A lot of it was spent snuggling with the teens and the bald kid watching marathons of Modern Family, Dexter, NCIS, Law & Order while munching away on Fritos and bean dip, Funyuns, gummy bears and sipping my all time fave drink Coca-Cola. And I love me some Coke.
Speaking of Coca-Cola......
We rarely had soda in my house as a child, but I clearly remember those commercials.
"I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony."
"I'd like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company"
And the camera panned from one person to another, of different races, ethnicities and all holding that glass Coke bottle with the wording in foreign languages.
Hmmmm....that commercial was from 1971. The year I was born.
As I mentioned, my snow days have allowed me some free time, time to do some FB quizzes to figure out which 80's female singer I am (Alanis Morisette), my IQ (140), where I should be living (Portland).
I also had time to take advantage of letting FB make my 62 second video of my most popular posts and photos-I was pretty impressed with that one-and read many people's responses to Coke's latest commercial aired during the Super Bowl.
Wow. That one minute commercial really upset some peeps.
If you haven't seen the commercial-go to You Tube and watch it.
The song "America The Beautiful" is being sang by a multitude of folks. Of different races and ethnicities and keeping with current times; sexual orientation. Apparently the fact that some of the verses of this sing are sang in a foreign language has been very upsetting to some people. Oh, that and the gay couple sharing a Coke and a happy moment with each other and their child.
Now, for what it's worth, here's my two cents on all this hoopla.
I love the commercial.
I loved it when I saw it.
I love it even more now.
It brought tears to my eyes.
I think it is respectful and beautiful.
The United States is the melting pot of people. Maybe being in the Midwest, most of us don't see that as clearly as our friends in larger cities on, say, the East Coast.
But remember, we are ALL foreigners on this great land unless you are Native American Indian, of which I am a small percentage. I am also of English descent. Yep, England. The country across the big ocean from which our main language originated.
People come to the United States for a better life. For themselves, for their families, for their children. For a chance to be educated, be free of religious and political persecution. And I'm pretty sure that not one of you reading my blog would rather live in a country with subpar healthcare and education. Where clean water isn't readily and freely pouring from a tap. Where your daughter would not be able to go to school and have the same advantages as your sons. Where your sons would be enlisted in the army as early as age 16. Where some people live without heating and air conditioning, electricity and the internet??
We have it pretty darn good here, and if it's what I want for my family, why is it wrong for another Mother or Father to want the same thing for their family?
What's that old saying "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"???
Some have said that American soldiers don't fight for this country to hear that song in a foreign language. And I adamantly disagree. I come from a long line of veterans; Grandfather, Father,
2 brothers, sister, sister-In-law, nephew, cousin, great Uncle and probably more I don't even know about. Add to that many, many military friends. And I could safely bet that each and every one of them fights for this country for that very reason.
They protect the freedom of each and every American to say, sing, read or preach whatever song, verse, bible, or prayer they want to without fear of being punished. They don't just fight for the rights of the Anglo-white-Americans. They are putting their lives on the line for all US Citizens-white, black, brown, yellow, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, gay, straight, bi, and transgender. And I would venture to say with the state of our education system, many of those people bitching, and their children, don't even know all the words to that beautiful song in English, let alone another language.
And about the unofficial anthem of the US....did you bigots out there know that it was penned by Katharine Lee Bates, a Wellesley college graduate and professor who, in the late 1800's/early 1900's, had a 25 year intimate relationship with a woman??? Yep, she was a lesbian. *gasp*. So the people mad about the gay couple in the commercial whom they feel are tarnishing the premise behind that song-gotcha!! Tell me again how gay marriage will be the downfall of society as you defend a poem written by a lesbian? I'm happy to hear your arguments.
Oh, and that song (originally written as a poem) was written after she took a wagon ride, mule ride and grueling hike up Pike's Peak to 14,000 feet and was in awe of the beauty she was witness to.
Yep, beautiful Colorado. Childhood home of my mother. Home of some of my favorite people. And to this day, a place that will take your breath away with its beauty. If you've never visited, it needs to be on your bucket list. The inspiration behind our unofficial national anthem. But I bet you've been to Branson. Or Las Vegas.
I know this post will probably piss some of my readers off, and may even cause you to stop reading my blog. But you know what? Because you are an American citizen, that's your right. And a right defended by a whole lot of people who may or may not agree with you.
That's what I find beautiful about America.
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