When I ran for public office several years ago, I refused to stand and sing “O Canada” on the grounds that it discriminated against women and discriminated against non-believers.
Fortunately, the revised lyrics for the anthem are soon to be gender neutral.
Now it’s time to get rid of the God lyrics. To religious believers, I say keep your superstitions, but the anthem should reflect all Canadians not just the religious. I suggest that instead of “God keep our land, glorious and free” we substitute, “Let’s keep our land, glorious and free.”
Not only would this language be non-discriminatory, but it would put the responsibility of keeping the country free directly on its people, which is exactly where it belongs. And, by the way, the official French-language lyrics are even more outrageously religious and are specifically Christian, thereby discriminating against not only unbelievers, but believers of every other faith who live here.
For example, in translation, here is one line: “Your arm knows how to carry the cross.”
I can’t speak for others, but I have no intention of singing the anthem until all the God-language is removed. And perhaps one day, in a better future, the people of the whole world can dispense with nationalistic anthems altogether.
David Lethbridge