War brings out the best and the worst in nations and their people. But when hockey fans in Montreal booed the American anthem last week before a game against the New York Islanders, was that an example of the best or the worst of the Canadian people? And when some fans in Atlanta and Florida retaliated by booing the Canadian anthem before games last weekend, was that the best or the worst of the American people?
Not so long ago, Roseanne Barr was criticized for grabbing her crotch and spitting after rendering a shrieking version of the American anthem before a baseball game. Barr, everyone agreed, was bad. But separating the good guys from the bad guys has become more difficult.
The president of the Montreal Canadiens issued an apology for the behavior of his team's fans, as did the Atlanta Thrashers and Florida Panthers organizations. The league, embarrassed by the booing incidents, was relieved when fans in other Canadian cities cheered the American anthem. (Those darn French Canadians in Quebec, they're always in the minority and they're usually causing trouble.) The league and the affected clubs all agreed that a sports event is not an appropriate place to express political opinions.
If that's true, then why play the anthem before sports events? Aren't all anthems political statements? And if they're not, then why would anyone be upset when an anthem is booed?
Anthems are a political statement, of course. As such, the issue that should be debated is not the appropriateness of political expression at sports events, but the appropriateness of playing the national anthem at sports events. If the readers I hear from are an indication, many American sports fans believe sports and politics should be separate entities that never commingle. But doesn't the anthem bring a political undertone to every sports event, if only for those minutes when it's being played? Is it fair to say that only a pro-American sentiment is appropriate at sports events? It's hardly democratic to welcome cheering during the anthem, but frown upon any other reaction.
Certainly it's understandable that there are people in Montreal who object to the U.S. waging war in Iraq. Many people in the U.S. object to this war. People all over the globe are objecting to this war.
Some people object to the very concept of war.
This is a touchy subject, particularly since Sept. 11, 2001, and especially now. Interpretations of patriotism vary considerably from person to person. When Toni Smith, the Manhattanville College basketball player, silently protested the American anthem this season, many felt she was acting in an unpatriotic manner, while others praised her courage. When military jets partake in pregame ceremonies at a football stadium or NASCAR event, some see an amazing display of America's strength and virtue, while others find such ceremonies repellent, not to mention dangerous and costly. And while some believe booing the anthem is akin to sacrilege, others believe the act is a valid way to convey an antiwar sentiment.
There is no middle ground here.
Few athletes in any sport welcome political controversy, but some hockey players spoke bluntly about what happened in Montreal. The incident angered Wade Belak of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a Canadian.
''I think it's a joke,'' Belak told the Toronto Sun. ''The U.S. is the one protecting our [butts] in the rest of the world. They are our big brother, and we need them. For [fans] to boo the [American] anthem is disgraceful. If anything, Canadians should be kissing [Americans' butts].''
The Maple Leafs' Jyrki Lumme, a native of Finland, and Phil Housley, an American, feel fans have a right to voice their opinion.
''I would not do it to any anthem, but there are different ways of showing how you feel,'' Lumme said. ''They have the freedom to do it.''
This country's professional sports leagues have become increasingly global. The NHL plays the Canadian and American anthems before its games. But in the NHL, in addition to Canada and the United States, players come from the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Russia, Sweden and places in between. The anthems of those nations aren't played before games.
During peaceful times, the anthem is an afterthought for most people, gaining attention only when a celebrity mangles its words or tune. During fearful times, many want to make it a litmus test for patriotism, but no one can agree on what that test should be.
Sing or silently protest? Cheer or boo? Learn the second (or third) verse? There is no wrong answer. There's only what's right for each person. But many people--too many people--are unwilling to accept this fact.
There is a way to curtail this controversy, though. We should dispense with the playing of the national anthem before sports events. That way, fans could channel their patriotism in more productive ways, such as in the voting booth. And sports could resume their proper role in society, that of entertaining diversions.
Whether it was because they have a different mindset concerning the Americans or because they hate the Montreal Canadiens is anyone's guess. Perhaps a combination of the two.
None of us came with a manual. We came with hormones, and a brain. Being unsure of what you are would be a sign that you're missing one. And peer pressure hasn't had any effect on you that I've noticed. Quit wallowing and decide already. Are you this wishy washy on everything? 
