Joe: "America, The Beautiful" is a wonderful song. I feel a swelling in my chest when I hear it sung or played. But there are other things having to do with our heritage that arouse pride in me. I fought under "The Star Spangled Banner" in WWII as my dad did before me in WWI. (I realize it was not the National Anthem in WWI, but there was none other, so in my mind it holds that distinction.)

I think what bothers me is 'breaking the mold', as you put it. Too many molds have been broken in my lifetime, and my backward-looking vision is that the world and the country are not made better for that. Automobiles, televisions, computers and Viagra are not the fundamental elements of Utopia. Nor is the extension of life into the eighties and beyond.

And most of all, I am disheartened by a corollary to the anthem argument which is the unthinking and misguided concept that I should share in the hysterical culpability fervor that is supposed to expunge America's terrible guilt for its heinous disregard for human life. And for who's benefit? Not mine, by a damn site. I haven't been able to play a violin since I was seventeen years old because some damn Jap stuck a bayonet in my left hand. Who is going to apologize to me for that? I'm getting carried away here. Time to quit.

I love America. I love our anthem. I love our flag.

Spud