I love a good opportunity to witness events that you don't anticipate ever witnessing.
Last night, I celebrated the Fourth of July in pretty standard American fashion - I went to a baseball game, ate a hot dog, and watched some fireworks. The fireworks took place from center field after the game. While set up took place, about 60 people paraded to the home plate area and participated in a naturalization ceremony. These individuals represented about 25 different countries and were taking their oath to become US citizens.
This was a quite interesting event to witness, I must say. At the end, the ceremony leader asked everyone in the stands to stand up and sing "God Bless America". I looked at my friend Bridget and said, "What if you don't believe in God?"
Now I realize this is a rarity in Bible Belt Memphis, but seriously, why do we do stuff like this? Couldn't we have sung "Proud To Be An American" or "Yankee Doodle Dandy" instead? Not that I personally get offended about the G-O-D, but I am sure such a request can alienate many people who might not believe in God.
While I recognize that God is a part of the foundation of this country, believing in God or trusting in God is not a component of becoming a US citizen and living in this great country. So why did these ceremonial leaders find it appropriate to utilize this song versus another?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
Did you know it was not until the Cold War that presidents started saying ending addresses such as the State of the Union with phrases like "God Bless America" or "May God bless our country and our cause?
Communists, you see,are godless, so to invoke God in a speach identified you as non-communist. Apparently we live in a country in which freedom of expression may be tollerated but it won't get you elected into office.
Also, Jimmy Carter was the first "born-again" president, although he is considered too liberal by some members of the religious right. . . Clinton, also is born again -- but perhaps born of a different breed than W. . .
Those are my political thoughts for the day.
Post a Comment