Danae Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 1 hour ago, Melissa Louise said: I don't know anything about Washington DC. Is there a displaced indigenous people who formerly lived on the land the city is now on? Please excuse my ignorance. For example, I live on Gadigal land of the Eora nation. Acknowledgement of land is commonplace here, most events start with it, including in schools, and it's always puzzled me that this seems more of a Commonwealth thing? It’s becoming more common in the US. Not “mainstream” yet, in my perception. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 3 hours ago, MercyA said: That's wonderful! I haven't seen it at all here in the Midwest. I have heard it a few times at events/classes in Ohio. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) On 1/22/2021 at 8:16 PM, MercyA said: I liked the Spanish part (better than the rest of the medley, actually!), but I went back and watched it again and there is definitely a strident tone there. I don't find it objectionable at all; it reminded me, oddly enough, of a street preacher with whom I once worked. Passionate. But there was a definite change of tone and it was a little unexpected and startling. I think that's what @Gargawas referencing. Immediately concluding that the word "aggressive" is bigoted or xenophobic seems a leap to me and not very charitable to Garga. I've never known her to be anything but kind. Maybe there is something I'm missing. Yes, I just went back and watched it again too and I’m not seeing this strident, aggressive change. If she had said it in English no one would have remarked on it. It was the Spanish that unsettled people. The fact of the matter is that a lot of Americans - usually white Americans in my experience - react very negatively when people - particularly brown or black people in my experience - speak other languages. Why is this? I think fundamentally it has to do with fear of being displaced in a changing society. I also think that many people haven’t stopped to examine why they have a knee jerk negative reaction to hearing other languages, particularly “less desirable” languages being spoken and elevated. It doesn’t really work since she isn’t American, but imagine if Céline Dion had sung instead of Jennifer Lopez and she said something in French. Would people have been as outraged? I’d hazard a guess that they would not have been, because Céline Dion is white and French isn’t a threatening language when spoken by a white person. Spanish is scary because scary brown people speak it. And this is America! They need to speak English here! And stay in their place! Edited January 25, 2021 by bibiche 7 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) 7 hours ago, Joker2 said: I was actually hoping through the whole performance that she would switch to Spanish at some point, so I was actually excited when she did and I clapped while sitting here on my couch. 😁 The let’s get loud part didn’t really bother me either but I did think it was weird. 3 hours ago, Big Buckin' Longhorn said: We loved the Spanish. We have Spanish speakers in my home, who are also Americans. We were excited when J Lo showed up (looking spectacular) and looovvveeddddd the acknowledgment of her heritage. Why wouldn’t she? But we are an acquired taste. Obviously. Yes to both of these! I loved the Spanish! I love love love to hear other languages spoken wherever I am in America. The more diversity of people and languages the better as far as I'm concerned. Multiculturalism is one of the things that makes America special to me. I also liked the "let's get loud," appropriate or not. I did find it somewhat jarring, and for a split second I was taken out of the moment, but then I felt joy wash over me because it was like a venting of some of the feeling of beaten down voices finally being heard and celebrated after all the indecency perpetrated against immigrants, refugees, and minorities for the last five years. 23 minutes ago, bibiche said: The fact of the matter is that a lot of Americans - usually white Americans in my experience - react very negatively when people - particularly brown or black people in my experience - speak other languages. Why is this? I think fundamentally it has to do with fear of being displaced in a changing society. I also think that many people haven’t stopped to examine why they have a knee jerk negative reaction to hearing other languages, particularly “less desirable” languages being spoken and elevated. It doesn’t really work since she isn’t American, but imagine if Céline Dion had sung instead of Jennifer Lopez and she said something in French. Would people have been as outraged? I’d hazard a guess that they would not have been, because Céline Dion is white and French isn’t a threatening language when spoken by a white person. Spanish is scary because scary brown people speak it. And this is America! They need to speak English here! And stay in their place! Yes, the sentiment makes me bristle. I grew up with parents who despise hearing other languages in America. And they're decidedly in the "learn English" crowd. It makes me so sad and angry. And it makes me FURIOUS that they retired in El Paso, Texas and have the nerve to complain about Spanish being spoken everywhere. I mean... Edited January 23, 2021 by Alte Veste Academy 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 Count me among those who love to hear languages other than English spoken in the US, especially in public forums--it feels like a needed acknowledgement of our diverse heritage. