Patriotism and the need for sanity in America

I had posted a previous blog entry the other day regarding the Facebook query, What is on my mind? And like yesterday I was concerned about an item lost among many young Americans. So the post was entitled; "Patriotism and SANITY. More importantly EDUCATION!!!"  I had asked those on Facebook who read it to share my "Thoughts" 

What has been bothering me for the past few days, and has caused me to lie in bed unable to sleep, is the image of Gwen Berry the "Black American". 

When receiving the high honor of a medal for athletic achievement in the name of "OUR" country, Gwen Berry choose to show the resentment and hatred that she has been taught by those who adhere to a hatred of an old norm in American society by standing with a clenched upraised fist her head bowed and turned away in disrespect.

As I looked at the image, I was reminded of a ship captain from Massachusetts named William Driver who coined the nickname “Old Glory”.

When writing about his thoughts to recollect the reason he referred to the American flag “Old Glory,” Driver proclaimed; 

“It has ever been my staunch companion and protection. Savages and heathens, lowly and oppressed, hailed and welcomed it at the far end of the wide world. Then, why should it not be called Old Glory?”  

I think ALL Americans can readily agree with our fellow "Black American" citizens that the issue of racism and "white supremacy" and the values spread by those who are so blinded by hatred need to be dealt with severely. With that said, those "educators" who teach "racial toleration" and "diversity"should also keep in mind the words of unity and freedom.

As a historian who actually READ the poem "Defense of Fort M'Henry" I can most readily agree that the wording of the third stanza of the poem, which later formed the basis for the lyrics of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” -those three stanzas were NOT used. It is apparent that the stanza WOULD be repugnant and offensive to Black Americans like Gwen Berry. So YES, these offensive stanzas SHOULD BE stricken from the entire congressional resolution from March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1508, codified at 36 U.S.C. § 301)!

For those who do not know the wording of the third stanza, it DOES speak in a very derogatory manner about Black slaves who fled to join the British army and navy to gain their freedom and to fight against the American forces. 

As Gwen Berry stated:

"If you know your history, you know the full song of the national anthem, the third paragraph speaks to slaves in America, our blood being slain...all over the floor. It's disrespectful and it does not speak for Black Americans. It's obvious. There's no question."

But Gwen dear if you knew your history as YOU and ALL your "Black American activists" claim, it does NOT "allude to the catching and beating slaves!"

This is why in education reading comprehension and the meaning of words and HISTORICAL CONTEXT  is IMPORTANT!

Key was referring to ex slaves who joined the British forces to fight against America.

Yes, Gwen, Francis Scott Key WAS a slaveholder! 

Which regrettably was an abhorrent "norm" in the pre-Civil War American society, but nary a mention is given to those thousands of Americans who died in a bloody Civil War fighting to emancipate Black Americans.

In his famous line, from his poem “Dulce et Decorum Est” written by a British soldier and poet Wilfred Owen during the First World War in 1919, and published posthumously in 1920.

“Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori – It is sweet and glorious to die for your country” is a line from the Roman lyrical poet Horace's Odes (III.2.13) 

This phrase inspired numerous nineteenth- and twentieth-century nationalist patriots in various countries. 

The phrase can be rendered in English as; "It is sweet and honourable to die for one's country," or "It is sweet and fitting to die for the fatherland” and the words can be heard echoed in Joseph Trumpeldor’s last words at Tel Chai:

‘Ein davar, tov lamut be'ad arẓenu’ (‘Never mind; it is good to die for our country’).”

Owen's line speaks of the old Latin phrase of honor in dying for one's country, as so many of our country men have. 

Just as in the famous last words attributed to Nathan Hale; “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.”

And these haters must realise that our Flag and our nation symbolise the lines that Emma Lazarus immortalized in her poem "The New Colossus":

"Keep ancient lands your storied pomp!" cries she

with silent lips "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

 

All night long I could see the images of these hate filled ignorant "Americans", both Black and white NOT standing with tears in their eyes, filled with the emotion that the AMERICAN FLAG symbolizes. 

For me, in my mind's eye, I could only see the rows and rows of American patriots; young and old men and women of ALL colors and races who had either been born in the "Free land of America" or in foreign lands who had laid down their lives for the "Freedom of Speech", these arrogant, egotistical, sniveling brat narcissists so readily abuse by kneeling or standing in protest not realizing that they have allowed those who teach hatred to erroneously educate them.

To them I say clearly and loudly: Honor the Flag, honor the words of the anthem and not the poem!! 

When you stand with a clenched fist and turn aside your head aside.

And you cannot accept the fact that the words are important and symbolize greatness, then YOU are blinded by hate! 

When you close YOUR ears to the words that speak of honor to our nation

And YOU cannot accept the fact that the words of the National Anthem express the exhilaration and ecstasy of the sight of OUR Nations flag still standing, in light of the adversity of a severe bombardment, then YOU are blinded by hate! 

When you cannot see the blood of those Black Americans who fought despite the adversary of the "Old" norms to keep OUR nation free YOU are blinded by hate! 

And YOU cannot accept the fact that free men of ALL colors have built this nation and have thrown off the "Old World" mentalities that were once the norm, then YOU are blinded by hate! 

When you are so blinded by ignorance and hatred of it's symbolism held in love and cherished by those who died, YOU are blinded by hate!  

And you cannot accept the fact that the beauty expressed in its color and make up of stars and "bright bars" that represent its unity and its resilience to the tyranny of our oppressors is "racist", then YOU are blinded by hate! 

If you cannot accept the fact that men and women of ALL colors, races and religions have died with its image in their hearts, then YOU are blinded by hate! 

If you cannot honor OUR "Old Glory" and OUR Anthem then OUR home is NOT yours!    

O! say can you see, by the dawn's early light,

    What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming,

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

    O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?

        And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

        Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there —

            O! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

            O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

I say God Bless America! The land that symbolizes freedom!