My National Anthem

It has seen crotch-grabbing, choke inducing performances (Roseanne Barr, San Diego Padres pre-game). It has been rapped about (Sir Mix A Lot). It has been done instrumentally in a psychedelic, drug-induced haze (Jimmy Hendrix). It has had performers forget the words (and Maurice Cheeks help the young girl finish). It has been done by country, classic rock, punk rock, classical music, big bands, and about every other genre of music. And now it is a compliation by Spanish music stars.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12521196/
And for the most part, I have no problem with that...until we get here;
In the Spanish version, the translation of the first stanza is relatively faithful to the spirit of the original, though Kidron says the producers wanted to avoid references to bombs and rockets. Instead, there is "fierce combat." The translation of the more obscure second stanza is almost a rewrite,
And at that point, they lose me. Okay, so you don't think "bombs" or "rockets" should be referenced...then make your own smurfing song! That is how it is written. Why don't you sing "America the Beautiful" and take out all the references to "amber waves of grain" and replace them with "the best barley hops ever seen" because wheat is a white, unhealthy product? Or sing "God Bless America" replacing every instance of the word "God" with "mysterious, unexplainable, supernatural forces that are nature but not God"?
By removing the words about the very sight that inspired the song in the first place you rip the heart out of the meaning. Of course, the lyrics in the second verse as "rewritten" do exactly that anyway, but this is the first place that happens.
Rodney King once said, "Why can't we all just get a long?" Well, here is one reason; political statements have a way of twisting words, events, and meanings to make points in ways that often destroy the original message and while co-opting the opposition is nothing new, it seldom works. What it does do is get a lot of fence-sitters irritated and drive them to the side you were trying to convince to come to your side.
I have no problem with the song being translated and sung in Spanish so long as they are faithful to the words, but changing words because you "don't like them"...I will probably never be on board with that. I give this idea about an 8 on the good idea scale, but the execution? Maybe a 1.