I was offended.

[achtung_circus]

I attended the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto on Monday. As usual, there was a lot of participation from the USAF on the other side of Lake Ontario.

This year’s contributions included the F-15, F-16, B-1B, C-17 and the F-104.

This is obviously a tightly choreographed schtick from Air Combat Command. The F-15 and F-16 flew apart and together with a soundtrack that included Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” with lyrics revised just enough to avoid obvious insult.

Instead of:

“I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.”

We got:

“We’re glad to be in Canada where at least you know you’re free.
And we won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.”

The crowd wasn’t buying it. There was scattered, polite applause when the very testosterone laden USAF announcer asked us to show our support for the brave men and women of both countries fighting the Global war on Terror.

I rarely get to hear this bullshit first hand.

I was offended.

[Maat]

1. Funny, I remember a time when I was proud to be an American ..

during the Clinton years. It seemed as if things had improved quite a bit. For example, as a social worker, I was thrilled at more adequate funding of necessary social programs.

The last six years have been Pure Heck.

[zanne]

4. Back in the day...

The national anthem moved me and the Fourth of July was the best day of the summer.

[Maat]

7. I remember.

I'm not saying that this Country has been perfect - far from it - but, I do remember a time when I was very proud of certain progress.

[Benhurst]

5. Being proud to be an American is so ...

so Nineties.

No one but a fascist would be proud of what this country is doing now.

[Maat]

8. Sigh.

Sadly, you are correct.

[kellenburger]

2. my own version of that song...

... I'm proud to be an american
where at least I know I'm free.

free from the chance to get a job
or at least be debt free

and I'll gladly stand up next to you
in the unemployment line...

there aint no doubt ol' Bush is out
God bless the USA !

(c)1992 me

[magellan]

3. They're just clueless about how they turn people off

...with their flag-waving nationalism and blatant sucking up for attention. I'm sorry you had to be witness to that.

[AX10]

6. The vast majority of Canadians will not be bought off...

by cheap jingoistic propaganda.

[Xenotime]

9. There's nothing to be proud of about being an American.

This country should be ashamed of itself. We have brought death and destruction around the world.

[achtung_circus]

10. How about

"hate the sin, love the sinner" meme.

I don't blame all Americans for this uber-nationalistic tripe. American has a great deal to be proud of. That you are undergoing this national trauma is a shame.

Of course, the one that should feel the shame most are least likely to do so, and vice versa.

Chins up. November approaches.

[acmejack]

11. Are you sure it was an F-104?

The USAF quit flying them in 1967. Always a neat plane, I liked them when I was a child (AF brat).

snip>
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a high-performance supersonic interceptor aircraft, capable of high speeds and climb rates. The Starfighter entered service with the US Air Force in 1958, but dissatisfaction with the aircraft's range, load-carrying ability, and equipment led to it being phased out in 1967. However, in a heavily modified form, the Starfighter sold well abroad, particularly to the air forces of Germany, Canada, and Italy, where high-speed fighter-bomber versions continued in service until the mid 1980s (and, in the case of the Italian Air Force, until 2004)

Just curious...