Hail Columbia, happy land!
Hail, ye heroes, heav'n-born band,
Who fought and bled in freedom's cause,
Who fought and bled in freedom's cause,
And when the storm of war was gone
Enjoy'd the peace your valor won.
Let independence be our boast,
Ever mindful what it cost;
Ever grateful for the prize,
Let its altar reach the skies.
Chorus
Firm, united let us be,
Rallying round our liberty,
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.
In Twain's Chapter X of "The Innocents Abroad" the ship's captain had "Hail Columbia" played as part of their July 4th celebration. As I read the chapter, I scratched my head, figuratively speaking, and was puzzled. What's with that? What is this song "Hail Columbia" and why did they play it during their Independence Day festivities? After a minor bit of research on the web, I found that I was even more ignorant in regards to American History than I had formerly known- for "Hail Columbia" was evidently our country's National Anthem before that wretched Star Spangled Banner was.
[Tip: Can you tell that I lament the scurious traitors who chose to make "The Star Spangled Banner" our National Anthem?]
And today I eat more dirt, for once again, for the umpteenth time, my world and Twain's intertwined...
[Remember: Please refer to my prediction in TAMARA FOR DUMMIES CH X that there was no way that Twain would be able to once again find a way to parallel my life with his. After all, I had peeked and his future held a celebration of Independence Day at sea and in my world it is still February. My schedule for the week included seeing Avatar 3D and I doubted that Twain would soon be seeing any gigantic flying birds, unless he mayhap journeyed to the center of the earth instead of to France.]
...Today my world and Twain's did intertwine for I have found myself watching perhaps the most patriotic of all sporting events- The Olympics, which this year are being held in...okay drum roll and hold onto your hat...British COLUMBIA! No, I could not make this stuff up even if I tried.
This morning, as I watched yesterday's Ice Dancing Finals on my DVR, I found myself inspired and shedding tears. Not only did our American team, first time Olympic participants Meryl Davis & Charlie White, take home the Silver medal, but their friendly rivals from the same training center in Michigan, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, "took home" the Gold (although they were already home so to speak so maybe that phrase is a redundant in their case).
I found it interesting to hear that as children of approx. 8 years of age, Charlie White and Scott Moir, in a foreshadowing of their futures, "battled it out" on the ice whilst playing that daintiest of games -ice hockey. Their teams evidently had the proper esprit de corps required by the sport. They went fisticuffs against each other (shocking behavior for children-I know!), although Charlie evidently didn't actually take a swing at Scott. He remained obediently on the bench as bidden by some sane adult, perhaps his coach.
[Technical Stuff: Is it possible to be a sane hockey coach?]
[More Technical Stuff: Note that Charlie epitomized that ideal for all American children of being freely obedient.]
So, here about fifteen years later, the two end up competing in the Olympic games against each other and by doing so make history as it is the first time that North Americans have won both gold and silver at an Olympic Ice Skating competition.
...friendly rivals, training together, sharing Russian coaches, competitive spirits propelling both teams to aspire to skate to their utmost amongst much well-wishing, hugging and joy all around....happy sigh!
[Technical Stuff: The bronze medalists, Russian pair Domnina & Shabalin and fourth place American couple Belbin & Agosto also train together and share the same coaches. It is rumored that their rivalry is friendly as well.]
What an ideal! For countries to compete to be their best but to remain friendly rivals. Instead of coming to fisticuffs, what if we all cheered each other on and yet all strived to be our best? Could there perhaps be a lesson to be learned here? Would this not make patriotism more golden? I hope so! Oscar Wilde said "Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious", but I don't think it has to be that way. I prefer what one of the greatest of all orators, Luciano Pavarottie, said: "The rivalry is with ourself. I try to be better than is possible. I fight against myself, not against the other."
And so, in the spirit of beautiful rivalries, today I "hail both Columbias!"
“Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.”- Proverbs 14:22
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