Is the song God Bless the USA partisan?

[Dear_Prudence]

I am in a group that meets locally once a week. We are nonpartisan and have been recently reminded by the statewide organizers to not talk politics at meetings. I just returned from a statewide gathering. The opening ceremony included standing for reciting Pledge of Allegiance and singing along to the song 'I'm Proud to be an American", a.k.a. "God Bless the USA". I used to like the song, despite its flaws, despite it opening Reagan, Bush, and Trump gatherings. But since the lyrics were inserted into the Trump Bible, an appeal to Christian nationalists in my view, I have found it repulsive. I was really turned off by inclusion of that song in a supposedly nonpartisan meeting; I was offended. Is it just me being oversensitive or was inclusion of that song politically insensitive?

[SpankMe]

1. Yes, in my opinion

Lee Greenwood is a hard right-wing Christian. Anything he writes is sus IMO.

[gay texan]

2. hell yes it is

Lee Greenwood wrote this with Reagan in mind.

I was a boy when it came out and was highly overplayed.

[piddyprints]

3. I hate that song.

Always have. It’s blatantly partisan. How about America the Beautiful if they have to play anything?

[LunaSea]

4. Greenwood may be proud but the Tubes were proud first.

I'm proud to be an American
I'm proud of the groovy things we've done
There's television, free religion, rock 'n' roll, Standard Oil
Times Square, Jimmy Darren, Corey Wells, and Smokey Bear
Price reduction, reconstruction, Peace Corps, and lots more
Culture that we got to lend

I'm proud to be an American
And I'm proud, I had a great time bein' one
There's your school and my school and both of us in high school
Surfboards, cigarettes, homework, Southern Comfort
Boy's dean was real mean, made us keep our lockers clean
Failed nearly every class, ditchin' was a gas

I'm proud to be a young American
I'm just proud of all the things since we've begun
There's revolution, constitution, land, sea, and air pollution
Cold wars, hot wars, gas wars, and confrontations
Constipation, consternation, open-hearted palpatations
Muscular Dystrophy

I'm proud to be an American
Because we got department stores full of cheap guitars
But when Sputnik plays 'em, you just go, go, go, go

(I'm proud to be an American) we got two chickens in every garage
(And I wish every other kid could be one) in my country, the medium is the massage
('Cause it's impossible to give equality and justice) give me your weak and your homeless
(To inferior foreigners too jealous to trust us) and also
How 'bout checkin' the oil, ah, fella?

I'm proud to be an American, I'm proud to be an American

[maxsolomon]

5. They're likely unaware it's seen as divisive and partisan by Dems/Godless Librulz.

If you bring it up, they'll probably get defensive and say you're the one making it political.

[Dear_Prudence]

6. You are probably right

I don't think I'll bring it up now. The organizers worked so hard and they are likely politically naive. I don't want to distress them. By next year, we will know whether the lyrics "at least I know I'm free" make any sense at all. Till then, I am just trying to keep an even keel.

[maxsolomon]

7. Every line is contestable:

I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free

Many Americans DON'T know they're free - and feel actively oppressed. See: BLM.

And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me

They won't forget Revolutionary War soldiers? War of 1812? Civil War soldiers? Because our rights weren't secured in every war we've fought. Our "freedom" wasn't at stake in WW2.

And I'd gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today

Guns! Pew pew America!

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land! God bless the U.S.A.

Anyone with doubts? Any doubters? You don't love the USA. Or God.

[Dear_Prudence]

15. Right you are.

Also, the "men who died" but not the women?
The "proud to be an American where..", so is "American" a place?

[LeftInTX]

12. I probably wouldn't bring it up.

Your group may have a bit of right slant, but the cause you are involved in is non-partisan.
I'm in a pro-public ed group which is like that.
It's full of GOP but we are there for public ed. The focus is on state elections and the issue is on public ed, not everything else.

[doc03]

8. I stand for the National Anthem. The MAGAts

think you are supposed to stand for that, I refuse.

[NewHendoLib]

9. Ugh. Of course. Vomit inducing song.

[Gore1FL]

10. I don't think it's partisan as much as it is overplayed to the point of being stupid and obnoxious.

Republicans have always wrapped themselves in songs and symbols and try to claim ownership of all of them.

[TheRealNorth]

11. Christian nationalism....

Is pretty much the song's message IMO.

[Chainfire]

16. It is the song's only message.

I only wonder which god they are singing about. (There have been so many)

[Iggo]

19. I'm guessing it's one of the made up ones.

(Don’t get me started…lol.)

[BigmanPigman]

13. I hate that song...it sucks

When I taught 1st grade there was the annual musical and this song was in the line-ip. It made me want to puke and still does.

The song The Grand 'Ol Flag was much better.

