Language Matters: Canadian National Anthem Edition

In Canada recently, there was a movement to officially change one of the lines in the anthem from "in all thy sons command" to something more gender-neutral. When I heard the news, I quietly applauded it as a symbol of an immensely positive thing: it was tiny, but showed that thought was being put into the language we use and support. I then moved on with my life and kind of forgot about it.

I got concerned when I saw hordes of my facebook friends joining groups like SAVE OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM!! and NO TO CHANGING THE CANADIAN ANTHEM!!

I've just read multiple reports that the government has backed down, deciding not to change the line.

I repeat: they wanted to change a single line, in the name of gender-inclusiveness. They did not propose a complete overhaul of the song. The new lyrics were not going to read "OH CANADA / OUR HOME AND FEMALE-ONLY LAND / TRUE WOMEN'S LOVE / MEN ARE THE WORST WE DON'T WANT THEM ANYWAY!"

When i saw that it wasn't going to go through, I was bewildered. I thought that the proposal was a systematic symbol of gender inclusiveness, right in the stubborn face of tradition. Is that something that people are honestly against, or are they just having a knee-jerk reaction to any change? Because either way, that is fucked up.

How are we supposed to make big changes in society if a tiny thing like this makes people clench their jaws and scream, "NO, NO THAT IS NOT HOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AND IT CANNOT BE THAT WAY NOW?" Of course, hilariously, they're wrong-- it was originally "in us thou dost command," and was changed later.

At first, I tried to stay calm and merely expressed genuine curiosity in why so many people were against it, but the more I thought, the more a little bubble of rage started to swell in my chest. I'm sure people are going to tell me that I'm looking too deeply into this. They could be right.

Or, this could be just another tiny detail, a sign, an indicator— a canary in the coal mine— a frog near the lakeside— showing how we are not yet equal, and so much still needs to be cleaned up, but the masses are not ready to support it.

And, if i may repeat myself—

that is fucked up.