Daddy-D's "America, The Beautiful"

By Tom Pfahler

An encomium written by WWII hero & POW, Bob Doolan, my oldest pal and constituent...thanks Cap! Keep 'em flying.

On Memorial Day, as a recessional after mass, our organist played "America, The Beautiful". I must have sung with gusto, as a good friend remarked, "Bob, you sang that as if you really meant it". And, I guess I do.

Few nations can equal the sheer beauty and amazing diversity of our Land, from purple mountains to shining seas. The fruited plains and amber waves of grain have fed not only our people, but also a considerable portion of the world.

But God's blessing goes much further than our natural resources and beauty. Our founding fathers surely were inspired. They founded a nation of laws and brotherhood and rights and freedoms, not easily matched either before or after. Indeed, emerging nations which have tried to emulate us have failed through greed or lack of faith. Individually, the early patriots were human and imperfect, but they willed us a workable republic. We have enjoyed growth and prosperity, peaceful succession of governments, security in the provisions they instituted for us to rectify errors in our choice of leaders or laws, and provision, under law, to meet changing conditions. We have opened our shores to refugees from all lands. We need no walls to keep people either in or out.

There are some who question our every motive, even our generosity. But hunger knows no politics. We have made mistakes, of course, but if there is no freedom here...there is no freedom anywhere.

Bob Doolan