good reminder to all that we still have to defend our freedom 6 and our way of life. 6 i'm from nj - right outside of nyc. i like that the yankees remember the day every game. 6 If you have to explain it,you don't get the point. Is it too much to show respect for this country after so many gave so much? 6 It adds a spirit to the game and reminds you that it is America's pastime. 6 It allows a moment to think about all the armed services 6 It beats the Star Spangled Banner. 6 It brings people together in a positive tone about their nation. It doesn't take any real length of time, and reminds us those who are in harms way. This is markedly different from the Star 6 Spangled Banner (which is mostly sung incorrectly). 6 It feels good. 6 It gives a great feeling of togetherness. 6 It has become part of history now 6 It is 30 seconds of your life, not that long to express patriotism towards America. 6 It is a harmless tradition that expresses patriotic feelings. It is a reminder that our country is in need of protection and an opportunity for many many voices to come together and 6 express their love for country. 6 It is a tradition that helps children connect with patriotism. 6 It is always good in these times to have liberals like Obama in office to sing patriotic songs 6 It is America pass time and it is to tribute those lost in 9/11 6 It is America's pastime, why not play it. 6 It is fitting to pause and reflect on our blessings. It is great to sing a traditional song about our country and I like that God isn't taken out of baseball or anything else. Religious 6 freedom was why the pilgrims came over here in the first place. 6 It is soothing for those with patriotic feelings. perhaps it will make less patrliotic people think differently It makes everyone more aware of this free and beautiful country (America) that we are lucky to be part of. I strongly feel that 6 if anyone does not like the country (America), they have the freedom to leave America. 6 It reminds me of 9/11 and it's a nice tradition to keep 6 it reminds me of some of my favorite baseball memories. plus i dont see a reason to not sing it anymore. It should be played to honor America, just like God Save the Queen should be played in Toronto. Most kids will be able to 6 learn something from it during a ball game. 6 It shows a respect to our country and the freedom that we have to get to go and play these sports 6 It shows a sense of community that the fans of both teams share with each other. 6 It shows baseballs dedication to their country, and that they respect it. 6 It shows how great America is, everyone should celebrate it. 6 It's a great song. Combining it with America's favorite pastime seems like a great combination. 6 It's a more stirring way to honor the country, in my opinion, than the Star-Spangled Banner. It's a nice moment with the flags in the stands and people standing together singing as one. Also, it doesn't take very long, even when Ronan Tynan sings it, so I do not understand why it's an issue. However, I would not be opposed to it becoming a 6 Friday night tradition or used only in big games (rivalries/playoffs). It's a reminder that we still have troops fighting over seas. People seem to forget that, and I think anything that can remind 6 people of that is a good thing. 6 It's America 6 It's America's game, it's nice to have something in common with everyone in the stadium 6 It's America's past time, perfect venue to be played It's become a tradition, baseball is America's sport and favorite past time. Baseball unites people, it's important to take a few 6 minutes out of every game to honor everyone who has given something to this country. 6 It's great, nice to remember the soilders. It's not necessarily that it is included in baseball games that makes it significant, its the fact that it is played in a public forum period. People should hear the song and recognize it and its historical context and importance and know that at our core, we 6 are a Judeo-Christian nation and we will stray far from that core at our own peril. 6 It's now tradition. It's our national past time, and I think the game represents a lot what we stand for, as the greatest nation on earth. Plus it's a 6 little reminder that we are all just one great nation under G-D. 6 It's patriotic. We are a people whose Constitution allows us to freely assemble. 6 It's respectful of the the soldiers that are fighting...they need us to unify on certain things and that song helps do that. 6 It's the least we can do to honor all those who have given their lives for our freedom. It's the national past-time and it's a very patriotic song. Many people aren't even in their seats yet when the national anthem is sung before the game, including me. I like it because it makes me stop and appreciate that it is just a game, after all, and 6 how lucky we are that we get to watch the game and appreciate it for what it is. 6 It's what America is about. Sunday baseball games, bbqs, and me and my dad watching the game... 6 its short and simple and pays respect to our great country Its the right thing to do as we are a free country able to play baseball which is the country national pastime. Baseball owes 6 alot to our freedom and country attributes. 6 Its the right thing to do. 6 Makes fans remember the sacrifice others make for our freedom. 