I can’t bring myself to sing the national anthem in public. On the rare occasion (probably the last time I was at a hockey game) where I am required to stand as it plays, I fight the following battle within myself: Sing; No. You’re supposed to; I don’t want to. You’re standing anyway, sing; No, I’ll feel stupid. Isn’t that sad? I’m too cool to sing the Canadian national anthem in a roomful of other Canadians; I haven’t opened my mouth and joined in since elementary school, when it didn’t faze me at all and I belted it out every morning. And I’m not alone – look around your local sporting event – most people are like me, standing silently, waiting for it to be over, or at the very most, mumbling the words quietly under their breath. To be fair, there will always be one or two shameless diehards, bellowing along energetically, bless their hearts.
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