I found this on a Yahoo News Article about John Williams, the famous American composer, new arrangement of the national anthem. Its a comment from a reader named Jerry and I thought that it gives some of us a brief piece of history and explains why the national anthem became just that... Francis Scott Key wrote this while aboard an enemy vessel, attempting to secure the release of a friend who was a non-combatant. The previous week had seen the enemys fleet sail up the Chesapeake bay, raiding and destroying towns and cities along its banks. Included amongst the ruins was his countrys capital, Washington D.C., burned to the ground and its government scattered. The armada was now at the tip of the bay and the massive fleet of 19 ships had spent the entire day bombarding Fort McHenry which lay at the entrance to Baltimore harbor. As night fell, he wouldnt be able to sleep, not because of the noise, but because he knew that his small, young country, with its radical ideals of personal rights, freedoms and self-government, may not last another day. Imagine then, after waiting anxiously the entire night, that upon daybreak, he could slowly make out the outline of a striped flag, first white, then red, then blue, tattered and worn, but not broken, waving over Fort McHenry, and knowing at that moment that he still had a country to call home. Later that morning, the Americans took down the small flag and draped a 40 foot flag over the side of the fort, sending the enemy the clearest possible message - we will not be defeated. We won that battle and it marked a turning point in the war of 1812. Never again would an enemy stand on U.S. continental soil. This holiday when you hear the Star Spangled Banner being played, I encourage everyone to forget about which arrangement, or whether they think it is being played properly or not, but rather listen carefully for the words Francis Scott Key wrote and think about the extraordinary effort our forefathers made so that could have the country we have today. Happy birthday USA, land of the free and the home of the brave. We must remember that America is not made up of her politicians, but her people. As long as the people uphold and protect the ideals she was birthed from, then nothing and no one can change the dramatic impact she has and will have on this planet - spreading the ideals of personal liberties not granted by government but by their creator. God Bless you all and God Bless the USA!
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 11:45:46 +0000
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