Does ‘America The Beautiful’ Still Apply?

For Purple Mountain Majesties

I love the 4th of July. I love the outpouring of patriotism, the flags, the fireworks; all the things we do to celebrate the birth of our Nation. One thing I look forward to more than any other is the music. I love our national anthem. I love ‘My Country Tis of Thee.’ I love them all. This year, there was one song in particular that made me stop and reflect on its words more than I ever had before.

The song is America the Beautiful. I have always loved the words and had more or less always felt that our country was living up to the ideals found therein. It really is true that you don’t appreciate what you have until you no longer have it.

The first verse of ‘America the Beautiful’ is about the land in which we live. Its words are as beautiful as the land it describes.

Amber Waves of Grain

Verse 1.
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Verses 2 through 4 are about the people of America and the qualities ‘we the people’ must have for our country to continue in greatness. As you read these verses, ask yourself if you are doing your part. Also, ask yourself if you are voting for leaders who embrace and live up to these ideals.

Across the Wilderness

Verse 2.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness
America! America!
God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.

Unfortunately, my thoughts immediately turned to the President of the United States; the ‘leader’ of this great nation. It shocked me to see just how little he measures up to the ideals found in these lyrics. Verse 2 talks of a struggle for freedom, an eye to God to ‘mend [our] ev’ry flaw.’ It talks of self-control and our laws maintaining our liberty. Does any of that sound like our current President? Not to me. The President is systematically eliminating freedoms while removing God from the equation. He shows no sign of self-control as he spends future generations into poverty. This administration has demonstrated repeatedly that it will only enforce the laws of our land when there is a political gain to be had. See voter intimidation, illegal immigration, racially-motivated hate crimes, etc.

For Heroes Prov’d

Verse 3.
O beautiful for heroes prov’d
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country lov’d,
And mercy more than life.
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine.

The President would have us believe that he is a hero. After all, HE did take out Osama bin Laden, right? This may be the most important of all verses and, sadly, it is where our President fails the most. The President clearly harbors a disdain for our military; our ‘heroes prov’d in liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life.’ This line is a perfect tribute to the heroes of our armed forces. But does it also define the Commander-in-Chief? Not one bit. Is there anything that the President loves more than himself? Certainly not our country. ‘Till all success be nobleness, and ev’ry gain divine.’ The President’s ‘successes’ are destroying our nation. There’s nothing noble or divine about that.

For Patriot Dream

Verse 4.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

Patriot dream that sees beyond the years? Not this President. He is neither a patriot nor does he see the long-term effects of his policies. Or maybe he does, and his policies are having the exact impact he hoped for. He has brought the people of this nation to their economic knees and tarnished the ‘gleam’ that was once a beacon of hope to the rest of the world.

There was more written in the poem that inspired ‘America the Beautiful’ that will make your heart ache even more. One line, penned by the author, demonstrates how well he understood the nature of man. ‘Till selfish gain no longer stain, The banner of the free!’ Clearly, as long as we have leaders who hold selfish gains above the principles on which this great nation was founded, the banner of the free will be in jeopardy.

It is sad to realize, during the month in which we celebrate our nation’s birth, no less, just how far we’ve slipped from the ideals our forefathers established as the basis for our great country. Hopefully we have hit the nadir, and come November, we can begin to repair the damage done to this inspired, Constitutional Republic.