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.

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Sat. September 11, 2004, 11:29pm PDT

Let freedom reign?

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