Sam2, I didn’t express my opinion clearly. I know that you don’t need a heter for everything, but sometimes chazal do this with regards to things that one may have a strong hava aminah that they should be assur. To me, this is one of those cases. That’s what I meant, and o should have elaborated. I apologize. Also, I don’t think singing the national anthem by yourself is chukas hagoim, but doing it at a venue that hosts a large public gathering, particularly at a sports arena, and having everyone stand up and sing together seems borderline to me. That’s what the goyim do at their sports game kinnusim, which chazal decry in numerous places, as you know. I just don’t see how subscribing to nationalism, especially in a country that isn’t run al pi daas Torah, would be allowed. Hakaras hatov is one thing, but nationalism or even patriotism for that matter is not for klall Yisroel IMHO.
Rabbi of Berlin – I didn’t see the siyum, so I’m not sure what song you are referring to. If you mean “ani maamin be’emunah shleyma…” That’s not stam a song, that’s one of the 13 principles of faith brought down by the Rambam. There’s a huge difference.
Cherrybim – ” The gedolim of the past did it…” whom and where? The rest of what you said is hafla vefeleh! Which Yeshiva did you go to?! I mean, it’s good to know the pledge and the anthem as common knowledge, but to recite it daily??? Also, toasting to the queen at simchas?? That’s just shocking, but I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. We say misheberachs for the foreign governments that they should be kind to their Jews. In England the culture borderline idolizes the queen so I can see how the secular minhag of toasting to her could have seeped in to Jewish events.