If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.
That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
Now, those of you who know me are probably wondering why I am putting up a song like this. And dear readers (brownie points for you!!!) who remember my remake a while back are REALLY skeptical as to what is coming next.
First off, I have never felt the patriotic frenzy whipped up in me when they strike up the last verse. It reminds me of the proles in 1984...how they could be roused to patriotism whenever the moment was needed.
Second, it is not only blatantly false, but extremely manipulative of facts as well.
????
Let me explain.
1: Rights are given by GOD!!!
Yeah, you know that already. But how many of you have ever winced at this line?
"..... the men who died, who gave that right to me...."
2: Being naive about the character of politicians won't help you at all.
Ex: "the flag...stands for freedom...they can't take...away"
3:"at least I know I'm free"
If that is all you really care about (and if you call what we have currently [current = since the Great Rooseveltpression] freedom) then go live in the USSR. They were free too...to obey.
4: Being politically correct doesn't hurt either. All the politicians really need is a whole lot of bodies to make their point. If necessary, the singers of this song bind themselves to also take the bullets for the laws and treaties the politicians find expedient to their pockets. "...gladly stand up...today..."
(Note: I am sure if they looked up the meaning of "defend" {anyone hearing 1984 here again?} and stuck to it they would also protest all wars and "wars" since the American conquest of Mexico --ie. Where Andy Jackson got his Generalship)
(Note: the War of 1812 is an exception)
So....when I hear people singing or speaking of this song....I sit and muse with a bitter and amused smile on my face....it's tripleplusgood duckspeak and that is a fact
3 comments:
are rights really given by God? I propose that there is no such thing as a "god given right".
All men were created equally human (equally in the image of God).
All men "deserve" the same respect and honor that one would think they themselves are due (Love your neightbor as yourself).
Anyone who does not obey this is not worthy of any honor or respect.
War (which is a vie for land/influence/power) does not add or detract one iota from the image of God or from the respect and care that we should give to other people.
If I go down the list that are called inalienable rights in the declaration of independence, I find that they are not really so inalienable.
Those are: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
All three can be rescinded by the government bearing the sword as punishment should you break the law. And God certainly seems to hold them as even less sacred. Your life is not yours, your liberty is not yours, and where are we told that we have the right to pursue happiness? We are told instead to expect and rejoice in suffering. I think we are born with no God given rights. He does, however, give us the right to be heirs in Him.
Now, from the human perspective, we are to love our neighbours. But do we have the right to be loved by our neighbours?
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