Would you rise for the national anthems of these countries?
- United States
- Canada
- Great Britain
- Australia
If you would not, why not?
I would rise for any of the 4 if I was in that country or if the anthem was being performed elsewhere.
It’s the polite thing to do. None of this “Hold your hand over your heart” nonsense, though.
It depends on context. If I’m in a crowd, and the crowd rises, or we’ve been told to rise. I’ll probably rise to fit in.
I don’t think I’ve ever actually stood up for my national Anthem before. (It happens to be the most depressing national Anthem I’ve ever heard - God Save the Queen)
Is that not done in Canada?
I think I’m one of the few who in the United States who knows the words to O Canada so I usually sing the words when I go to hockey games. I do hold my hand over my heart during both O Canada and The Star Spangled Banner.
I disagree. I love God Save The Queen. The Star Spangled Banner is one of the toughest songs to sing.
I agree.
Yep - even here in the US, when the National Anthem of Hockey starts, I stand.
It’s polite, like I read somewhere here before…
Every one of them, but I don’t salute, bow or put my hand over my heart for any country other than my own. I’d take my hat off, of course, and stand respectively still.
Sure. I’d rise for any national anthem.
Sure. Being a citizen of only one of those states, I would effect a salute (hand over heart or whatever) only to that one anthem (as I understand it, it is only the country’s own nationals who should salute its anthem/colors), but I would uncover and stand respectfully if I’m part of the audience at the ceremony where any of the other three is played; none of them is at war with me (so far…). Heck, I’d stand for the North Korean or Myanmarese anthem, if it’s played for instance at a sports match.
I’d stand for any national anthem at any appropriate occasion it’s being played at, and sing along if I know the words. This does limit it a bit though, I only know the various UK ones and La Marseillaise (and a bit of the new-ish Australian and Canadian ones). Fuck off with that hand over heart pish though, it’s just a song, not a sacrament.
Yep. I’d stand for any national anthem, as that is the correct protocol. I salute (hand over heart) during my own anthem and stand respectfully for all others.
Don’t know about Canada, but it’s not done everywhere. I noticed during the opening ceremony of the Olympic games that Chinese people apparently raised a hand, like in an incomplete military salute. In France, one doesn’t do anything besides standing (actually there has been some time ago a prank that resulted in the players of France’s soccer team doing the “hand over heart” thing as a gesture of solidarity for the French president who had heart surgery. The prankster had called the team’s coach posing as the president).
Regarding the OP, I don’t know for sure because I never found myself in a standing crowd, but generally speaking I wouldn’t stand for a foreign anthem because I wouldn’t even stand for my own country’s anthem except in some particular circumstances (basically when it’s played to celebrate something that IMO deserves respect. Certainly not during a sport event).
The only “anthem” I would normally stand for is the “chant des partisans” , and possibly other similar songs specifically tied to specific events/actions worthy of respect in other countries if locals appear to stand for them (does one stand for “Bella Ciao” 
).
National anthems are played for everything and anything (including very bad ™ things) hence aren’t worth standing for, generally.
I’d stand respectfully with my head uncovered for any anthem for a friendly country. I don’t sing or hold my hand over my heart for any of them, not even my own.
Sure. The Golden Rule. If you want your own country’s symbols respected by them, you have to respect theirs.
I’d even sing along, if others were singing too, and there was no soloist. Done it, too. I know all of those anthems and a few others.
I’ll stand for any nat’l anthem. I don’t do the hand-over-heart thing for any of 'em, even my own (SSB). I will sing SSB (poorly, though, as it is a difficult song to sing!) but not any others.
I would honestly love it if SSB could be replaced by a better song, but I’m not sure there’s a candidate out there that would not be more divisive and thus irritating than the status quo.
Ah. As I got to the bottom of this thread… God Save the Queen for the Rowers.
Well, I can’t stand (being paraplegic) but I would sit up straight and try to look respectful if I was at an event where the anthem of any country was being played. If I simply heard the anthem (e.g. on TV or while passing an event) I wouldn’t do anything special. As others have mentioned, the hand on heart business is not a universal custom; I wouldn’t do that even for Oh Canada since it’s not something most of us do.
I wouldn’t stand for any country’s anthem. I don’t stand for public invocations on those rare times when I’m at an event that includes one, I don’t say the Pledge of Allegiance or stand up when it’s recited, on the exceedingly rare occasions when I’m at a church service I don’t stand or kneel to pray, I don’t take communion and I don’t sing. I made an exception for my father’s funeral because we were in the front row and I would never embarrass my mother in that situation, so I stood during the hymns (but didn’t sing) but I didn’t kneel or pray or take communion.
I don’t respect “The Star-Spangled Banner” as a symbol of my country; I certainly don’t care whether someone from another country does.
I’d stand for all of them. If I was wearing anything on my head, I’d remove it. For the American anthem, I would place my right hand over my heart. Not for the others since I don’t know the proper salute during those times.