No One Asked Me But… (June 7, 2023)

By DR. LARRY MOSES

No one asked me but… I am not a big fan of social media. Twitter is not one of my favorite sources for information.
When my wife brought to my attention a story on Twitter that the U.S. Capitol Police shut down a youth choir who was singing the national anthem in the National Statuary Hall I was a bit skeptical. I watched the video, obviously a product of someone’s cell phone, and knowing what they can do to alter fact on this media, I looked for verification in a more standard mode. I found that The New York Post and the Daily Signal, a conservative news source, verified that the incident took place.

The New York Post article stated that the incident involving the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir and Capitol Police occurred on May 26 in the Capitol Building as members sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Video footage of the event shows the conductor of the group, David Rasbach, cutting the young singers off before they could finish singing the patriotic tune.

Micah Rea, the organizer of the trip, told The Daily Signal that South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson called Speaker McCarthy’s office confirming that the choir had permission to sing. Shortly before they started to sing, Andrew Tremel, the visitor operations manager stopped them. Rea told Tremel that members of Congress had granted them permission to sing. Having confirmed they had in fact gained permission,Tremel allowed them to sing.

However, Director Rasbach told The Daily Signal on Friday that a female Capitol Police officer directed a congressional staffer to immediately put an end to the children’s performance even though they had obtained permission from South Carolina Republican Reps. William Timmons, Joe Wilson, and the Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy tweeted on Friday “Just learned kids were interrupted while singing our National Anthem at the Capitol. Unacceptable. These children were welcomed by my office…”

Capitol Police told The Post the officers were not aware McCarthy had approved the performance. The Capitol Police issue the following explanation: “…popup demonstrations and musical performances are not allowed in the U.S. Capitol without the proper approval, due to a miscommunication, the U.S Capitol Police were not aware that the Speaker’s Office had approved this performance,”

Director Rasbach told The Daily Signal that the female officer insisted the singing was a demonstration and later alleged that “some people were offended” by the performance. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted Friday that the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir were told the singing “might offend someone/cause issues.”

Capitol Police on Friday denied the allegation by Greene and Rasbach, telling The Post: “It is not true that the Capitol Police said it might ‘offend someone.’”

Contesting the claim that the Capitol Police officer said people were offended and therefore they had to stop the performance. The department stated: “Here is the truth. Demonstration and musical performances are not allowed in the U.S. Capitol. …our officers were reasonable and allowed the children to finish…the Stars Spangled Banner.”

They added that the congressional staff member accompanying the students “lied…multiple times about having permission from various offices.”

Rea responded that the department’s statement is a complete lie. The video confirms the fact that they were stopped before they finished the singing Star-Spangled Banner. He further insisted that he did not lie to the Capitol police for the group had indeed been granted permission to sing.

Choir Director Rasbach contends that when he asked the officer how she thought this would affect his kids and the disappointment they would feel, her reaction was to shrug her shoulders saying “…they could go outside and sing.”

Both Rea and Rasbach countered the claim that musical performances in the Capitol are banned pointing to videos of Sean Feucht singing at the same location on February 1 and March 10. A group of 80 pastors sang there on March 29. The Capitol Police did not respond when asked about these performances.

Since the choir had finished the first verse we all recognize and had skipped to the fourth verse, the Capital Police officer may not have recognized it as part of the National Anthem, and demanded they immediately cease singing.

I will accept the fact that most Americans are not familiar with the fact that there is more than one verse to the song. So here is a complete version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as originally written and punctuated by Francis Scott Key. The manuscript can be found in the Maryland Historical Society collection.

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bomb bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
‘Tis the star-spangled banner – O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Thought of the week… Free people, remember this maxim: we may acquire liberty, but it is never recovered if it is once lost.
– Jean Jacques Rousseau