Born Again American

[filkertom]

My mom and I don't necessarily agree politically. We often have lesser conflicts philosophically. But she sent something to me today I really can't argue with.

Norman Lear (yes, that Norman Lear) has a new project, Born Again American. The goal is both activism and inspiration, help and hope. Their music video has at least one lyric I would tweak ("My Bible and the Bill of Rights" -- I'd change "and" to "of" to apply to me), but they let you add and remix the thing, so, hey.

Thoughts?

Comments

[aiela.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think that's a typo on the lyrics page. If you go to the "About the Performers", there's this paragraph by Keith Carridine:

Why I am a Born Again American: When Norman asked me to write "Born Again American" he did so with the suggestion that the song address several timely and timeless social and political issues. He was quite specific about reinforcing what our founders envisioned when they wrote our Constitution and Bill Of Rights; (ergo " my bible is The Bill Of Rights "). The secular ideals of Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine are what we need to remind ourselves of at this critical time in our Nation's history.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I haven't even looked at the lyrics page yet. This was actually sung in the video, at least the second repeated chorus.

[aiela.livejournal.com]

Hm, that's interesting, then. (I watched the video, but apparently I wasn't listening close enough to be sure what they sung there.)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Just checked the lyrics page. "My Bible and the Bill of Rights".

[aiela.livejournal.com]

Right - but the supposed quote from the writer is that that isn't the lyric - so I'm really confused. Given the overreaching message of the song, it seems like it -should- be "My bible is the bill of rights", and that's what the quote from the writer says it is. It's very strange - on their own web page they have it two different ways, one that is way more inclusive than the other.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Sorry Tom but that line "My Bible and the Bill of Rights" just doesn't sit right with me. Seems like he's saying non-christians aren't really welcome here. Until it's clarified, I can't get behind that. But I hope aiela is correct.

Even if she is, "bible" implies something holy and unalterable and our Constitution is alterable. It has been multiple times. The phrasing makes it seem too close to an absolutist system for my tastes. My problem with an absolutist system is that it gives no wiggle room. It's like those Zero Tolerance policies at schools where kids get suspended for bringing an aspirin or plastic table knife.