6 mountains, prairies, oceans, and baseball.... all of the great qualities of our country 6 never forget 9/11 6 No explanation needed, just look in the stands Not all stadiums play this song. Where I live in NY, it is always played at Yankees games, but Mets play "Take Me Out to the 6 Ball Game". Baseball is America's pasttime, and patriotic songs are a good fit. Over time, Americans always forget their history and repeat their mistakes. When it comes to important things, they always do something for a while and then cease. People die without a name and are forgotten much to quickly. It shouldn't have to be this way- September 11th still impacts probably more than 75% of the living Americans in a direct way and it doesn't hurt to spend 2 minutes at a ballgame reminding people that it did happen and we should be recognizing and thinking about the 6 people that perished during the tragedy (and I'm not ultra-patriotic). 6 Part of America's thread. 6 Patriotic. 6 People could simply stop playing it, but especially in New York it is important to not forget- 6 people should never forget were we are and where we come from. 6 Perfect setting 6 Proud to be American 6 Refer to answer #9 Regardless of how much more popular some other sports claim to be (NFL, NASCAR), baseball is still our national pastime, 6 and as such, "God Bless America" serves to accentuate that very fact. reminds us how good we have it and that there are some people out there fighting to allow us to enjoy things in life, such as 6 baseball games, often with no recognition whatsoever. 6 Ronan Tynan's 7th inning version is like Apple Pie to American heritage. It belongs there! 6 Same thoughts as above. I like celebrating the USA. 6 Stop the game for a few minutes to honor the servicemen and women that protect our freedom 6 The fans all stand and it is a sense of togetherness The game is considered "America's pastime." The song is so American, shouldn't they just automatically go together? The 6 only thing missing is the apple pie. 6 The purpose is stated before they sing...... that they take the time to remember our service folks...... 6 The song honors America There are many people -- primarily the miserable Pete Abraham of LoHud -- who complain about this song being played during ballgames because it "takes too much time" and he also mocks the patriotism of the New York Yankees, who are the only remaining baseball team who plays the song. It's stunning to me that this rotund fool cannot understand that New York was the site of the 9/11 attacks and that the song has a profound meaning for us. To me, it is like saying "We won't forget you" -- "you" being the three thousand people who died that day. I feel that playing the song during the seventh-inning stretch is a little tip of the cap to the heroes who sacrificed their lives that day. Surely we can give them a few minutes of our 6 time. Selfish people like Peter Abraham obviously cannot see beyond their own interests to understand this. There are so many other distractions that have taken baseball away from being America's game, so it is good to have this 6 song included. There aren't very many venues in which to sing the National Anthem or songs like God Bless America. I think the song goes 6 along with baseball and apple pie and gives you a good feeling inside. This is great for the next group of fans as they grow up and see that we as a nation still lead the world when it comes to help 6 and freedom. To my knowledge only the Yankees perform it every game. At Fenway, the only other park I attend, it's done on weekends, I 6 think. 6 To thank the Armed Forces for letting us have the ability to watch and play these games 6 We live in the greatest country in the world and should honor it and baseball is America's Pasttime. We need a lot more respect for this country and the fans are displaying our flag all over Yankee Stadium during the playing 6 and fans stand at attention with caps over their hearts 6 We need unifying events to remind us that we're all Americans despite differences in politics. We don't get a lot of non- 4th of July activities that are consistent around the country.

6 We should be reminded that with out our Troops and Freedom . there is NO baseball 6 We should honor those serving. 6 We should never forget what happened on 9/11. We should take a moment to acknowledge all the blessings we have gotten in this country. I do wish it was played in the 6 beginning of the game instead of the star spangled banner. Where else can you get 45,000 people to sing it all at once? That's why... and because baseball was the only thing that 6 seemed normal again after 9/11 While baseball has spread over a lot of the world it is still very much an American game and embodies a lot of what I feel 6 America stands for, therefore the two go hand in hand in my opinion. 6 Why not? 6 Why not? It's a nice tradition. Even if it only gives one person in the Stadium time to pause and reflect, it's worthwhile. 6 Why not. 6 without America's freedom and liberty we wouldn't be able to attend baseball games You take a moment during the game to reflect on the men & women who are protecting our country on a daily basis here and 6 abroad. although it doesn't bother me that it is sung at the games, there's something forced about it. when God Bless America becomes a regular part of every MLB game, then somthing is lost. it becomes less "special" because it is forced. it also takes something away from the customary performance of the "Star-Spangled Banner" which should be highlighted at the start of every game. It's a baseball game not a United States rally or political gathering. Singing the National Anthem before the start of the game is one thing, I'm not sure how that tradition got started and I'm not sure I understand it but I guess we are honoring our country. God Bless America should not be included in baseball games. We should not have a song like that forced upon us in a public setting like this. It is almost a way of peer pressure as it makes people try to conform to nationalistic tendencies without having them think for themselves. This is done because when someone sees 50 thousand people singing a song they will want to be included and join in.