We want our national anthem

First, it was the Second Amendment; now it is our national anthem, which is under attack at the Festival at Sandpoint.

The national anthem has opened the show each day of the Festival for the last 20 years. The Festival now states that they do not control the stage, but the act that they have hired controls the venue. If that is the case, what if the act says they don’t want police at their show? What then?

I’m not sure if the public knows what kind of fees these acts receive, but for instance, I looked on the computer to see what Train charges, and from what I could find, they charge between $300,000 and $500,000 a performance. If I am correct, I am sure that the Festival would not permit an act to control whether police were present or not and should not permit an act to say whether or not we are going to hear our national anthem.

The reason the field is named War Memorial Field is because it was dedicated to all servicemen and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country from World War I through the present. Not having the national anthem sung each day before a performance starts is a slap in the face to all those deceased servicemen and women.

I believe if that policy is not reversed, all veterans and patriotic citizens should boycott the Festival. It is an easy fix. No one will be harmed by listening to the national anthem, whether or not, it is the industry standard. It is not a Festival at Sandpoint standard.

We want our national anthem.

DON MYERS

Sandpoint