Journal, Page Two - Anthems

From the Nerd-tastic Journal...

Date: January 20, 2009
Place: CANADA!

What a day. Today, history was made. Today, the first African-American was sworn in as President of the United States. That is a day to remember.

But we live in Canada. What do us Nerds care? In fact it means a lot.

With the United States leading the way, as they usually do, 2009 starts a new era of change and acceptance. No longer will racism and sexism dominate our society. Everyone stands a fighting chance. No longer will religion, colour, nationality, or gender decide our place.

For the first time in a long time, the world is opening it’s eyes again. And it’s a beautiful thing.

But with President Obama also comes a hope. A hope that the world we’re opening our eyes to doesn’t crumble beneath our feet.

The Mayans said the world as we know it is going to end in 2012, and it just might happen if we keep out act up. We’re killing the planet with pollution, filth, and destruction. The ice caps are melting. And with Canada’s north being mostly ice, that’s bad. Can we look for a greener tomorrow now? Let’s live up to the future science fiction writers of the past layed out for us.

Yet we can scrub the world clean until it shines, but it will be ugly with war and hate. Perhaps the new era will see the end of wars, and the end of Canadians and other peacekeepers dying trying to spread that peace. Acceptance is the way of tomorrow.

And with the new president’s speech echoing through the lunch room, thoughts turned to our friends in the south over the lunch discussion today. Here are some of the greater moments.

I suddenly felt the urge to sing the American national anthem, it was stuck in my head.

“Oh say can you see?
By the dawn’s early light!
Why so proudly we something,
And a something, and something else.

And a something ‘bout stars!
And... uh...” I had even lost the tune. By now I had grabbed the attention of those at the table. Sorry Americans, but I really don't your national anthem.

Chloe and Devon laughed. I shook my head and broke out into “Oh Canada, our home and native land! True patriot love! In all our sons command...” I died out as people stared.

“What?” I asked. Then I thought, with all of Obama’s talk of acceptance, what would happen to a Canadian at a US hockey game who started singing Oh Canada? I started laughing. It was their turn to ask what. I told them. And without further ado, I put my hand over my heart and started singing,

“Oh say can you see?
By the dawn’s early light!
Why so proudly we something!
And a something and...
Oh screw this.
OH CANADA!
Our home and native land!”

We didn’t get past the second line before cracking up.

Soon thoughts turned to other anthems we could screw up. Of course we couldn’t do France, we already have a french anthem. We only knew one line of the British anthem. And no tune. It was enough.

“God save the queen!
And Canada!
And the States, even though they fought you mercilessly for independence.
And probably most of the UK...
And greater parts of Africa...
And Australia.
And just maybe select random islands in the middle of nowhere...”

Another laughing fit.

By now, lunch was over, and for most of us, it was off to religion class. Most of the class tried to drag out the beginning with talk of Obama.

One kid stood up and said, “Can I say a few words?” The teacher let him talk.
He said, “ Ok, today we all know it’s a great day. The states have their first black president. And the world must really be changing because he hasn’t gotten shot yet.”

The teacher scolded him and told him to sit down. He finished his speech as he sat. “I mean, I know we really care ‘cause we would rather watch him and talk about him for weeks, where as our government is about to split in two and we only cared for two days.”

The class laughed. The teacher didn’t. Finally she spoke up.
“He’s right,” she said. We just stared at her in shock.
“You’ll take your lunch to watch the President get sworn in, but would you do the same about your prime minister?”

We told her, “But it’s history. He’s the first African-American to be prez.”
“And our government just might end up being coalition. That’d be history too.”

We were silent for a while. Then one girl piped up, “But our government’s screwed.”

We spent a good five minutes of class laughing.

And so ends another Nerd-tastic adventure. Keep you guys posted, as it happens.
The Nerds.