Tattered Flags

May I make a suggestion for a new National Anthem. Sousa's ballad is quaint, and it captures a resilient spirit under fire, but it should be played after community events end, not before, with it's great prologue about rockets and bravery, you know, after all the raucousness and sweating has taken place. Generally, before the events, people want to get stoked about the entertainment about to ensue. My suggestion here of Aerosmith's Make It is one of many that could be considered, but I chose it for several reasons. For one, it is a from a flagship album of the iconic 70's era of music, when Boston rocked, the moon was fucken ours, and the future wasn't all about some phony patriotism flying in the face of corporate multi-nationalism (before reality hit.) It has a quick intro beat, not too hard for run-of-the-mill bands to repeat, and it's lyrics lend a a little motivation to the performers and choreographers of the events. Wouldn't you love to see our Gold Medalist up on the podium at the Olympics giving a whinny to the Bronze medalist as Tyler belted out "Bedwetter pull yourself together now, What have you got to lose." It also encapsulates the incredible anxiety in our society and among the younger generation now. I realize I'm stepping way over the bounds of polite conversation here when I insinuate that this country could have made a mistake with the Divine Providence, and somehow our solipsistic greatness could have a weak link, but nothing is constant except change.