All 4 Stanzas

You rarely hear all four stanzas of the Star Spangled Banner.

It is embarrassing in its candor as to how our nation was forged.

Briefly, it was written by Francis Scott Key while imprisoned on a British ship during the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 and finished when he was released at a Baltimore hotel.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

This Republic was born in war and strife. Sure many other countries are born in blood. But, the blood shed here was, I believe, righteous because it was shed for Freedom.

This Republic is like none other in history and the blood of those who have died will NOT be shed in vain!

A note on the third stanza: It talks of 'hireling' and slave', a reference to Hessians and freed slaves anxious to vent.

The Brits did free slaves, but it was NOT altruistic. It was expedient. Their economy was not dependent on slavery. It made brownie points with the people. It stuck it to the South here. It was on its way out here, except that some clung to it to the point of lasting harm for all.

Oh and think of the peoples in other colonies such as India and Africa who were little better than vassals.

Then again, we should be grateful that Western civilization was spread around the world, though many places rejected it eventually in favor of marxism. It gave many values they would not otherwise have had.

The method could have been better -s-.

These are just some reflections on the 68th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Those were enemies without. We still have many.

Now there are many more enemies within.

They should be reminded of the lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner.