Montana Man Fractures Teen's Skull For Not Removing Hat During National Anthem

Curt James Brockway (mug shot)

A 39-year-old Montana man was arrested for a violent assault on a 13-year-old boy fracturing the teen's skull.

Curt James Brockway reportedly told authorities "he had every right" to pick the boy up and slam him to the ground because, in his opinion, the teen had disrespected the national anthem by not removing his hat.

USA Today reports the boy had to be airlifted to a hospital due to the attack. His parent's told the press he bled from his ears for nearly six hours.

Prosecutors asked Brockway's bond be set at $100,000, but the judge allowed him to be released on his own recognizance.

Brockway is apparently registered as a violent offender with a police record going back to 2010.

Watch the report from local news station KPAX below:

(h/t JoeMyGod)

Gladys Knight Slays With Gorgeous National Anthem At Super Bowl LIII

Gladys Knight sings the National Anthem at Super Bowl 53

Music legend, 8-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Atlanta native Gladys Knight came to slay at Super Bowl LIII as she delivered an elegant and stirring rendition of the National Anthem.

Well done, Miss Gladys, well done.

Check it out below.

Hawaiian Singer's National Anthem Goes Viral

Willie K sings the national anthem at Aloha Stadium

Over the weekend, Hawaiian singer and musician Willie K was tapped to sing the national anthem at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

Keeping the lyrics by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Willie K made the song his own, and went viral in doing so.

According to folks on Twitter, Willie is considered a state treasure and currently battling lung cancer.

Watch below.

I can assure you you have never seen the Star-Spangled Banner performed like this before. pic.twitter.com/Rc8eO9uPid

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 21, 2018

As always, folks had their opinions about the performance.

This first tweet is from U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii.

Willie K is a national treasure. https://t.co/utJapUZVOJ

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) October 22, 2018

I think it's horrible at best. The National Anthem isn't a song you can make your own. The song was owned by a country and it's lyrics etched in blood. It's not a game show song, so quit playing with it. Sing it as it is written.

— JD (@JD1043) October 21, 2018

Actually it’s a poem set to the music of a fraternity song about having a huge penis but please go on https://t.co/LHgKY7EgoI

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 21, 2018

This is not the national anthem!

— Brad Stevens' Shoes (@minijoo) October 21, 2018

The hell you talking about? This is the best rendition I've heard in a long time

— Vote 11/6 (@bradbrennan) October 21, 2018

Normally, I would be against a rendition like this, saying that it doesn’t sound like the anthem. But, wow, Willie K, that voice. It may not have sounded like the anthem, but it sounded like something straight from the heart. Beautiful. https://t.co/QZ5Ud6nLHS

— Josh Pacheco (@Joshontheradio) October 21, 2018

Hawaii football game opens with most beautiful national anthem rendition | Listen to Willie K's soulful version of The Star-Spangled Banner.

| https://t.co/OyhcWU0Jqd

— Rocketnews (@Rocketnews1) October 21, 2018

Amazing.....from WillieK, Hawaiian legend....this is good stuff....usually I’m not a fan of messing with the star spangled banner, but this leaves you with lump in your throat.....just incredible https://t.co/daR4SjQxdy

— marc polymeropoulos (@Mpolymer) October 22, 2018

The National Anthem At The Super Bowl

It's Super Bowl Day!

One of my favorite moments of Super Bowl Day is a really triumphant National Anthem.

Today's anthem will be sung by one of my favoritest artists today, Pink. She's sent out word she has the flu, but she will do her best.

I know she will.

Here's a few of what I think are the best Super Bowl National Anthems. All three are exactly who these artists really are.

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

Bad Lip Reading: Donald Trump's National Anthem

God bless the folks at Bad Lip Reading - right on cue with their version of Donald Trump's now-infamous miss with the National Anthem at last night's college football championship game.

Watch below.

Video: Trump Rants On Football Players Disrespecting National Anthem, But Doesn't Know The Words Himself

Donald Trump has spent months - months I tell you - demanding that football players stand and respect our flag and our national anthem.

Dammit!

And lord knows no one is better at making a point living by example than Donald J. Trumper.

Well,.... except maybe that time he made a point to attend the national college football game, stand on the open field, hand over heart (it must be somewhere in there) and somewhat mouth about a third of the words to The Star-Spangled Banner.

(psssst - Donald - they had a camera on your face the whole time...)

Needless to say, this doesn't end well for the Trumpster. All that hypocrisy and all, you know.

Watch below, then check out the Twitterverse's thoughts on BannerGate.

Btw - the Alabama Crimson Tide won in overtime over the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23. To be honest, Alabama had the best costumes.

