Let freedom reign?

Excuse me? Did I just see fields of signs thrust into the air while watching the Republican National Convention tonight on TV bearing the phrase "Let Freedom Reign?" Is this what the Republican party has come to?

I was personally outraged at the misquote written on a note and passed to National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice by President Bush upon hearing about the quiet hand over of power from the U.S. led occupying coalition to Iraq. He took a lyric to a joyful and hopeful song sung time and again amidst 4th of July fireworks and weeping parents at childrens choir concerts and turned it into a boastful and egotistical campaign slogan. Let freedom reign.

I provide for you now the wonderfully composed lyrics to "Let Freedom Ring" written by Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman with music by Barry Manilow:

My country, 'tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims pride,
from ev'ry mountainside

Let Freedom Ring, let it's music resound throughout the nation.
Let it celebrate sweet liberty that is keeping us free and strong
Let Freedom Ring, and let everyone share its inspiration.

Let the promise not be satisfied until no one's denied its song
It's a dream to build upon.
We take the dream and pass it on (and on) and on (and on) and on

Let Freedom ring for the children of ev-ry generation]
May the love of freedom always ring and let everyone sing a long
It's a dream (it's a dream) to build upon.
We'll take the dream and pass it on (and on) and on (and on)
and let freedom sing, (Let freedom ring.)

Let freedom ring, for the children of ev'ry generation
May the love of freedom always ring; it has brought us this far (it has brought us this far)
it proclaims who we are (it proclaims who we are),
and together we sing, "Let freedom ring,"
(Peo-ple ev'rywhere, let freedom ring; people ev'rywhere let freedom ring
People all o-ver the world let freedom ring
People ev'rywhere let freedom ring People ev'ry where,
let freedom ring; people ev'rywhere let freedom ring,
People all over the world let freedom ring
People ev'rywhere let freedom ring,
people ev'rywhere let freedom ring

Webster's online dictionary defines the word "reign" as meaning "royal authority, the dominion, sway, or influence of one resembling a monarch." I think this makes the Bush camp's position well-known to the world that, would it have its way, the Bush reight-wing (oops!) party would rule as if he were King and no one could dispute his power or authority for fear their homes would be burned and families killed in the night. Well, on November 2 I will cast my vote elsewhere, cast out King George, and will rejoice as I LET FREEDOM RING.

Comments (4) | To Top

9/12/2004 @ 10:02am

Can't believe the Republicans think they have a dynasty and can do or say anthing they want without answering to anyone. I only hope America speaks loudly on election day and shouts back "We don't want a dictator!"

by The Watcher

4/12/2005 @ 7:54am

You all have your panties in a ruffle over this comment? Do you all really have better things to be outraged about other than a post-it note to our national security advisor? It was truly an awesome and yes, an appropriate phrase to utter. It was not arrogantly stated as you might want to think. You all hate Bush and if he says anything slightly controversial you jump on him for being stupid, arrogant, etc. etc. and yet he continues to lead and forge ahead despite the stupid liberal ideology in this country. Let Freedom Reign...4 more years

by T Val

4/12/2005 @ 10:19am

...and then the tyranny and looting can begin! We are a member of the world and until we begin acting like a member of this global community we'll continue to alienate our allies and place every nation of this great planet on the other side of the ideological line from us.

I also see no problem scrutinizing everything our "elected leaders" do since, in the end, they need to be held accountable to their employers -- the American people. I don't believe anyone who begins to steer this country into the unilateral Neo-Con course that BushCheneyRoveRumsfeld machine desire should be given a blank check to do so. When are the so-called Republicans going to wake up and smell the polluted air and realize that we need to get over ourselves and begin a real dialog with the rest of the world.

Then again, this is a long range way of planning and I'm pretty sure the folks running your party don't think much beyond "4 more years".

by KevinFreitas

9/8/2005 @ 2:51pm

The hatred of the Left runs so desperate and deep that you convey venom in your words and thoughts. There are other songs where the words "Let freedom reign" are part of the chours. We don't even know what the intent of the post it was - that is of course if you remove ASSUMPTIONS fromt this whole thing. But as always, so many of you will jump at ANY chance to discredit Bush. Did you jump to discredit Clinton when he sold our patents to the Chinese? Did you even blink when you found out about the disgusting conduct in the Oval office with that misguided intern? Or are you so focused on pollution, global warming, and all the other feel good causes that the Democratic party shamlessly clings to in order to win over politically and financially uneducated voters?

A dialog with the rest of the world.... that is a nice euphamism but unrealistic at its core. A leader does not worry about who he is pleasing. He focuses on doing the right thing. He listens to others but in the end has to make decisions based on values. ( Dont' think so ... look at Hussein... or Arafat... they based their decisions based on their values. So does George W. Bush. Thank goodness he does not make decisions based on whether France or Germany or any other country likes the way he thinks. Our values are not those of the rest of the world NOR SHOULD THEY BE. We are the world leader - not the followers. This does not make us tyranical. Do we make mistakes, yes. Do we want to share our system of prosperity - it is called democracy - with countries less fortunate than ourselves - yes. We are the best friend any other country on earth could ever have. Don't forget that. If you don't believe or perhaps want to understand that to be true... go back more than 150 years (not the 80 or so years that most Liberals go back - the world did not begin with FDR believe it or not) in world history and see who has helped more countries that anyone else. See who has been more generous than anyone else.

Just look at the people risking everything to come to America. They are willing to take small rafts in shark infested waters to get to this land of freedom.... don't miss the lesson here... not because their lives are so wonderful in other countries. Right? But because a capitalistic economy is the only way to profit. The poorest countries on earth are those who are the least capitalistic. Why would we want their advice or opinion on anything?!?! We want to help them help themselves., Think that when you opose this you opose their own progress.

by Plat Split

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Wed. September 1, 2004, 11:29pm PDT

Let freedom reign?

9/12/2004 @ 10:02am

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