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wathe Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Melissa Louise said: I don't know anything about Washington DC. Is there a displaced indigenous people who formerly lived on the land the city is now on? Please excuse my ignorance. For example, I live on Gadigal land of the Eora nation. Acknowledgement of land is commonplace here, most events start with it, including in schools, and it's always puzzled me that this seems more of a Commonwealth thing? You can safely assume that that there is a displaced indigenous people who formerly lived on the land of every city in North America. ETA: the only exception to displaced would be extinct. Edited January 23, 2021 by wathe 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 @bibiche, I appreciate your thoughts and definitely have seen the "speak English or leave" attitude in my own community. It is an ugly thing. I just didn't interpret Garga's post that way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 I'm confused by the idea there was a change in tone - when she went from singing to speaking, of course there would be a change. As for strident - it was part of the pledge - passionate about the pledge seems good? And most of her singing was passionate I thought? And given that Spanish is the official language of Puerto Rico, a US territory who was presumably watching along with the 50 states and DC, it seems totally fine to use it in an official, national ceremony. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonhawk Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) 13 hours ago, bibiche said: The fact of the matter is that a lot of Americans - usually white Americans in my experience - react very negatively when people - particularly brown or black people in my experience - speak other languages. Why is this? I think fundamentally it has to do with fear of being displaced in a changing society. I also think that many people haven’t stopped to examine why they have a knee jerk negative reaction to hearing other languages, particularly “less desirable” languages being spoken and elevated. It's almost as if they don't want to be a minority, because minorities are treated differently, or something.. The Melting Pot apparently melted to a certain color, and now is resistant to anything new being added to the mix. The "us" vs "them" mindset seems to have trouble with too large an us, but with a little practice I think it can be inclusive as it should be for a country as diverse as us. Re Spanish at the inauguration: I haven't watched an inauguration before this one. So I don't know if it is common. But I appreciated that a ceremony for the people and of the country tried to acknowledge the current people and the country as a whole. It didn't go overboard -- I mean, think of all the different cultures in the US, then think about the performers: we had Lady Gaga (white? in American terms at least), Garth Brooks (white, and country star so definitely catering to that segment of the population), Jennifer Lopez (hispanic, but an American Staple hispanic so very non-threatening), Amanda Gorman (black, and young), and...that's it yeah? If they were trying for diversity-in-your-face, they could have done much much more. As it was, this could be called tepid. So really it touched/acknowledged the largest groups but did not dwell. It was a headnod, not a speech about Hispanic Americans and their contributions. I can understand if you don't care for a performance, if it's not to your taste, but to object to the language seems a bit weird from a Great American Melting Pot perspective. eta: I personally didn't like Lady Gaga's performance. But, I seem to hardly ever like a big star's rendition of Star Spangled Banner. I recognize it was good, just I didn't like it. So I know I'm the minority and that's ok 🙂 Edited January 23, 2021 by Moonhawk 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 I just talked with my mom about inauguration. She thinks is was lovely and strongly agrees with the tone and message of the whole event. Then she says but I don’t understand why singers need to interrupt their songs to talk. She continues, and I realize she is referencing Garth Brooks when he invited a singalong. She felt it disrupted his flow, and that it isn’t a usual “singalong” song. In her opinion, he was thinking of himself and not the song. She is a fan of country music, but usually artists older than Garth. I’m laughing because I was so surprised she wasn’t thinking of Jennifer Lopez. I imagine this is the first time she’s ever heard her sing. She says she didn’t remember any part being in Spanish. She said that song melodies aren’t her favorite. She wishes either song had been sung more fully. I suspect the transition felt awkward to her for that reason so she missed what was actually said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 26 minutes ago, Seasider too said: Personally I had no problem with the language. I think - throw tomatoes if ya want but this is just my own opinion - what troubled me is that there was a sort of “rally” feeling to her shout out. I appreciate all the reasoning for that shared upthread. I think I shared in a previous post that I felt it incongruent with the decorum of the event. (Et explain further - the rally feel, with shouting, is something I associate with a political event. The inauguration was meant to be a unifying event.) I am sad that sharing that personal opinion leaves me painted as a xenophobe. I’m not a JLo fan; this performance didn’t win me over. I think your opinion is entirely reasonable. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wathe Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 This Bernie Sanders dolly pattern (Etsy) made me smile (I don't crochet. Maybe I should learn) 7 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 21 minutes ago, Thatboyofmine said: Does anyone know who the band was that looked like they were from the revolutionary war? I'm trying to find it for dh... During the military review? I think they're the Old Guard, 3rd US infantry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 I'm feeling a bit calmer now, and I have a musically instructive video: Analyzing Lady Gaga's mixed-meter version of the star spangled banner she sang for Joe Biden's inauguration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Amanda's book with the poem from the inauguration. The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman: 9780593465271 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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