At the funeral of Winston Churchill, one of his favourite hymns was played. His mother Jenny was American, and he was a fond student, and a skilled one, of american history, researching even about the author of this hymn. The hymn should not be taken as an excuse for unjust jingoism, but rather a rallying cry for those who feel battered by the recent events, a confidence that ultimately good will triumph someday, and this goodness is not any one nation or groups private domain. That being said, a certain amount of patriotism is a necessary requirement to have a healthy society. I feel I can promote this because I'm a Canadian who has an American mother and have lived many years in the United States. Sometimes mistakes were made against people such as the poor in latin america. To sing a hymn like this isn't to ignore that, but that it is right to love and serve your country, if you hope that your country is maintaining its commitment to democratic values. This site below also movingly puts us in touch with those who have gone before us...in this case with the union army. My great grandfather lost his leg at gettysburg. There have been horrors in the past, but like the ancient chinese calligraphy...the same word for danger also means opportunity. I think there's opportunity to turn back to our loving God, for example... remembering the past helps us to meet the present and future with renewed hope...and confidence... Lady Julian of Norwich said that ultimately, "All shall be well, and all manners of things shall be well..." Any ways, here is the Battle Hymn of the Republic site: http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/battle.html
