Unlike so many ungrateful and uneducated, particularly the hate-filled liberal left and the creepy, cringe-worthy, pro-baby-killing activists, I love America!
Yes, I love my country! And just like Lee Greenwood, “I’m Proud to be an American!”
However, regarding Greenwood’s famous song, there are some points I’d like to address. It’s not that I dislike the song; it’s just the fact that Greenwood got a couple of things wrong.
Lucky Stars
Below is the first verse of “God Bless the U.S.A.” Let’s begin with that.
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I 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
Truly, there are not many places on Earth where a person could start with nothing (more than once) and wind up a success. Yet, despite her detractors, America is a place exactly like that. Literally, the framework of this nation exists to encourage those on the bottom rung to strive for the top of the ladder.
So, yes, I’m proud to be an American, where not only am I free (for now), but so is everyone else. America is a land of second, third, and fourth chances!
However, it wasn’t luck of any kind that secured our liberties. Today, I thank my God to be living in this great nation!
The stars had nothing to do with it.
Stands for What?
Greenwood sings, “’Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away.” Well, that’s not the case anymore, is it?
There used to be a day when the Stars and Stripes meant hope, rescue, safety, and yes, freedom. Wherever the American flag was hoisted, freedom would be defended. But so many in this country have been lied to or are lying. They think the flag represents oppression, violence, subjugation, slavery, racism, etc., etc., etc.
Yet, they have the freedom to run their mouths without fear of losing their heads. Ironic.
Stars and Stripes or Rainbow?
That leads me to the second verse, or at least one line from it.
“Well, there’s pride in every American heart…”
Not so, Mr. Greenwood. Not so.
Oh, sure, I’d say that the majority of America feels a sense of pride for our nation, but these days there are more people praising Lenin, Che Guevara, and Mao Zedong than ever before.
And then there’s the month of June. Anyone got “Milk”?
Where’d You Get That?
Finally, let me speak to a statement in the chorus. It is the highlighted one below.
And I’m proud to be an American
Where at least I know I’m free
And I won’t forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I’d 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
One of the biggest misconceptions concerns the source of true freedom. For that matter, I dare say most Americans fail to understand a very basic and fundamental reality regarding their freedom.
What most fail to understand is that our freedoms, the ones guaranteed in our Constitution and fought for everywhere from court rooms to battlefields, are from God, not government.
The “men who died” did not give us the right to be free: God did. It was our Creator who designed us to intrinsically long for liberty – liberty from oppression, slavery, and chains of any kind. God also gave us the liberty to accept Him or reject Him, which is at the heart of our First Amendment and the very reason the Pilgrims came here.
Our Constitution is not a document which grants freedoms. It is a document written to uphold and protect the inherent, self-evident liberties available to all.
As it was written, “We hold these truths to be self-evident” that we were created by our God with certain “unalienable rights,” among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Only in America, where these rights have been treasured and protected for so long, do we now have those who hate the very place that guarantees their right to preach its destruction.
The Recovering Legalist 