Tag Archives: God Bless America

30 June 2021Access AmericaAmerica the Beautiful, Broadway, Folk Music, God Bless America, Leuphana, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, My Country ‘Tis of Thee, National Anthem, Patriotic Music, Patriotic Songs, Patriotism, Religious Music, Stars and Stripes Forever, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, The Star Spangled Banner, This Land is your LandHenrike Kattoll

We Sing America

By Bobbie Kirkhart

I think it’s likely true that the people of all nations love their patriotic songs even when they don’t agree with their message.

I love American patriotic music, although some of the lyrics are much too bellicose and virtually all of it is much too religious for this atheist to embrace. And the music itself may or may not be American. Indeed, the music of one of our most prominent songs, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” is the British national anthem “God Save the Queen.” This rendition is sung by Aretha Franklin at Barack Obama’s inauguration:

Please activate javascript to watch the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW7n8hklwsk

Perhaps more ironic is the fact that our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” a poem written in praise of our efforts against the English in the War of 1812, is set to the tune of a British drinking song, “The Anacreontic Song.”

9 September 2020Access AmericaAmerican Congress, American Muslims, British Colonies, Catholic vs. Protestant, Democratic Party, Diversity, God Bless America, Human Values, Irish Catholic, KKK, Ku Klux Klan, Leuphana, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Politics, Religion, Religious Bigotry, Religious Stereotypes, Secular Democracy, Secular State, State ReligionHenrike Kattoll

Politics and Religion in a Secular State

By Bobbie Kirkhart

It is ironic that, as the world’s first secular democracy having scorned all state religion, we soon became and have remained, socially and politically, preoccupied with god. Campaign speeches end with “God bless you.” The song, “God Bless America,” which Irving Berlin wrote as a parody sung by a comically chauvinistic character, is now performed as a patriotic hymn.