Sunday, January 18, 2009

This Land is Your Land



Coming home after a long and dreary day, I was listening to the pre-inauguration activities on the radio. Then the announcer said that Pete Seeger, yes, The Pete Seeger, was going to sing next. My mind went back immediately to the days I lived in San Francisco and all those Little Boxes, you know, the green ones, and the pink ones, and the blue ones, and the yellow ones. Those were the days that I believed in America and that I could change the world, as most of us did believe back in the 60s.

Then Seeger began singing with that old familiar one of a kind voice:

"This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me."

I started to bawl. It was a release for the years of sadness I have felt, for the anger like I have never known before, for disappointment, discouragement, and loss of faith in this Country, this Government and it's people.

On Tuesday, this Country begins anew with the leadership of President Obama, and once again hope returns for those of us who have doubted this land was our land.

UPDATE (by Anjha): I looked for the video this morning and then ran out of time. Voila! Came home and there it was in my inbox via Truthout. Cool.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had to comment, because I too started to cry while watching them sing this... it just goes to show how ingrained this is in our psyche.. the wounds, and the love.

Judith said...

Sukie, at the same time I was feeling all those things, I also felt something I haven't felt in eight years, pride. I had forgotten what it felt like to be overcomed with pride in this Country. It has been too long.

Anonymous said...

Yes,you are correct, i left off Pride which i too felt. "This wonderful experiment, this America," as my father always said. The pride did indeed come back.

Anjha said...

Damn, I wish I would have heard that. I did not see this part of the pre-inagural events.

Damn.

I had better pay attention tomorrow.

Thanks, Judith, for sharing this with us.

Judith said...

Anjha, I missed it too, except for two songs and Obama's speech, and because I don't have cable, I couldn't watch the repeat. I too wish I could have seen it.

My Sister shared that she cried also. I suspect there were many tears across this Country, relief and joy.

iamcoyote said...

I watched the whole thing, I wasn't planning on it, but turned on the sunday shows and was reminded. I was puttering, so I thought I'd have it in the background. I ended up watching the whole thing. It was an amazing production, really. Very patriotic, with performers from all walks, readings from even Reagan and such that were uplifting and pro-US. I gotta say, I cried most of the time. I actually felt proud of my country again (heh). I also felt like I was watching an updated version of Stand Up and Cheer and expected Shirley Temple to show up to lift the spirits of the people out of the Depression.

On a lighter note, I totally want Mary J. Blige's outfit. If you see a youtube of her song (totally worth it) you'll understand.

And idio, I finally watched the BSG premiere. Yikes! Bummer! Dee! Time loop? Angels? Clones?

Judith said...

"I actually felt proud of my country again (heh)."

Yeah Iamcoyote, me too. If there was ever proof that a president can either bring out the best in us, or the worst in us, it has been GWB.

Judith said...

Beounce singing 'America' was pretty uplifting too.

iamcoyote said...

Sadly, the bushies ruined that song for me after 8 years of hell.

mainsailset said...

Big thank you Judith. I watched but didn't see Pete Seeger and had been looking out for him just because I wanted to hear him sing 'This Land is Your Land'. That song has made me tear up for decades but yesterday it came full circle.

Have you seen that Obama's Transition team has gotten special clearance-20 of the top members will be parked in vans ready to enter the WH Tues as soon as Obama has taken the oath. It won't be soon enough for me.

snark said...

The little prick has less than 24 hours left.

Can you believe it?

iamcoyote said...

Watch him try to slink out the back way to avoid all the shoes and loogies flung in his direction. Maybe he'll be met with handcuffs and a one way ticket to the Hague. And if he puts up a struggle - Taze 'im, bro, and his little dog, (cheney) too.

Judith said...

Anjha, oh thank you, thank you.