“America the Beautiful,” written by Katharine Lee Bates, was a great patriotic song sung by all as children. We learned it in glee clubs, for the school chorus, and even at community social events, and we sang it with pride. It wasn’t until the one and only world-renowned musician Ray Charles sang his version of “America the Beautiful” that the song took off and touched the lives of so many Americans.
Conversing with family and friends, we ask, “What is so beautiful about America?”
Here are several examples we discussed where we don’t see the beauty in America, nor can we understand it:
1. Oppression is still running rampant throughout America.
2. The laws of the land are broken by many, and they get away scot-free or with no jail time whatsoever throughout America.
3. There’s inequality and unfair treatment of people of different colors, races, ethnic groups, religious groups, and age groups throughout America.
These were just some of the questions we discussed. There were many more. Yet, as Americans, we still ring out and sing “America the Beautiful” with pride.
