Every 4th of July in St. Louis they play "I'm proud to be an American" while my cousins and I watch the fireworks underneath the "Gateway to the West" (aka the St. Louis arch) alongside the Mississippi River.
Really how much more American can you get than that scene? It's right out of a novel, except it's better because it's real.
I've seen propaganda videos using this song to support the war in Iraq and though it makes sense to use this song- it makes me sort of sad. I don't look at this song for political reasons, it's a corny patriotic song that my cousins and I belt loudly out once a year.
In short, to me this song unites people, brings us (my family) together with the hundreds of others standing along the Mississippi to watch the Fair St. Louis- I just never thought it'd be used to divide.
Looking at the lyrics it was clearly chosen for a reason.
*Fireworks by: Eric Zimmermann
*Arch pulled from here
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