A Star-Spangled Anniversary Flies by
We live in a superficial and shallow culture today. In fact, Google shows 41,700,000 search results for Tom Cruise and 21,300,000 for Brad Pitt. Francis Scott Key? Well, he got 7,780,000. Not bad, I suppose. Of course, I wonder what those stats would be, were it not for students having to do searches for homework assignments. Better not think about that. Would be too depressing.
People are more concerned with who wore what to the Academy Awards than about children in the inner city who can’t afford a clean pair of shoes. We’re more concerned about the Tom Cruise getting fired by Sumner Redstone than about joblessness in general in America. Just so you know….Tom Cruise isn’t worried about his next meal. But I digress.
September 1814 was an ominous month for the nascent United States. At war with Great Britain, the strongest nation in the world, the U.S. homeland had been ravaged by invaders and its government buildings in the capital put to the torch. Having occupied and ruined Washington, the British turned their attention toward Baltimore, the most significant mid-Atlantic East Coast port city in America. If they could take out Baltimore in addition to the nation’s capital, it would be a death blow to the United States. It would be the literal equivalent of gutting an animal’s vital organs.
The British launched a massive attack on Baltimore from land and sea. American forces fought an orderly series of battles with the British on land, slowing them down as they moved toward Baltimore’s formidable defense works. The key to victory for the British would be by sea. If Fort McHenry fell, the British would make quick work of Baltimore – much like they did to New York in the American Revolution. So, the British commenced a sustained 25-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry, hoping to bring the beleagued defenders to their knees or pound them into oblivion.
Key, a lawyer, was negotiating with the British for the release of an American prisoner, and was detained on a British warship during the attack. He watched helplessly as the British pummeled the fort. If it fell, the flag would be lowered. Key knew that if that happened, the war would be all but lost.
Key kept a careful vigil through the night as the bombardment continued mercilessly. In the “dawn’s early light” on September 14, Key saw the American flag still flapping defiantly above the fort. The defenders had gallantly withstood the 1,800 bomb assault. Moved by this sight, Key began composing his poem.
It takes a lot to move Americans today. When was the last time YOU were moved with patriotic feelings? We hear the national anthem sung regularly at ballgames, as people barely bother to show respect anymore. They wear hats, continue to talk, don’t put their hands over the hearts. When the American flag passes in parades, many people don’t even bother to notice.
We’ve lost something in America. We’ve lost that pride, that patriotism that Key felt on the morning of September 14.
For some, diminished patriotism may be the result of strong distaste for U.S. government policies. Here, we can follow Key’s example. The author of what would become our national anthem was originally opposed to the War of 1812, as was most of the population in the northeastern United States. But Key still loved his country and his heart swelled with pride and relief at the sight of his nation’s ensign.
For most of us, however, it isn’t disagreement with our government. It’s simply our laziness and apathy. We have become so infatuated in our day with things that simply don’t matter that much that we forget to focus on the things that do.
Our country is an important thing, and important anniversaries like September 14 should not escape our notice.
Let us resolve to do better next time around.
