Funny, when the national anthem is played (or sung) at the baseball game, I never think of militarism or nationalism. I think of the people singing, and how their voices sound, and of veterans who have risked their lives so I can lounge around and go to baseball games instead of being dictated to by goons in jack-boots, and about the cub scouts (or whoever) holding the flags and whether or not they got into the ballgame free or had to buy tickets too. Also I remember the time that the SSB was sung by the Kingsmen, and it sounded absolutely horrible.

But I never want to go out and take over 3rd world nations or denigrate people from other countries. Maybe what you see depends a lot on where you've been and not just where you are.

Alex