Today we are again going patriotic! Join me in singing a tune we all may know, even if we weren’t ever a United States Marine. I learned this one in grade school and we sung it for Flag Day.
I utilized an old gel print I had hanging in my studio. I liked the colors and textures, and the way it presents as a flag without being too literal. I pulled the prints years ago, and have been wondering when I might be able to make something patriotic with it…and here we are! I cut the print into strips then pasted them on the page to look reminiscent of the United States flag. I utilized a .7 gel pen for the smaller letters and a medium Sharpie for the larger words. Kind of a fun way to enjoy this song while being patriotic and creative!
So here we go…sing loud and proud on this one!
From the Halls of Montezuma
– L.Z. Phillips 1919
To the shores of Tripoli.
We will fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom
and to keep our honor clean.
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.
I am in Tokyo today. Where the Japanese have mixed feelings about the United States. They are grateful for our support and forgiveness after their actions in WWII. How do I know this? Our Japanese family actually brought it up this visit, and mentioned how grateful they are for the U.S.’s support after the war. Their lives were changed for the better when “the GIs arrived”. And the support we provided in rebuilding the country is still appreciated. I mentioned the dropping of “the bomb” and asked if they realized we destroyed so much with that action. They then talked about what they did – bombing Pearl Harbor was worthy of such a retaliation…and they asked for our forgiveness. It was an an emotional moment for us all. The younger generations in attendance had to be reminded later about the topic on which we were talking.
So today, as I wrote out these words and felt a surge of patriotism, I was also reminded that we are all responsible for our actions and their aftermath. Be it good for us, good for them, or grueling for us both. We must never blame or emotionally torture the men and women who serve in the armed forces for the results of our political decisions. We either stand united or we will surely stand alone.
I am proud to be an American, no matter what people think of our country. It is my home, my haven, my land of the free because of the brave. Sure we can be a bit arrogant, and yes we have made some very dire mistakes as a people. Yet we need to stand together and learn together in order to get better, stronger and to be able to continue to serve across the globe.
Let us give thanks for the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces…so sing loud and proud. And I will be back tomorrow with another song for us all to enjoy!
