New York Daily News writer Gersh Kuntzman wrote an article Thursday entitled “Major League Baseball Must Permanently Retire ‘God Bless America,’ a Song That Offends Everyone,” where he asserts that “‘God Bless America’ should be sent permanently to the bench.”
“Welcome to the July 4 holiday weekend — when once again, baseball fans will be assaulted by the saccharine-sweet non-anthem ‘God Bless America’ at stadia all over this great land,” Kuntzman began in his off-colored column.
Kuntzman says he was initially thankful for Major League Baseball’s decision to play the pro-America anthem after the Islamic terror attacks on September 11, 2001., but says eventually, the “shared heartache” of 9/11 that “provided catharsis” soon “became headache.”
Kuntzman says the reverential tradition “when fans are asked to rise, remove their caps and place them over their hearts” is a “Mussolini-esque introduction of the song.”
“The song still embodies great things about America, but also our worst things: self-righteousness, forced piety, earnest self-reverence, foam,” Kuntzman wrote.
Kuntzman also casts “God Bless America” as offensive to believers, foreigners, and folk singer Woody Guthrie.
“If you want to thank God for blessing America, you can do it on Sunday in the other church.”