Pres. Trump takes the field for the National Anthem ahead of tonight's college football championship game. https://t.co/JGVhB5xp1A pic.twitter.com/k4lFtrwXzI

— ABC News (@ABC) January 9, 2018

We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018

Hi @realDonaldTrump, a word of advice, if you're going to demand that people stand for the National Anthem, you might want LEARN THE WORDS FIRST YOU DISGRACEFUL BUFFOON! 🤣🖕pic.twitter.com/UUV3lk2IKF

— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) January 9, 2018

Dude cries over football players taking a knee and he doesn’t even know the words to the song?!?!?! 😂😂😂 https://t.co/yENCBL49cC

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) January 9, 2018

Someone should teach Trump the old drag queen trick of repeatedly mouthing “watermelon” when you forget the words. pic.twitter.com/mNocb0Z1sG #NationalChampionship

— shauna (@goldengateblond) January 9, 2018

Trump lip-syncs songs like Mariah Carey on a bender. pic.twitter.com/f6ndZzYLU4

— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) January 9, 2018

He doesn’t even know the words. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/HXUkSlEUug

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) January 9, 2018

Super obvious Trump doesn’t know the words to our National Anthem. Disgraceful for any president, but particularly bad given his months of race-baiting rants against NFL players kneeling to demand justice. pic.twitter.com/jUD0hBqo9N

— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) January 9, 2018

Seeing Trump sing the National Anthem reminded me of this👉 https://t.co/cvPWTLghDT

Oh how I love you, @eddieizzard.

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) January 9, 2018

Trump Stands For National Anthem Like True Patriot, Remembers At Least Nine Words Of It ALMOST PERFECTLY https://t.co/XuwLQ0K9yn via @EvanHurst

— Wonkette (@Wonkette) January 9, 2018

"Standing proudly, moving his mouth like a drag queen hearing a song for the first time...." https://t.co/vi1rqZ9bl4

— JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) January 9, 2018

Hey @realDonaldTrump. Since you seem to have forgotten the words to our National Anthem, I made this tutorial for you. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/OenlIj8G9b

— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸 (@DemWrite) January 9, 2018

Oprah knows the words.

— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) January 9, 2018

AL GOP Senate Candidate Falsely Announces Taking A Knee During National Anthem Is "Against The Law"

Candidate Roy Moore

TIME Magazine reports that former Alabama Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court and current candidate for the U.S. Senate, Roy Moore, erroneously believes that professional athletes who take a knee during the national anthem are breaking the law.

(p.s. They aren't)

In an interview with TIME magazine, the Alabama Republican argued that NFL players and others who have protested police violence are violating a section of the U.S. code which outlines how people should conduct themselves when the anthem is played. (The code merely outlines proper etiquette, and there are no legal penalties outlined in the law.)

“It’s against the law, you know that?” he said. “It was a act of Congress that every man stand and put their hand over their heart. That’s the law.” “If they didn’t have it in there, it would just be tradition. But this is law,” he said. “If we disobey this, what else are we going to disobey?

As the article states, U.S. Code 301 is not law but considered proper etiquette. If you read the few short lines of text, the word "should" not "shall" is used.

Moore himself has broken the law several times in his career. Once when he defied a court order to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments he had installed at his court house; and also when he ordered judges in his state to ignore the U.S. Supreme Court ruling which made marriage equality legal in all fifty states.

Folks on the right and left openly laughed at Moore on Twitter:

You’d be laughed out of court if you tried to enforce this and a state supreme court justice would know that https://t.co/IApnIFCw9k

— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) October 18, 2017

Roy Moore incorrectly says kneeling during the national anthem is "against the law" https://t.co/nyfUl8yfPE pic.twitter.com/ST5nPikgOD

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) October 18, 2017

Roy Moore thinks it's illegal to not stand during the national anthem (it's not) https://t.co/CtNsDmCVtJ

— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) October 18, 2017

A judge who doesn't know difference between "should" and "shall." Ridiculous. https://t.co/whWopjuROb

— Pierre Tristam (@PierreTristam) October 18, 2017

Roy Moore is wrong. No one can be compelled by law to stand for the National Anthem. #civilliberties101 https://t.co/SeZb79rkAt

— Prof. Manna (@ProfessorManna) October 18, 2017

This just wrong. Nowhere in the US is it illegal to kneel when the national anthem is played. Repub. Roy Moore is running for US Senate. https://t.co/9HseXddUIl

— Mary O'Grady (@OGrady_Texas) October 18, 2017

Trump: I’m gonna take away NBC’s license
—that’s not a real thing
Roy Moore: it’s illegal to kneel for the anthem
—neither is that

— Andrew (@manlybadman) October 18, 2017

Serious question. How did this man become a judge? The U.S. code states "should", meaning the conduct is a suggestion or compulsory.

