Lee Greenwood Can Kiss My Patriotic Ass

Had a lovely long July 4th weekend in Palm Springs, even though my looming book deadline meant I had to spend at least 8-10 hours a day at the computer. Then again, it was too damn hot to be out in the sun, anyway — temps got close to 120 on Thursday — and I was at least able to get out and have some fun in the evenings, including a stroll through VillageFest with Carole on Thursday, and a splendid feast of mussels and Belgian beer with our pals Fred and Nancy at Pommes Frites on Saturday. Carole and I finished off our Friday and Saturday evenings floating in our bathwater-temperature pool, looking up at the stars as random selections from my "Tiki Serenade" iPod playlist soothed our souls. To say the experience was "relaxing" doesn't even come close to doing it justice.

One of the big highlights of the week was the Palm Springs Power game on the 4th, which we hit with our pal MJ. Not only did we get a chance to enjoy the team's "beer batter" promotion — whenever the opposing team's cleanup hitter strikes out, it's two-dollar beers for the next ten minutes — but we got to see the Power pitcher take a no-hitter into the 7th inning. Then, once the 5-0 victory was in the bag, we were treated to an excellent twenty-minute fireworks display, which resulted in the photo above.

And which also leads me to the following rant:

These days, no American fireworks display is seemingly complete without a spin of Lee Greenwood's sickeningly facile "God Bless The USA," aka "I'm Proud to Be An American," aka the jingoistic Republican anthem of choice for over two decades. It was depressing enough to hear the little kids behind us singing along to every word — the same kids who didn't seem to know the lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" or "America the Beautiful" — but it was hearing the lyrics themselves that really made me want to puke Bud Light all over our seats.

"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free": Shitty grammar aside, this line has really taken on some interesting ironies during the Bush/Cheney reign. Free to be wiretapped without a warrant? Free to have your hard-earned tax dollars squandered on the poorly-conceived and -executed invasion and occupation of Iraq? Free to be abandoned by the Federal government when a natural disaster destroys your city?

"Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can't take that away": Well, Lee, thanks to your buddy in the White House — whom you actively campaigned for in 2004 — the flag also currently stands for torture, greed, deceit, ignorance and arrogance of positively catastrophic proportions. Perhaps you know God better than I do (in fact, I feel pretty certain that you think you do), but I was under the impression that those aren't things God typically approves of. Or does simply being an American somehow make it all okay in God's eyes?

"And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me": Fair enough, but how about all the US soldiers who have been maimed or crippled for life by a war we had no business starting in the first place?  Lee, your pal in the White House has repeatedly slashed health care benefits for veterans — does that make you proud, too? Were you filled with pride by the scandalous conditions at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center? Have you donated any of the millions of dollars you've reaped from your patriotic anthem to charities that support our needy vets and their families?

"And I'll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today": Go to it, man! I'm sure there's more than a few grunts in Iraq who would happily trade places with you, rather than getting their asses shot at and car-bombed on a daily basis. Or maybe you're just holding out for a chance to actually defend America, as opposed to the interests of Halliburton and our oil companies? Or could it be that, like President "Bring It On", you'd rather just talk tough and let American kids from economically-challenged backgrounds do your fighting for you?

"Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land": I'm with you there, Lee — or at least, I love what it used to be and what it used to stand for. But I think it's pretty fucking nervy to ask for God's blessings on the USA at a time when Bush and Cheney are flagrantly wiping their corrupt asses with the Constitution, are completely unwilling to take responsibility for the deadly mess they've made in Iraq in the name of "freedom" and "democracy", and the spineless, balls-less Democrats in Congress are too cowed  by their fears of being seen as weak on "terr" and unsupportive of "the troops" to actually do anything about any of it. God Save the USA might be the more appropriate request — because it seems that we're getting well past the point of being able to save ourselves.

But don't get me wrong, folks. I am proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free — free to say, "Fuck You, Lee Greenwood".

Comments

[stu]

I thought you weren't gonna let the right-wing asswipes get to you. :)

[rich]

hey man - see my My Space blog for a post on the same idea. Mel has already added a comment to that putting in her 2 cents worth.

Wouldn't it be amazing to have an administration that actually upheld the American ideals?

[Larry Epke]

We were at a ball game a couple of years ago and during the fireworks they played "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue" by Toby Keith, with it's heartwarming sentiment:

"'Cuz we'll put a boot in your ass
It's the American way."

I wouldn't want my small children hearing that, both because I wouldn't talk that way around children and I hate the message!

[Dan E]

No kidding. And didn't "The American Way" used to be about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - as opposed to the pursuit of an ass to put a boot in?

[Suggadelic]

A few years ago my wife and I went to the National Hollerin' Contest in Spivey's Corner, North Carolina, (http://www.ibiblio.org/hollerin/)
It was a very cultural experience, but every time some young, fat local took the stage to sing "Proud to be an American", (which happened many times throughout that day), we exercised our freedom by miming like we were shooting ourselves in the head. The locals did not find this funny nor patriotic, and they let us know...