Fr. Z's Blog

I am angry.

I want you to be angry.

From Newsmax:

Former Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., offers harsh criticism to pop star Lady Gaga for replacing “home of the brave” with “home for the gays” in a rendition of the National Anthem she gave last week.

Waiving a rainbow flag at a New York City gay pride rally, Lady Gaga, sang, “Oh, say does that star-spangled flag of pride yet wave, o’er the land of the free, and a home for the gays.”

West registered his disapproval in a Facebook post Monday.

“Having served in the U.S. Army for 22 years alongside some very brave men and women, I find Lady Gaga’s defiling of our National Anthem reprehensible,” he wrote.

“This young lady should be taken to Ft. McHenry and given a history lesson as to why Francis Scott Key wrote those words incredible words.”

Lady Gaga’s timing is particularly poor given that this week marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and the 237th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, West said.

“She and all those who cheered her abomination should be ashamed and apologize to every serving and retired member of our Armed Services.”

West served one term in Congress before losing a close race to now-Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., in November.

Apologizing is not enough. I hope this stunt kills her career.

A reminder:

O say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation.
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!