Thread: Spanish anthem enters debate on immigration

Title: Spanish anthem enters debate on immigration
Source: Miami Herald
URL Source: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/en ... 420687.htm? source=rss&channel=miamiherald
Published: Apr 25, 2006
Author: BY JORDAN LEVIN jlevin@MiamiHerald.com


A British-born immigrant and Latin music producer has put together a stellar group of Latino artists to record a Spanish language version of the Star-Spangled Banner that is shaping up to be a We Are The World for Latinos eager to be heard on the immigration debate.

Set for release to radio later this week, Nuestro Himno (Our Anthem) with the voices of Olga Tañon, Aventura, Andy Andy, Ivy Queen, Reik, Wyclef Jean (who sings in Spanish) and many others is being recorded in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Mexico City and Madrid.

It comes out as the U.S. Senate is due to once again take up the contentious debate on immigration reform this week. The Miami recording session will take place today, as the Latin music industry gathers in South Florida for the Billboard Latin Music Conference in South Beach and Thursday's Billboard Latin Music Awards at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood.

Adam Kidron, head of Urban Box Office, a reggaeton and urban Latino label in New York, said he was inspired to create Nuestro Himno by TV reports on immigration last week and by his own experience as a successful immigrant.

''I said what's a song we could record that everyone could rally around,'' said Kidron, who came to the United States in 1990.

``And I thought what if we did the national anthem, and the idea would be to interpret . . . what the patriotism means so the people who want so badly to be American can understand what this song is about.

``Me and everyone I know are living the American dream and to an extent we do it on the backs of American immigrants. And I just wanted to make the most beautiful version of the national anthem ever so it reflected the brilliance of these Latino artists, and in a way it is a gift back to their people.''

Kidron hopes to persuade radio programmers to play the song simultaneously across the country, making it a national salute in Spanish to the United States. Radio personalities in Los Angeles and other cities have been one of the forces behind recent massive demonstrations by immigrants.

''It'd be a very powerful thing,'' Kidron said. ``It would be saying that we are all Americans.''

The song will be the feature track on Somos Americanos (We Are Americans), an album of songs about the Latino experience to be released May 16. Kidron says they are working on getting permission to use songs by Ruben Blades, Los Tigres del Norte, Juan Gabriel, Los Bacilos and others.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit pro-immigration organizations, including The National Capital Immigration Coalition in Washington. Kidron also promises to e-mail the song to congressional offices this week.

The Urban Box Office said they have been flooded with hundreds of e-mails, and most of them have been positive. But Kidron said he has been shocked by some negative messages over the anthem. One, he said, read: ``You have declared war and you will reap what you have sown. No surrender. Deport them.''

They changed the words to fit their purpose. A total insult.

EVERY American should be wound up about this! AMERICA is about ENGLISH...NOT spanish! who do these people think they're trying to kid! i think we should get one of our oil tankers,fill it up with illegals and send them away! im a true blue southern American that has his blood boiling over these fake American wannabees!

Hi, It's a slap in the face to the United States of America to have OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM in another Language. If and when I hear it on of the TV News Stations or the Radio I will turn it off and I will never listen to that News or Radio station again. I am tired of people from other Countries coming into mine and trying to change things. The next thing they will want to change is the Color our United States Flag and Public Schools will have to sing it in Spanish, I don't think so, now they are invading on my rights, this is the United States of America, isn't it?
It's really sad to see all of this , but I don't hear any of our Government officials saying anything negative about it.
Bush made a comment today and I really feel that the only reason he made the comment about the National Anthem is because his per centage is way down as for being a Leader of this great Country. He knows he has made wrong decisions and he would never admit that he made wrong decisions.It just turns my stomach to think that people that aren't US Citizens can get away with stuff like this.
Sorry for the way I wrote this but I am really upset, what happened to the United States of America, did our Government Officials sell us out or what.
Sorry and thank you
Sincerely,
SusisC

If the media didn't give it so much attention we never would have heard about it. If I made th song in French I don't think anyone would even care...well, that could be because I can't sing