we the people

Memorial Day is usually one of the national holidays, where most Americans have some idea why it is celebrated. We get all red, white and blue and talk about this country in a collective manner. If an alien landed in America on Memorial Day it might think “Wow, the citizenry of this humanoid nation like each other, respect each other”.  We eat hamburger’s and hot dogs off the grill, roast marshmallows, watch fire works and love to listen to the music that is American made/American born. Many an American think by singing the lyrics to these patriotic songs is all they need to do to prove how much they love this country.  And while we place our hands on our hearts, wipe away a tear, sigh deeply and love this country, there are other lyrics being sung by too many with meanings anything but red, white and blue... 

These are the lyrics when God DOES bless America

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. " ( lyrics-God Bless America, Irving Berlin)

These are the lyrics when God DOES NOT Bless America.

“God Hates Fags” (lyrics-Westboro Baptist Church)

“I figured a way out, a way to get rid of all the lesbians and queers but I couldn’t get it pass the Congress – build a great big large fence, 50 or a hundred mile long. Put all the lesbians in there, fly over and drop some food. Do the same thing with the queers and the homosexuals. And have that fence electrified so they can’t get out. (lyrics-Pastor Charles Worley, Providence Road Baptist Church)

“Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give him a good punch. .... You were made by God to be a male and you are going to be a male. And when your daughter starts acting too butch, you reign her in." (lyrics- Pastor Sean Harris, Berean Baptist Church)

These are lyrics when This Land IS for everyone

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me. (Lyrics-This Land is Your Land, Woody Guthrie)

These are lyrics when This Land IS NOT for everyone

"Corporations are people, my friend… of course they are. (lyrics-Mitt Romney)

"I like being able to fire people who provide services to me." (lyrics-Mitt Romney)

"I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there." (lyrics-Mitt Romney)

These are lyrics when America IS beautiful

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea! (lyrics-America the Beautiful, Katharine Lee Bates)

These are lyrics when America IS NOT beautiful

"The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil." (lyrics- Sarah Palin)

“Why can’t you just make the best out of a bad situation? [rape] (lyrics-Rick Santorum)

“Isn’t it ironic that the food stamp program, part of the Department of Agriculture, is pleased to be distributing the greatest amount of food stamps ever,” Franson said. “Meanwhile, the Park Service, also part of the Department of Agriculture, asks us to please not feed the animals, because the animals may grow dependent and not learn to take care of themselves.” (lyrics-Minnesota State Representative, Mary Franson)

Holidays are wonderful moments in time, but too often the meaning of these holidays is so fragile and fleeting that once the night comes and the holiday has ended, we just box up the emotions and reasons and never open them until the same holiday comes around the same time next year.

God can bless America, this Land can be our Land and America can be Beautiful not when we just sing about it, but when we stop the hate, ignorance, bigotry sung every other day then Memorial Day. Why not honor those who have died, lost limbs, mind and soul to make America free, by understanding the meaning of ‘We the People’, every day.