Comments on: The Star Spangled Banner http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/2009/the-star-spangled-banner/ Promoting and Discussing Patriotism and Liberty Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:37:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: David http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/2009/the-star-spangled-banner/comment-page-1/#comment-13301 David Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:39:02 +0000 http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/?p=2056#comment-13301 I absolutely agree. Thanks for commenting. I absolutely agree. Thanks for commenting.

]]> By: Krista http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/2009/the-star-spangled-banner/comment-page-1/#comment-13299 Krista Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:24:10 +0000 http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/?p=2056#comment-13299 Thanks! We're actually singing the song as a choir number in a couple weeks, and the congregation will join us *on that verse only*. Looking forward to it. Also, I view it as not just a physical fight, but a spiritual one, too; kind of along the same lines as "when America ceases to be good, it will cease to be great" thing. Whatever happens physically *and* spiritually outside our homes, we're responsible for guarding them and protecting our families, and increasingly, our homes are the only places we *can* do that. Not sure whether Key was analyzing his words quite that way, but that's what it's come to mean to me. :-) That's a great quote, too; the "handed on" part is CRITICAL, if we are to spare our children slavery and war, where they'll learn *the hard way* about the true principles underlying our Providential founding. Thanks! We’re actually singing the song as a choir number in a couple weeks, and the congregation will join us *on that verse only*. Looking forward to it.

Also, I view it as not just a physical fight, but a spiritual one, too; kind of along the same lines as “when America ceases to be good, it will cease to be great” thing. Whatever happens physically *and* spiritually outside our homes, we’re responsible for guarding them and protecting our families, and increasingly, our homes are the only places we *can* do that. Not sure whether Key was analyzing his words quite that way, but that’s what it’s come to mean to me. :-)

That’s a great quote, too; the “handed on” part is CRITICAL, if we are to spare our children slavery and war, where they’ll learn *the hard way* about the true principles underlying our Providential founding.

]]> By: Krista http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/2009/the-star-spangled-banner/comment-page-1/#comment-13296 Krista Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:09:06 +0000 http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/?p=2056#comment-13296 This song really is interesting. It became particularly poignant when I realized that he and his colleagues were watching this extreme bombardment of a fort that couldn't fire back... helpless the entire time. It's written like a conversation, and I can only assume that Key wasn't the only one desperately seeking signs of survival with the dawn. The last verse is my favorite, since it's the "stand between our loved homes and the war's desolation" verse. That, to me, is the essence of what we're still fighting for. This song really is interesting. It became particularly poignant when I realized that he and his colleagues were watching this extreme bombardment of a fort that couldn’t fire back… helpless the entire time. It’s written like a conversation, and I can only assume that Key wasn’t the only one desperately seeking signs of survival with the dawn. The last verse is my favorite, since it’s the “stand between our loved homes and the war’s desolation” verse. That, to me, is the essence of what we’re still fighting for.

]]> By: David http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/2009/the-star-spangled-banner/comment-page-1/#comment-13297 David Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:18:51 +0000 http://www.Pursuit-of-Liberty.com/?p=2056#comment-13297 I like your thoughts on the final verse. I think that standing between our loved homes and the desolation of war is the physical representation of what we must always be fighting for - <a href="http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33739.html" rel="nofollow">as Ronald Reagan said it</a>: <blockquote>Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. . . It must be fought for, protected, and handed on</blockquote> I am sometimes disappointed that we don't sing that verse more often. I like your thoughts on the final verse. I think that standing between our loved homes and the desolation of war is the physical representation of what we must always be fighting for – as Ronald Reagan said it:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. . . It must be fought for, protected, and handed on

I am sometimes disappointed that we don’t sing that verse more often.

]]>