[steplock]

It has been over a year since this has been posted - it is worth another look-see-listen to remember what & who we are.

[canalabamian]

Thanks. I enjoyed that.

[freemama]

I am a musician and have played the anthem many times. I didn't know there were any more verses other than the first until my children sang them all at a Sept. 11 rememberance service in 2002. We should be teaching this to all our nation's children.

[lancer]

Thanks! The history and the music will come in handy at our annual commemoration of 9/11.

[LonePalm]

At my request, we did the the whole National Anthem in church on the 4th of July.

I also led the congregation in the Pledge of Allegiance since I am the ranking veteran in the church. There were only 10 of us Vets. I tried to defer to the senior enlisted since he is a Korea Vet, but he wouldn't accept. Given some of our former congregation members, (MOA and Army Cross) it is a shame that I am SOPA.

Since 9/11, I ONLY sing the 4th verse when one verse is being sung. I get strange looks at ballgames until I explain about the WTC. After that, there is NEVER a problem.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[bannie]

Understood and copied. Thank you.

[aruanan]

Reading the verses of The Star Spangled Banner make me get teary-eyed.

[maranatha]

This is good, thanks for posting it for us.

[steplock]

Just seemed to fit here .... Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776

Click on the Declaration of Independence for Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance

---

Focus on Freedom

[FreeRadical]

Thanks for the post.

How is that I can just be la ti da going through my day and yet find myself a bit choked up just reading the words. Hearing it, of course, can be incredibly intense. Some way, some how, nearly every time before the song is over, there will be a moment for me of watery eyes and lumped throat. It is damn near as sure as gravity.

On a lighter note, anyone else here ever been known to abruptly change channels when it's time for the SSB pregame or whatever simply cuz they don't want to get all sappy? I'll admit to it.

[ZULU]

"And this be our motto--"In God is our trust.""

This song runs rings around the politically correct "America the Beautiful."

It describes how we won our freedom - with guns, and guts and the help of Almighty God. (The War of 1812 has been termed "the Second American Revolution").

Too bad most Americans don't know the whole song.

[Aggie Mama]

Thank you so much for posting that.

[murdocj]

Thanks! I read this when it was published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Before I read it, I though "America the Beautiful" was a more proper anthem. After reading it I knew better.

A few years later (1995 or 1996) I ran off copies and passed them around at work. It got a pretty good reaction.

Good stuff.

[Junior]

Bookmark ping.

[RudeJude]

Thanks for the words,we need to see them much more frequently. Our great country must survive!