Berenger Sauniere

I think it means VOTE GOP.

Buffman

America's "unofficial national anthem" was composed by an immigrant who left his home in Siberia for America when he was only five years old.

Who was <a href="http://www.city-journal.org/html/12_2_urbanities-the_americaniz.html" target="_blank">Irving Berlin</a>?

(Toto: The sixth try. Four copy errors. Curses!)

[ November 21, 2002: Message edited by: Buffman ]</p>

Jamie_L

What is the expiration date on God Blessing America? How often does one have to ask God to Bless America? Every day? Every minute? Every ten years? Couldn't he just do it once and then save himself, and all of us, a lot of trouble?

And if God hasn't Blessed America already, doesn't he know best? He's God after all. Do we think we need to tell him what to do? That he'll listen to us and go, "Oh shoot, I forgot to Bless America today. Thanks for reminding me."? Or maybe: "Well, I wasn't going to Bless America, but since you asked nicely - and so many times - sure, why not."?

God will do what he wants to do (if he exists). Why should we think we need to ask, or that he would change his chosen course of action if we did?

Jamie

simian

No, no, no, it should be "God attack the queen, send big dogs after her, to bit her bum." I like Eddie Izzard (executive transvestite)

Simian

Blake

In the context of 9/11, I think it is the refuge of unthinking, frightened people who want to say/do something that will help protect them against people they (underneath it all) know they can't be protected against.

If there's nothing else you can do, mouth a magical invocation. Maybe that'll protect you, right?

B.

PandaJoe

America sneezed, obviously.
Though I do find it incredibly hypocritical to have 3000 people die and claim we are blessed by God.

ashibaka

My brother wonders the same thing about the Pledge of Alliegance. Why do you need to say it every week (at his school) or every morning (at some public schools)? Do they want to make sure you haven't become unalleged recently?

Gregg

Yeah, after all, when you're sworn in as a witness, you only have to do it once. The President only has to take the oath of office once (or twice, if he gets a second term). That's too bad, actually. He should have to repeat the Oath every day. Particularly the part that goes "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America." Actually, Ashcroft needs to repeat that part even more than Bush.

Gregg

Gregg

Oh, I don't know. We're starting to find the terrorists and kill them...it just takes time. Other terrorist groups have been hunted down and wiped out. Al-Qaida's quite a bit different, but you shouldn't fall into the trap of thinking they're invisible and invincible. They aren't. They're people who put their pants on one leg at a time like everybody else, and that means they make mistakes.

What we need to be blessed with, though, is really good detectives.

Gregg

Blake

You're right, Gregg, they're not invincible. I'm afraid they might be beyond our capabilities, though.

Hmm, rather than go on, maybe I'll start a new topic in PD on the State of the War on Terror, if there isn't a current one already ....

B.