pynchon-l-digest V2 #2240

[Doug Millison]

You're sure that every intance of singing "God Bless America" is a true
expression of deep emotion, and not mere sentimentality?  In the first few
days and weeks after September 11, that was probably the case.  But as time
passes and the rough edges smooth a little and people move through their
grieving and begin to heal (it does happen ),I don' think every instance is
the expression of deep emotion -- certainly not in the highly produced TV
and other entertainment venues where the song has become a staple. At any
rate, if we sing God Bless America mindful only of our own dead, not
acknowledging the innocents ("collateral damage" is the euphemism for
babies, old folks, and other non-combattants who die as a result of our
strikes) our armed forces are killing even as we sing, I suggest that's
hypocrital. Others may disagree.  Both ends of the rainbow deserve
consideration -- that seems to be one of the things GR says in, in my
opinion.

God bless Afghanistan,
Land that we bomb.
Stand beside her, and guide our
Brutal strikes with cruise missile aplomb.
>From the mountains, to the cities,
To the rubble, red with blood
God bless Afghanistan, as we pound its mud.
God bless Afghanistan, as we shed its blood.

With apologies to Irving Berlin, who, according to the U.S. Library of
Congress, intended "to write a "peace" song"
(http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm019.html).

Malign wrote:  [...]




Doug Millison - Writer/Editor/Web Editorial Consultant
millison at online-journalist.com
www.Online-Journalist.com