— Britain G. (@sanefacade) October 18, 2017

Trump Nation: Jerk Uses U.S. Flag As Picnic Blanket, T-Shirt Says "I Stand For The National Anthem"

This pic from Sunday's Jets/Patriots game is currently going viral as this douchebag wearing a t-shirt that says "I stand for the National Anthem" as he sits on the flag like a beach towel.

On top of the fact that we were taught to never let the flag touch the ground, the asshole is SITTING his ass on the flag!

Adding to the assholery is he seems to drink beer with a straw. #Embarrassing #ManUp #WhoDrinksBeerThroughAStraw

From Deadspin:

This man at Sunday’s Patriots-Jets game respects the United States and its national anthem so much that he turned the country’s flag into a picnic blanket. Reader Marshall spotted the patriot, who is better than all of us, at the Jets’ stadium.

“Basically, me and my friend were walking around the stadium sometime during the 3rd quarter. There is a huge tv screen by the food carts right inside the stadium where people gather to watch. We went over there to check it out and we saw him spread the flag out and sit down.”

So, in case I haven't been clear (and I know my readers may not be accustomed to this language from me)  - Get your f*cking ass off my flag!

Jets fan who stands for national anthem sits on American flag: https://t.co/n0bjKR5ITy pic.twitter.com/SSCL7br8mY

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 16, 2017

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell To Team Owners: "We Believe That Everyone Should Stand For The National Anthem"

Addressing the ongoing controversy of NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has penned a letter to team owners saying, "We believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem."

Does this mean there will be a rule change in the NFL? Will the players association go along?

We'll see.

Melania Trump Nudges Husband When He Forgets Where To Put His Hand During National Anthem

President Trump forgot to put his hand over his heart during the singing of the national anthem at today's White House Easter celebration.

Fortunately, there was an immigrant nearby to nudge his hand...

That's a subtle nudge from Melania to remind Trump to lift his hand during the national anthem... https://t.co/P9XlYpjvcQ

— Daniella Diaz (@DaniellaMicaela) April 17, 2017

Radio Show: Colin Kaepernick & The National Anthem

Activist Aaron Baldwin joined me last night to discuss the recent controversy surrounding San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick' decision to not stand during the singing of the national anthem during football games.

After last Friday's pre-season game where Kaepernick remained seated during the anthem, he told reporters, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Folks across the country called Kaepernick out for being "unpatriotic." On social media, there were calls for Kaepernick to leave the country if he's not happy here. Others called him a wealthy athlete who is disconnected from average America.

One the other side of the debate, however, there are lots of folks who say Kaepernick has a right to free speech. And a hashtag - #VeteransForKaepernick - has been trending on Twitter lately.

Thursday night, during the 49ers game with the San Diego Chargers, he took a knee with team mate Eric Reid during the national anthem. After that game, he announced he will be donating $1 million to communities of need.

Listen below as Aaron and I look at how this is being played out between sports fans across the country.

ICYMI: Idina Menzel Sings National Anthem At Super Bowl

With a viewing audience of over 100 million, my girl Idina Menzel rocked the National Anthem at yesterday's Super Bowl.

Even hottie Rob Gronkowski was impressed :)

National Anthem sung by the Gaither Vocal Band

First of all, it's Veteran's Day.

Second, the voices, the arrangement, the musicianship...

Just... wow.

Whitney Houston sings the National Anthem

Super Bowl 1991

Still spectacular.

Lady Gaga makes surprise appearance at NYC Pride kickoff

Lady Gaga made an impromptu appearance at the kickoff of NYC Pride last night at Pier 26.

Giving props to Edie Windsor and Cher - appropriately so - she also treated the gays to a full-throated rendition of the National Anthem (with a slight nod to the marriage equality movement).

Check out the voice here, kids. Clearly not some "studio-processed" voice here. Go Gaga!

Happy Pride, NYC.

Happy Pride everyone!

Let's dance.

Adam Lambert sings National Anthem at Broadway Bares 23

Whether it's your taste or not, you have to admit Adam Lambert is vocally pretty spectacular here.

Adam Lambert sang the National Anthem on Sunday night at Broadway Bares 23, the annual strip-a-thon fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Breaking records yet again, BroadwayWorld reports, Broadway Bares made $1,430,241 in a single night:

With this year's record total, the 23 editions of BROADWAY BARES have now raised more than $11.3 million for Broadway Cares.

Last year's 22nd edition of BROADWAY BARES raised $1,254,176.

BROADWAY BARES started in 1992 and featured seven dancers stripping on a bar, raising about $8,000.

Epic National Anthem fail at Memorial Cup Hockey Tournament

Canadian jazz singer Alexis Normand experienced what one hopes is a "once in a lifetime" fail while attempting to sing America's national anthem at the Memorial Cup, Canada's National Junior Hockey Tournament.

Bless her little heart.

Oh dear...