[Dear_Prudence]

33. Glee Club

In Junior High I was in Glee Club. We sang "Go Down Moses" and "Joshua fit the Battle of Jerico" as a round, the melodies overlain and complemented one another. I wonder if the Country Joe and the Fish song 'Vietnam' would 'complement' Greenwood's song? I'll start: Give me an F...

[Fla Dem]

14. Well it is Lee Greenwood's song and right now Trump is selling his bibles.

I would say he is a (Evangelical?) Right Winger. So while the song itself is non-partisan it has pretty much become a theme song for the Trumpers. It's played at all his rallies.

Trump is selling $60 Bibles with ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ singer Lee Greenwood
PUBLISHED TUE, MAR 26 20241:27 PM EDTUPDATED WED, MAR 27 20241:19 PM EDT
Kevin Breuninger
@KEVINWILLIAMB

Donald Trump on Tuesday started promoting a line of pricey Bibles in partnership with country music star Lee Greenwood, whose song “God Bless the U.S.A.” is omnipresent at the former president’s political rallies.

“All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many,” Trump said in a video on Truth Social announcing the business deal.

“It’s my favorite book. It’s a lot of people’s favorite book,” he said.
“Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country, and I truly believe that we need to bring them back,” he added. “It’s one of the biggest problems we have. That’s why our country’s going haywire — we’ve lost religion in our country.”

More.....
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/26/trump-selling-60-god-bless-the-usa-bibles-with-lee-greenwood.html

[angrychair]

17. Hate that song so much

As an atheist I find it clearly endorsing Christianity and clearly implying that a supreme being, "God", favors America more than any other.
The audacity and arrogance is stunning.

[Dear_Prudence]

22. I prefer Imagine for that reason

"Imagine there's no heaven, It's easy if you try, Nothing to live or die for, Above us only sky, Imagine all the people livin' for today..."

[Iggo]

18. Partisan? I dunno. Jingoistic tripe, maybe.

I wonder if Holiday In Cambodia lyrics would work. Hmm…

“I’m proud to be an American
Where people dress in black…”

Maybe!

[Dear_Prudence]

21. Outrageous!

Those lyrics would certainly let the air out of their tires!

[TSExile]

20. It's definitely partisan.

Waaay back in 1991, my 5th grade class sang this at a "patriotic" school concert. This was following Operation Desert Storm. I was only a kid, but it seemed a tolerable (if overplayed) song. They sure played it ad nauseum following 9/11.

Can anyone name ANY other Lee Greenwood song? I don't think I have heard any of his other songs.

[Dear_Prudence]

23. Good observation. One trick pony. nt

[LeftInTX]

27. I never heard it until desert storm. But apparently, it was #6 on country charts in 1984 when it was released.

(But I don't listen to country, so there's that)

[edisdead]

24. Don't know but it is an abomination

Given how this country came to be it is a fucking joke that that song even exists.

[A HERETIC I AM]

28. Who do you think started this whole "Greatest country in the world" nonsense?

The same people who inherited the country the founders founded, meaning the rich, WHITE business and landowners.

It is ingrained in us at a very early age! Want to know how pervasive it is? I remember being truly disappointed when, at a young age I found out that the greatest country in the world did not also have the tallest mountain in the world!"

How is it possible that the USA isn't home to Mt. Everest?!? It just can't be! We are all sold on the idea from birth that the United States has no peer, when in fact it has failed its citizens in so many ways it boggles the mind.

That fucking song is just another example of someone who has bought the propaganda hook, line and sinker.

[pfitz59]

25. I'm an Atheist

anything promoting 'God' irritates me.

[Patterson]

26. Yes. Plus it sucks as a song.

[Ping Tung]

29. Patriotism is the passion of fools and the most foolish of passions. Schopenhauer

[no_hypocrisy]

30. Since Reagan, perhaps Nixon, Republicans have tried and

in some cases, succeeded, to co-opt "American," "patriotic" symbols. The Flag. (Remember the flag decals proliferating in the Seventies?) "God Bless America." Dan Quayle and his denigration of non-Republican icons (Murphy Brown and "Cultural Elite" ). Even the Military.

So yeah, add "God Bless The USA". Non-Republicans don't wear flags and stuff to PROVE we're Americans.

And John Prine mocked them roundly.

[Dear_Prudence]

32. Antidote

John Prine is an antidote to jingoism. I think I need a good dose of listening to his albums today. Thank you for the suggestion.

[wyldwolf]

31. Don't know if it was written to be, but it has certainly been appropriated.

Conservatives do have this bad habit of misinterpreting songs to be patriotic.

Independence Day (Martina McBride) - about a woman's revenge on a domestic abuser
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) - about an alienated Viet Nam vet.