I absolutely love this song! It is amazing in sound and text. The message(s) are heartfelt and to the point. We occasionally sing it at church and I consider it a hymn. But, it can just as well be considered a patriotic song as well. Truth be told…it’s both.

Katharine Lee Bates wrote the original lyrics back in the late 1800’s, she didn’t compose the music, she wrote it as a poem. That poem was published in 1895. Samuel Ward wrote/composed the music. What is weird…Bates and Ward never met each other. The poem and music were put together in 1910 and published. Different lyrics were written, one set in 1911 and that is what we normally sing today.

Tears come to my eyes when I hear it and especially when I have the privilege of singing it.

About 10 years ago I really started to notice a specific set of lyrics…

“O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!”

Last week I thought several times about the song and that particular set of lyrics. This past Sunday while sitting at church those lyrics once again just poured into my head in a way they have never done before. And it was also at that time that I realized why.

I won’t make this long and drawn out…for a change. But we, as a people in the United States, are becoming desensitized to violence…especially extreme violence. The level of violence around the world is horrific and getting worse…same here in the US. I too find myself pretty much just accepting this violence, extreme violence, often against children, as commonplace and simply part of today’s society and culture…including/especially here in the US.

Saturday I read Tucker Carlson’s comment on the ICE killing of Good in Minnesota…

“The 37-year-old was an American citizen and reportedly the mother of a kindergarten-aged child. Did we disagree with her views on immigration? Probably. But that shouldn’t matter. Her death is a tragedy, regardless of her partisan affiliations, ideological beliefs, or who pulled the trigger. A woman got shot in the face.”

The left celebrated the killing of Charlie Kirk…and the right was appalled…along with most reasonable people. The left blamed Kirk for bringing it on himself because of his outspoken beliefs and actions. The dead victim being blamed for his own death.

The right is celebrating the killing of Rene Good…and the left is appalled…along with most reasonable people. The right is blaming Good for bringing it on herself because of her outspoken beliefs and actions. The dead victim being blamed for her own death.

In both cases the political ideology should be entirely secondary to the dual tragedies of people losing their life. But it isn’t, we are “normalizing bloodshed”…especially in terms of political ideology.

Tucker Carlson continued and made a great point…

“If the United States were in a better place, everyone, regardless of their politics, would pause when something like the Minneapolis shooting happens and at least recognize the human tragedy. But that doesn’t happen because, compared to the countless overseas killings our government routinely brings about, Good’s death doesn’t seem like such a big deal. She’s just another headline.”

Back to America the Beautiful…

“…mercy more than life!”

Who were those lyrics referring to? “heroes” Let us consider that and think about who we are as a country and as individuals. Then consider our principles, morals, ethics, priorities…and especially our future.

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