God Bless America

The amber waves of grain . . . the fruited plain . . . we have a lot to be thankful for. The song goes on to request that God shed his grace on this beloved land, and crown our good with brotherhood.

Lots of people go for the good bits big time but cough up blood if anyone asks them for brotherhood. This was especially true before the New Deal, and the blood-coughers are still trying to bring back the old days.

“Socialism!” The battle cry, as though that were a bad thing. Fuck the brotherhood, we want the money. They get a lot of otherwise good people on their side too, one way or the other.

If you believe that God should crown your good, you’d better believe that helping people just because they need it is a good thing. You’d better believe that stepping over dead people and just moving on is a bad thing. If there is some shit-for-brains out there who would rather drink and gamble than study and get ahead, you’d better believe that his children don’t deserve to pay for his mistakes. You’d better believe in taking care of people who can’t seem to take care of themselves. Like old shit-for-brains, you’d better believe in cushioning his fall, because he doesn’t know any better, and you do. God insists, man, or the grace thing is no deal.

It’s a brotherhood thing, my brother, all men are brothers. God or no God, you and me, we are in this thing together. And right is right, and wrong is wrong, God or no God, on every one of God’s continents.

So forget “Socialism,” if it makes you uncomfortable. Call if “Brotherhood,” like the French do (“Fraternity”). Let’s just all help one another because it’s the right thing to do. Forget the lobbyists, the greedy politicians, the political hangers-on who get rich spinning the truth towards the guys that write their checks, the billionaires out only for number one, the media geniuses who’ll say anything to get ratings. Forget that pack of dogs who eat dog.

Think for yourself. Think what’s right. You can do it, it’s not that hard. Brotherhood. It’s the right way to go. Get on board.

Do it for spacious skies, for purple mountains majesty, but just do it.