"A long, long time ago," I heard Don McLean's epic song. I came across this video of an interview of the singer/song writer, answering the question most people have about his song, American Pie: what does it mean?
Early in the interview, you hear him give the broad answer... it's his reflection on American culture, during the time three American music icons of the time had just died in an airplane crash. But he also is a little ambiguous, in that he says he doesn't want to speak to particular lyrics. This caught my ear, and made me wonder - isn't that part of America's problem in general?
If I were to re-write this song today, what would I do with the lyrics? In today's version, would America even still be considered, 'Alive?'
I often think of the Marvel movies; especially the first Avengers movie, when the character Nick Fury refers to the famed team of heroes with the phrase, "There once was an idea..." ; America once was an idea, that transformed through the blood of patriots into the most prosperous nation on the planet. But with what has transpired over the past two years, does that great American idea, the great beacon of hope and freedom that was supposed to be true to the Statue of Liberty gifted to us by the French, even still exist anymore?
Or did it die at the hands of medical tyranny, election fraud, a weak, feeble President, and criminal politicians tied to the world banking network?
My short answer is NO. But how many people stop and think, really stop and think about it, every day? Surely I can't be the only one. As a matter of fact, I know I'm not. And as long as that's the case, and people like me still share those ideas and other folks still have the opportunity to hear or see those ideas - then America hasn't died.
But how long is it, before some Australian news show, or even a British news show, is asking the question, 'When did America die?' Don't you see? Can't you tell just from the video celebrating the 50th anniversary of McLean's American classic, the rest of the world that does appreciate or has at least appreciated freedom, subconsciously longs for the example America once set? Of course there will always be the naysayers. That's how Satan works; that's how we end up with entire nations founded, or dominating in the same fashion, as China and Russia. But for the people who have never been part of the ruling class, but still enjoyed some of the freedom of western civilization? They want to see a beacon of freedom.
"There once was an idea..."
Man, I so miss the things that just about everyone I knew celebrated. Nowadays, I have to know where someone stands first, before I say anything, due to the nature of my job or where I work. I miss the days when people didn't get so angry. I miss the days when we could just agree to disagree, and the news was just news. Those days may or may not return; I've never claimed to be a prophet, and I definitely don't know what God knows.
But before I saw that video early this morning, I sat and listened to McLean's song. I read the lyrics. And I can't help but wonder how he'd write his idea of American culture today, if he sat down and re-wrote it.
Who knows? Maybe 50 years from now, America can rekindle that beacon. Maybe we can look more like a place where people understand the meaning of the words life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Some days are better than others...but sometimes I feel like America is one of the almost dead people in Monty Python's Holy Grail movie: "I'm not quite dead yet."
Not exactly a happy reading today, but once again, I just want people to stop and think.
God bless America...while we still have it.