My response to Carol Jensen-Linton’s letter (Feb. 10) regarding “McIntosh students dis our national anthem”: I did the exact same thing 30 years ago when I was in high school in Illinois.

We drowned out the last phrase with “... home of the ROCKETS!” Hopefully, high school students will still be showing their school spirit 30 years from now doing this exact same thing.

It does not show a lack of respect, but school spirit. One cannot assume that they are disrespecting our national anthem just because of the change of the last word in the last phrase. Talking, horsing around, etc., yes. What they did, no.

My guess in the next few years, some of these same students will be enrolled in our country’s finest military academies, some will enlist and some will be part of their college’s ROTC program.

Does that mean that just because they were a part of an excited group of high schoolers that they won’t take their service to their country seriously? I doubt it.

Give them a break and don’t be so sensitive.

Sally Z. Herman

Peachtree City, Ga.