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Big city or small, there was magic in the air the day the circus train pulled into a siding and unloaded its cargo of people, animals and equipment.  Then the big top was erected by the roustabouts as the animals were getting acclimated to their new surroundings and the performers settled in to yet another set of temporary quarters.  All this happened with amazing speed before the public started crowding on to the grounds.  But you didn’t give these behind-the-scenes activities a thought as you crossed the threshold into the surreal domain known as the circus.

The first visit to the midway was probably with dad.  You had to hold his hand and stay close, because there were big crowds and lots of distractions.  There was the sideshow barker and the various acts either on a stage in front of the tent or on huge posters displaying the strange goings on inside.  These acts were not for young kids, so you made your way to the display of caged animals in brightly painted wagons.  Most of them didn’t look too wild; in fact, they seemed rather bored.  And clowns performed their antics everywhere.

After a bite to eat, it was off to the big top to catch the show.  With luck, your initial exposure to this unique form of entertainment was The Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus.  This was the one with three rings.  Before the show started, the acts paraded around the floor to give the audience a glimpse of what was coming.  The excitement level increased as the circus band played the National Anthem. 

Then the ringmaster stood in the center ring and introduced each act and provided a brief history of the participants.  There was so much going on in the rings and overhead you could hardly follow it all.  Trained horses, acrobats, knife throwers, dancing bears, elephants, lion tamers, jugglers, tightrope walkers, trapeze artists and more.  And, of course, clowns performed before and after each act.  Sometimes they were the act.  To close out the show there was a blockbuster finale such as the world’s greatest wild animal trainer, or an aerial act performing without a net or someone being shot from a cannon. 

The circus still comes to town each year.  But it performs in buildings rather than in tents.  The sideshows are gone as is most of the sawdust.  And the acts are not the same, or they don’t seem to be.  Maybe this is true or it could be that you only remember what you want to remember.  Somehow the circus, like so many things in life, is meant to be enjoyed as a rerun in your mind rather than trying to recapture the excitement it offered when you were young.  Be quiet and listen.  You can almost hear the roar of the crowd.   

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The other day, at a sporting event, the national anthem was played, replete with a color guard and an outstanding tenor belting out the words of the Star Spangled Banner.  It sent a chill up my spine.  I sang the words and stood erect with my right hand over my heart, as I had done countless times before.  My eyes scanned across the crowd, and what I saw disappointed me. 

Few in attendance had their hands over their hearts.  Fewer still were standing in a respectful manner.  And fewer yet were making any attempt to sing the words written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812.  Instead people were running up and down the aisles to get into their seats before the game started.  Those in their seats were drinking and carrying on.  And a number of attendees didn’t even remove their hats for the occasion.  A quick analysis of the crowd indicated that many of them were young — teens, twenties and early thirties.  Nobody reacted to their inappropriate behavior, including me.

I thought about the experience and realized this would never have happened in the America of my youth.  Citizens would have told those being disrespectful to shut up, stand up and sing, as well as to take that damn hat off.  Not anymore.  People are supposed to be able to do their own thing, even when it comes to ignoring the symbols that represent personal freedoms.  I was ashamed for not reacting when I could have and plan to say something the next time this happens, and it surely will.

In the meantime, I need to tell this story to my grown children and solicit their response.  More important, I want to talk with my grandchildren to find out what they have been taught in school about the history of these little celebrations of this nation and learn how the young ones conduct themselves during these occurrences.  If each pre-boomers passes on what they know and how they feel about our beloved country, we might help the trailing generations understand why it’s a blessing to be an American.  For those who believe this, it’s very easy to be respectful.
 

The two hour program began with the color guard marching in, followed by a beautiful rendition of our national anthem. Then we watched the students file in preceded by the banners for their various schools – engineering, communications, humanities, etc. Most eyes were on the big screens located around the grounds, since it was impossible to pick out a particular graduate from the several thousands of students dressed in their caps and gowns. It was a thrill, nonetheless, and brought back memories of my graduation over half-a-century ago.

After the procession was finished, the invocation was delivered. I was saddened by what was said or, more specifically, what was not said. I understand an invocation to mean a calling on God, at the beginning of an activity, for help, inspiration and guidance. In short, it is a formal prayer. The person delivering the invocation, one who was high up in the college of religious studies, read from prepared notes. He spoke of this being a time of gratitude, of grace, and to be ready to use one’s gifts. But, not once was there a mention of God. The only indication that this was an invocation rather than a brief opening speech was when he said “Amen” at the end. If we were to be grateful for the grace and the gifts, where did these things come from other than God?

It can be argued that God was implied and that no student or attendee would be offended if there was no direct connection to God. So, concern for the few ended up stepping on the beliefs of the many. Agnostics and atheists may wish the invocation was eliminated altogether, so striking God from the opening prayer does little to win their favor. Those from religions not believing in the Judeo-Christian concept of God must surely understand this is an American custom – just as we would respect and understand if we were in another country in which traditions and beliefs differed from ours.

I remember a few years back, “Prince” changed his name to “The Performer Formerly Known as Prince.” Is this happening to God? Have we become so tolerant, so sensitive, so concerned about what we think others might think that we are afraid to refer to God by his name? Unless we speak out, traditions such as referring to God in a graduation invocation will continue to vanish. And, with the devaluation of these once time-honored traditions goes the heritage bestowed on this nation by our forefathers. We pre-boomers can’t let this happen.