God Bless the USA

A 2023 Perspective on Lee Greenwood's Famous Song

I had just finished a long day of subbing in a 5th grade classroom.  As the engine of my used 2001 Mercedes ML430 purred to life, I connected my phone to the new Apple Car Play system my husband had purchased for me.  Flipping through my playlist, I opted for the one labeled “cycling” as these are the upbeat tunes I like to listen to as I ride my recumbent on the rural country road near my home in Eastern Washington. I hit the road as Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” blared from my Bose speakers.  Feeling myself starting to relax, I hummed to the ballad.  

My thirty-minute drive home was just beginning, and I looked forward to a cold Miller Lite and some couch time to watch the news.  As my mind recounted the events of the day, the final strains of “Viva La Vida” dissolved away, and Lee Greenwood’s iconic song “God Bless the USA” erupted from the speakers. To say I love this song is an understatement.  In fact, every time I hear this patriotic anthem, I get goose bumps.  So, while Greenwood crooned, I turned up the volume and belted the words out because the meaning of the song transcends pop music.  The lyrics speak to my soul and everything I’ve ever believed about America…that is up until 2016.  That’s when Donald J. Trump was elected, and the Democrats went insane.

Let’s examine Mr. Greenwood’s song in light of cancel culture, woketardery, transgender lunacy, Democrat insanity, Marxist censorship, and leftist tyranny.

The Promise of Freedom is Waning

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.

I used to be grateful to live in the United States and quite proud to be an American, but I don’t recognize my country anymore.  When I taught civics to high school students, I taught them that freedom of speech is the most important right we have in this country.  To emphasize that point, I explained that even speech that is offensive is protected by the first amendment, and as American citizens, we should all be thankful this is so because what is offensive to one person may not be to another.  Best to err on the side of freedom rather than squelch the views of others.  In fact, those offensive views should get a hearing in the public square. After listening to reasoned arguments, most sensible people will eschew objectionable theories; thus, marginalizing the–for lack of a better description–nutjobs in our society.

However, today young people shout down those with whom they disagree.  They topple historical statues and claim that words are violence.  This gives them license to assault those whose words are offensive to them.  One need look no further than Riley Gaines, 12 time All-American swimmer with five SEC titles who competed for the University of Kentucky and whose teammate was Lia/Will Thomas, a biological male.  Even though Ms. Gaines and Thomas tied for the coveted honor of 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming Champion, officials insisted on giving the biological male the trophy.  Since then, Riley has been an outspoken critic of transgender “women” competing against biological women in sports.   When she spoke to a group of conservative college students at San Francisco State University, here’s how she was treated by trans activists.

In another recent example of the intolerance of lefties for views different from what they espouse, here is New York college professor Shellyne Rodriguez telling polite, conservative students what she thinks of their pro-life stance.  This woman is molding the minds of impressionable students. Clearly, she doesn’t think much of freedom of speech or, for that matter, freedom of the press.  Her rage and hatred are on full display in both incidents.

Still think freedom abounds in America in 2023?  Although the left likes to call conservatives fascists, they are the illiberal oppressors, not us.

Does the Flag Still Stand for Freedom?

At the end of the first stanza of “God Bless the USA,” Greenwood sings that “the flag still stands for freedom, and you can’t take that away.”  Unfortunately, today for many on the left, the flag doesn’t stand for freedom.  Watch New York Times writer and MSNBC contributor Mara Gay explain her fear and disgust at Americans with Old Glory flying on their trucks.  (Incidentally, as a writer and speaker, shouldn’t Gay know how to pronounce the word expletive?  It’s not explicative; that’s another word entirely.)

Oh, and if you think Mara Gay is a “one off,” check out this article about students being sent home for wearing an American flag on their t-shirts on Cinco de Mayo .  Unfortunately but not surprisingly, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the court explaining that the district had the right to ask students wearing the flag to turn their shirts inside out.

There is, however, hope–even in leftist California.  It seems the American flag made teacher Kristin Pitzen uncomfortable enough to remove it from her classroom and replace it with the pride flag.  She got a real kick out of explaining to her TikTok followers how she had her students pledge their allegiance to the pride flag. Thankfully, real Americans were outraged and made their displeasure known to the school district who immediately placed her on administrative leave.

How Many Today Would Defend America?

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.

I won’t forget the men who died and gave me the right to be free.  I remind students all the time about this before we say the Pledge of Allegiance just in case any student feels the need to be disrespectful.  And, in case you don’t know the figures off the top of your head, here are the US combat deaths via the wars we’ve fought, according to Wikipedia.

