A reader quotes me:
This experiment has never been easy, or its success foretold, as the questions of the anthem seem to illustrate. We have faltered, nearly given up, torn ourselves apart, segregated and murdered, boomed and busted more than a few times.
I think this best represents why my favorite American anthem is actually "America, the Beautiful". I wish it had been made the offical anthem instead of "The Star-Spangled Banner" because it acknowledges the problems of this country. "America, America, God mend thine every flaw!" is not the kind of writing that encourages mindless jingoism or the idea that our every deed is right because we're God's chosen country. Follow that up with "America, America, may God thy gold refine, 'til all success be nobleness and every gain divine!" and you have a song that, while acknowledging the flaws, encourages an endless striving towards perfection, towards the betterment of ourselves and our country.
P.S. Nobody does it better than Ray. I listened to it the night Obama was elected (after a few too many beers) and it brought tears to my eyes.
The rest of the popular thread here.
The Dish 