Bush says anthem shouldn't be sung in Spanish

WASHINGTON — President Bush said Friday that "The Star-Spangled Banner" should be sung in English, not Spanish, and condemned plans by some immigrant groups to stage a work protest Monday to sway the debate over the nation's immigration laws.

With passions running high over the release of "Nuestro Himno," or "Our Anthem," a Spanish-language version of the national anthem, Bush said people who want to be U.S. citizens should learn English and "ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English."

He also called on immigrants and activist groups not to participate Monday in the protest against congressional efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

"You know, I think it's very important for people, when they do express themselves, they continue to do so in a peaceful way, in a respectful way — respectful of ... how highly charged this debate can become," he said in a Rose Garden news conference.

The anthem question arose as "Nuestro Himno" made its debut Friday on Spanish-language radio stations. The song has been described as a "We Are the World" for Hispanics because of its variety of musicians and recording locations.

Recorded in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Mexico City and Madrid, Spain, it features Olga Tanon, Andy Andy, Ivy Queen, Reik, Wyclef Jean and many others.

The new song, which alters Francis Scott Key's original words, immediately struck a sour note with many Americans who jammed switchboards at radio stations.

English vs. Spanish

"Star-Spangled Banner"

First verse: "O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof thro' 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?"

Translation of "Nuestro Himno"

First verse: "The day is breaking, do you see it? In the light of the dawn?

What we so acclaimed at nightfall?

Its stars, its stripes, flew yesterday

In the fierce battle in a sign of victory,

The glow of battle, in step with liberty

At night they said: 'It's being defended!'

Oh say! The voice of your starry beauty is still unfolding

Over the land of the free The sacred flag."

Knight Ridder Newspapers

"Never underestimate the power of symbolism when it involves the flag and the national anthem," said John Kobylt, co-host of "The John and Ken Show," which airs on AM radio in Los Angeles. "Our audience has gone nuts over this. We got tons of e-mail, and most are furious."

The duo opened their Friday-afternoon show with the Spanish version. "It's a clear statement from illegal aliens — and I don't know if they are intending this or not — but it says, 'We're not assimilating,' " Kobylt said.

Even at stations that serve primarily Spanish speakers, the new anthem did not win universal praise. "We really have gotten mixed reviews to the song, but it clearly has hit a nerve," said David Haymore, vice president and general manager of the Spanish Broadcasting System. "Some see it as disrespectful, but others in the community see it as adding flavor to what this country is all about."

Adam Kidron, head of the Urban Box Office record label, created the song after watching TV reports about the inflamed immigration debate in Congress. He said his version was not intended to discourage immigrants from learning English or embracing the United States, according to The Associated Press.

"We instead view 'Nuestro Himno' as a song that affords those immigrants that have not yet learned the English language the opportunity to fully understand the character of 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' the American flag and the ideals of freedom that they represent," he said.

And so does the U.S. State Department, which posts on its Web site foreign-language versions of "The Star-Spangled Banner," the Bill of Rights and the president's State of the Union address. A spokesman said the site is aimed at an overseas audience.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said he would introduce a Senate resolution Monday "giving senators an opportunity to remind the country why we sing our national anthem in English."

At his news conference, Bush, who speaks Spanish, renewed his call for an overhaul of the immigration system that includes tighter border security, better enforcement of current laws and a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.

To win passage of what Republicans consider the biggest domestic issue of the year, Bush is trying to appeal to conservative activists who oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants and the fast-growing Hispanic population that is demanding a comprehensive overhaul with a citizenship option.

With Congress locked in a heated debate over the issue, Bush is pushing for a middle-ground deal that would allow illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship, but only if they pay a stiff penalty, learn English and wait their turn.

Material from the Los Angeles Times is included in this report.

Rumors of roundups fuel immigrant fears

MIAMI — Rumors of immigration roundups have prompted thousands of illegal immigrants to stay home this week and are making some afraid to participate in a national immigration protest planned for Monday.

Though federal immigration officials said the rumors were unfounded, talk of random sweeps was rampant from coast to coast Friday, prompting thousands of immigrants to stay home from work, take their children out of school and avoid church.

Len Mills, executive vice president of the Associated General Contractors of South Florida, said he estimated at least 50 percent of workers on construction jobs in the region hadn't shown up for work. He said he believed even some legal workers were afraid.

"This is costing millions of dollars a day, and I don't know who is going to pay for it," he said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials acknowledged they have stepped up arrests under their "Operation Phoenix," an existing program to find and deport fugitive illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds.

Many wondered whether the rumors would deter people from the national immigration protests planned for Monday.

The Associated Press