Display of Patriotism
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2004 11:09 am
I went to to see the City of Boca Raton fireworks on the 4th. Like other years, the city put on a full day event on the grounds of Florida Atlantic University, ending with a concert by the Boca Pops orchestra. There was a big crowd and people were sitting cheek to cheek on the ground.
The concert ended with the 1812 Overture and then the fireworks started. Like every year, recorded music accompanied the fireworks. America the Beautiful, Neil Diamond's, America, Proud to be an American and so on.
Even though the music was the same as every year, I thought maybe they'd added a chorus at first. Because I was hearing voices. And then I looked around and saw people singing. Old folks. Kids. Families. Not everybody knew the words to every song - I didn't - but it was incredible to sing "Oh beautiful for spacious skies" and watch those skies light up in a show of color.
Then the opening notes of the Star Bangled Banner came on. What I watched and was part of will stay with me for forever. People stood. They rose from their lawn chairs, from their blankets, from the ground. Hats were removed. The people who didn't stand at first were nudged to their feet by those around them. The faces of Americans were reflected in the lights of the fireworks as the Star Bangled Banner - our National Anthem - played. People cried. Even my husband, a kind of hard0bitten kind of guy, swallowed hard a few times.
I have to believe that the display of feeling here in Boca was not unique. (Boca is hardly known for its patriotism!) Somehow, buried beneath all the Bush-Kerrey junk, the same displays that are reflected on this board, people do care deeply about this country.
I do. I know you do too. What I saw on Sunday night night reinforced that belief.
BocaGirl
The concert ended with the 1812 Overture and then the fireworks started. Like every year, recorded music accompanied the fireworks. America the Beautiful, Neil Diamond's, America, Proud to be an American and so on.
Even though the music was the same as every year, I thought maybe they'd added a chorus at first. Because I was hearing voices. And then I looked around and saw people singing. Old folks. Kids. Families. Not everybody knew the words to every song - I didn't - but it was incredible to sing "Oh beautiful for spacious skies" and watch those skies light up in a show of color.
Then the opening notes of the Star Bangled Banner came on. What I watched and was part of will stay with me for forever. People stood. They rose from their lawn chairs, from their blankets, from the ground. Hats were removed. The people who didn't stand at first were nudged to their feet by those around them. The faces of Americans were reflected in the lights of the fireworks as the Star Bangled Banner - our National Anthem - played. People cried. Even my husband, a kind of hard0bitten kind of guy, swallowed hard a few times.
I have to believe that the display of feeling here in Boca was not unique. (Boca is hardly known for its patriotism!) Somehow, buried beneath all the Bush-Kerrey junk, the same displays that are reflected on this board, people do care deeply about this country.
I do. I know you do too. What I saw on Sunday night night reinforced that belief.
BocaGirl