The United States

Words by Katharine Lee Bates, Melody by Samuel Ward  http://www.americathebeautiful.com/lyrics2.htm

As I reflect on the words of this song, I can’t help but think how it captures much of what the United States is about. We are blessed to have a vast expanse of territory that is part of these United States. Pilgrims settled here and were some of the people that built this country from the ground up. Pilgrims had a strong belief in God. They were followed by other settlers who settled on the East coast and later explored the West. Horace Greeley said, “Go West young man.” And men explored the West, entrepreneurs-built railroads connecting the East and West. This great land became one.


Is it possible when she wrote “O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved “And mercy more than life!” that she was referring to the Civil War? She was a young child when it was fought. As she grew up, she lived through reconstruction. So often, I think, people forget there were two sides to the war. People like to recall slavery and the Confederacy which fought to retain slaves. People don’t mention the soldiers on the side of the North that fought and died to free slaves. They don’t mention the people that ran the underground railroad to send slaves to the north for their freedom.


Beyond her lifetime heroes gave their lives at Pearl Harbor and all through World War II so this nation could survive. The next direct attack on our nation, that I can recall, is 911. Planes hit the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon. If it were not for the brave self-sacrificing efforts of passengers on United Airlines flight 93 was intended to hit the U S Capitol building.


Then she addresses “patriot dreams.” She sees a nation with vast almost pristine cities. She wrote “And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.”


Brotherhood! What has happened to brotherhood? The people that worked to create and build the United States of America had many common goals. They also had disagreements. But they were willing to discuss differences of opinion with mutual respect. I don’t see mutual respect any longer. I see hatred and bitterness. As a nation we must get past this just as we had to get past the Civil War. What is a stake is too great not to work together? We cannot continue to tear this nation apart, to desecrate our cities.


Our enemies love to see this. Nikita Khrushchev said, “We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the U.S. We will destroy you from within....” https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-put-trump-online-letters-20180716-story.html Is this not what is happening to our nation?


Are we going to let Khrushchev’s remarks become a fulfilled prophecy? I hope not. Can we look into our hearts and see what is a stake? Can we work together to heal our land? "God mend thine every flaw." Can this be our prayer?