The Star Spangled Banner......

...the rest of the story. I did not know this. Gave me goose bumps and made me proud to be an American!! Its over 11 minutes long but the time is well spent. Give it a watch. Than thank the people who sacrificed so much for their freedom as well as ours.

http://stg.do/video/?v=kkPf

 

That`s a good backstory.
Good to remember what the song is truly about.
I`d have been more comfortable with it, if the storyteller had been a college professor, as opposed to a preacher, but still...
It is good to remember the roots of where the song/poem, came from..
And it`s good to remember that the song poses a question...
Does the flag still fly over the land of the free, and the home of the brave?
No doubt in my mind, that the men and women in our armed forces are brave.
Whether they are protecting a country that is truly free, is my question.
I think we have more freedom than a lot of other countries, and, I AM glad I was lucky enough to be born here, BUT...
I have to question if we are truly free, to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"...
Pretty much, if you go along with what the government wants, Yes, you can pursue your happiness...
Rock the boat? Not so much...
We founded this country from a war based on "Taxation without representation".
IMHO, that is exactly what we have now.
Sure, we can vote on our elected officials, but, pretty much ALL of them are acting in the interests of companies that spend money to get them elected...
VERY few of them, truly represent the interests of the people that "elect" them.
We can pick candidate "A", or candidate "B", but they are both bought and paid for, and have never spent a minute, living the life of the common man, who elects them, even if that common man studies their voting records, trying to decide which one, would serve his best interests.
Rant over.
Sorry for violating the "Political" rule on this board, I just had to get that off my chest.
GO STEELERS!