Unfortunately, it seems a majority of Democrats would abandon their country should a hostile country attack and invade the United States.  A Quinnipiac poll published in March of 2022 found that just 40% of Dems would stay and fight while 52% would flee like cowards.  The poll asked respondents what they would do if they were "in the same position as Ukrainians are now."  68% of Republicans and 57% of Independents said they would stay and fight.  Age was also a factor regarding who would fight for their country.  52% of those aged 65 and older said they would defend their country against foreign invaders, while 48% of those between the ages of 18-34 say they would abandon their country.  So much for loyalty and valor.  I guess these figures make more sense when one takes into consideration the propaganda public schools spew today about how horribly racist, homophobic, imperialist, and patriarchal America is.

In addition, the number of young people joining the military today is way down.  71% of those between the ages of 18-24 are not eligible to join due to having a criminal background, being obese, or lacking an adequate education.  And, to make matters worse, the US military has gone woke which has disincentivized many young men.  When military bases put on drag queen shows to ostensibly “boost morale, cohesion, and readiness,” you know we have a real problem.  Below you can see the Navy’s digital ambassador Joshua Kelley.  It’s no wonder today many possible recruits steer clear of the military.

The Word “Pride” Has Been Co-Opted by Trans & Gay Activists

From the lakes of Minnesota

To the hills of Tennessee

Across the plains of Texas

From sea to shining sea

From Detroit down to Houston

And New York to L.A.

Well, there's pride in every American heart

And it's time we stand and say…

There used to be pride in every American heart, from sea to shining sea.  That pride was called patriotism.  Today, patriotism, according to the left, means white nationalism and white supremacy, while pride, according to Wikipedia, refers to “the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as a social group.”

That definition sounds innocuous, but nothing could be further from the truth.  According to Statista, the number of Americans who identify as LGBTQ is 7.1% of 330 million people.  That means 92.9% of Americans are straight.  Yet, everyday we find corporations and Hollywood trying to “nudge” Americans into accepting this lifestyle.  

Consider Dylan Mulvaney, a biological man who claims to be living as a woman for a little over a year.  Dylan is NOT a woman.  He has no breasts, no uterus, no ovaries, and his penis is still intact.  Mulvaney is an actor who dresses as either a school girl or as a 50s era woman, á la Audrey Hepburn. Unfortunately, his impression of a woman is anything but realistic.  Instead, he acts like a scatterbrained female of a bygone era, reminiscent of Marie Wilson playing the original ditzy blonde in “My Friend, Irma.”  Some have likened it to white actors putting on blackface, calling what Mulvaney does “woman face.”  I can’t disagree.  His performance is an insult to all biological women.  

Then, there is the recent flap with Target selling Pride clothing including swimsuits for children, with a pocket near the nether region to enable a boy to “tuck” his junk so he may appear like a girl.  Are you freaking kidding me!  You know these little boys have been manipulated by the adults in their lives.  For goodness sake, I was a Tomboy as a child.  I loved to play marbles and baseball.  I thank God my parents allowed me the freedom to do that and puberty blockers were not a thing back then.  I grew into the woman I love being today.  Sadly, children today are pawns for this woke trans agenda.

One such case of the trans community manipulating children is the efforts of Disney producers.  One employee actually said, “Wherever I could, I just added queerness…”  That’s right, this woman adds queer characters throughout programs and movies children will see.  Check it out here.

But, conservative Americans have finally had enough.  When Bud Light partnered with and sent Dylan Mulvaney some beer with his “woman face” image on the cans, it seems that was the last straw for some.  The Bud Light boycott was on and since then Anheuser Busch has lost $19 billion in sales.  Target, too, is realizing that conservative Americans don’t want this stuff shoved down their throats.   Target has lost $9 billion in sales.  And Disney?  A Life Site article from nearly a year ago claims Disney has lost, “$50 billion in stock value as pro-LGBTQ activism intensifies.”  Corporations and Hollywood, hear us loud and clear.  Go woke, go broke!

Final Thoughts

Much has changed since 1984 when Lee Greenwood penned his patriotic song.  I long for the America of the past.  An America where I didn’t know my friends’ political views because we had so much more in common.  An America where most people were proud to be Americans. 

An America where most people flew the flag nobly and were not labeled white supremacists.  Alas, that time is over.  But, God placed us in this time period in this great country for a reason.  As Mordecai tells his young cousin in the biblical story of Esther, “And who knows but that you have come to your…position for such a time as this?”  Let’s keep fighting for the America we all knew and loved.  

But, let’s also remember that, as conservative Christians, this is not our true home.  When Christ comes again, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. That is our true country, our true home. Revelations reminds us, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death  or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Amen, let’s keep our eyes on the real goal.