Standing strong for the National Anthem.

Authors note : this article was written days ago, however, the Heroism of the American troops at Fort McHenry, reflect the Heroism of American troops still fighting for our freedom in Iraq & Afghanistan.

While elected representatives bicker over a government takeover of the entire health care industry, the greatest one in the entire world, I believe we have bigger problems as a Nation, and a Culture. Especially the American culture, among the American culture are our Founding documents, our beloved freedoms, a warrior culture like none other, and our Star-Spangled Banner.

The National Anthem of the United States is a brilliant display of why America is the greatest Nation on earth, and the thought & discussion that some Americans really want to change the Anthem, and object to its war parts, is just sickening. I tend to believe that attitude is near un-patriotic, just as much as the idiots who change the lyrics or sing the "national black anthem" instead.

I believe the problem is that Americans really cannot appreciate what the Anthem really means, and the background of what occurred when Francis Scott Key wrote the poem, which would lead to the National Anthem. During the War of 1812, one of the main Forts sought by the British, was Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Francis Scott Key was on a mission to secure the release of a close friend of his, a mission approved by President Madison at the time, while on the British ship, they overhead British plans for the attack on Fort McHenry, and thus they we're held captive through out the battle.

During the bombardment of Fort McHenry, Keys could still see the smaller American flag still flying through out the battle, due to the rocket attack that was underway, when the bombardment ended, he could no longer see the flag until the next morning, or the outcome of the battle for that fact. In the morning, Keys awoken to the larger American flag being flown at Fort McHenry, and the victory by the American forces. This inspired Keys to write a poem about the battle.

What does this say for America? Even through the toughest of times, the worst of battles, and the dire of situations..........America has and always will stand strong, and fly our flag. As for the reason why we have a National Anthem, back in the early 1900's, a writer realized that we do not have a National Anthem, and thus...........as they say, the rest is history.

　

"

Oh, 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, thro' 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 thro' 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?

The first paragraph is the most known portion of the Anthem.

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'T is the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave! "

I would just like to say to the naysayers, the Star-Spangled Banner is the greatest Anthem one Nation could have, it celebrates what America is all about - "the land of the free and the home of the brave". If you have a problem with that, MOVE!

　

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