In the Living section of the Huffington Post, Dr. Judith Rich expresses her complex reaction to the title, "Could You Be A Born Again American?," a song sung in a music video by Americans across the country who are actually living the real life stories in the verses they are singing.
I won't do Dr. Rich's lovely piece the disservice of trying to retell her experience as she wrestled with the discomfort the title induced in her initially, except to say I'm happy with the way she resolved the issue and that I love her, too. But I would like to answer the question that I've been asked in emails all day as to how the song came about.
Perhaps a year ago I was asked to address a Campaign for America's Future conference in DC and was telling my friend and frequent contributor to HuffPost, Marty Kaplan, that I intended to say that these difficult times required a generation of young people who felt themselves born again as Americans. "Born Again Americans," Marty repeated, and several days later he called me to suggest that there was a great country song inherent in that title. Some days later, it was New Years Eve to be exact, I found myself in the company of the actor/singer/composer Keith Carradine and his guitar and told him what I've just written here. Two weeks later Keith called me to ask if he could sing me the song he'd just written. Within a month, a camera crew and director Mark Johnson began to crisscross the country to find and film the vocalists.
Today, as I write this, some 700,000 people have seen and heard the song on our BornAgainAmerican.org site. Thousands have taken a pledge to keep themselves informed and involved in the political life of their country. It is clear to me that the grass has been very dry in the grassroots for a long, long time and that Americans everywhere will respond to any spark that ignites and appeals to their deepest love of country. What we are all looking for is an urgent reawakening to the highest purposes and deepest obligations of our citizenship. That is why there was joy in Mudville a week ago Tuesday and hope is once again alive in the land.
When America needs them, they won't be there!
Semper fi
Just *please* don't try to cram religion down my throat; I can love my country without it.
Semper fi
Using a visual platform to personify our nation's divides is a clever and effective medium. 700,000 people- impressive.
Once we can stop arguing about the semantics, we can get to work implementing it. (Kind of like politics, no?)
Frankly, country music, bibles and born again stuff is the farthest thing from my identity. But recasting a new identity as an American- got it.
Thanks again
Kari
Because the one thing I am not is born again! George Bush was born again, as was Karl Rove, Cheney and all the rest of the bible thumping extremists who ruined things these past eight years.
So if you're looking for a new way to turn people off America, wrap the flag tighter in the Bible and you've miraculously just succeeded.
And I just despise and detest the nasal twangy whine of what passes for 'country' music today.
As for being a born-again American, I'm actually going out this weekend to buy a flag to put on the outside of my house. That's something I haven't wanted to do for a very, VERY long time.
ME TOO!
I reserve the RIGHT and FREEDOM as an American to listen to the more refined classical music.
Country music is, way too simplistic, and same ole', same ole' same ole rythem with out variation......... lacking the subtlety, and nuance we NEED to learn, to move forward.
And why do we listen to "country" music when more than 1/2 the population lives in the urban centers?
I DO think we need to change the Star Spangled Banner however..with it's rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air.....SENDS a very bad message!
The good news is that in most places there are radio stations that satisfy a variety of tastes (not where I live, but what the heck).