Two weeks late, but still on point [Fritzworth]

How many of you know all the verses to the "Star-Spangled Banner"? Verse 3 is particularly obscure -- my church dropped it from their hymnal 25 years ago -- because, as originally written, it referred to those pesky, invading British in unflattering terms. And since we've been best buds with them for most of the last 200 years, it really is a bit out of date.

Except that it's not, especially not after 9/11. It has a whole new meaning, now. And with the abrupt termination of Bin Laden two weeks ago, it is more appropriate than it has been since, well, 1814 or so. This is what should be sung before baseball games for the rest of the season, or at least on 9/11/11:

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Right atcha, Usama. Have a great Saturday, everyone. ..fritz..
(blogging from 32,000 ft on my way home from NYC)

posted by Open Blogger at 09:50 AM

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