I hadn't watched any of the medal ceremonies for events won by the United States until tonight, so I had no idea what folks have been talking about in regards to the arrangement used.

Here's a portion of what I read the other day in The Washington Post:

A "Europe-friendly version of the anthem," designed "to play down the notion of the U.S. as a chest-thumping, butt-kicking, jingoistic powerhouse," sniffed a writer in the Wall Street Journal, quoting an unnamed musician. "Even our warlike national anthem has been transformed, from blaring horns to peaceful, soothing strings" wrote Maureen Dowd in the New York Times, in a column about the toning-down of U.S. bravado at the Athens games.

Then I heard it for myself tonight. My reaction? Some folks need to get a life. I thought it was beautiful. It would be hard to sing to, but that's not the role it's taking in these ceremonies. I mean, c'mon, with the US women's 4x400 relay team, two of the young ladies didn't even place a hand over their hearts. That I found infinitely more objectionable than the lyrical beauty of our national anthem during the medal ceremony.

Mr. Breiner, you did a marvelous job with our anthem. Thank you.

And all you whiners? Sit down and shut up. You're starting to annoy me.