Where is your Song?

Opening up Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the entire crowd sang the Star Spangled Banner.  It was started by someone, and she put her mic down a few words in.  It was moving.   It made me think about when the lyrics were written.  By Francis Scott Key on September 13 1814 while being held captive on a British boat negotiating for the exchange of prisoners.  He had heard of the attack planned on Fort McHenry and was not permitted to leave with the prisoners before the attack.  So he had to stay, and watch the devastation by the light of the rockets red glare.  It was a war.  So many people died.  Does anyone even remember that stuff when they sing this song.  Do they remember the grave history and all the blood shed for our freedom here in America?  Or is it just an intro to a sporting event?  I wonder how many people think sporting event instead of sacrifice when they hear that song?  Sadly, too many.  But I guess that was the goal, huh?  To fight so we could play games and stuff.  

What about the song "Amazing Grace"? Written by John Newton while working on a slave ship.  He was one of the most profane men.  He even created new words to be even more profane the ordinary person.  So next time I say fuck shit up, or something else profane, know that my words could be just as special in the future as John Newtons Amazing Grace is now.  Do you even stop to think about who wrote this song?  The most profane and vulgar slavetrader you'd ever meet.  He was on a ship during a storm and was so moved when he survived he wrote this song.  He was back and forth with God for most his life and this event tipped the scales towards the divine.  Did he stop slave trading?  FUCK NO.  He murdered and tortured people!  He threw humans overboard just because he didn't want to keep them alive.  Sick, disgusting things.   He may have avoided profanity, gambling and drinking, but the emotion for amazing grace had nothing to do with conviction of his slave trade, it was because he survived a harsh storm.  Still upset with my f bombs?  Get over it, your favorite christian song was written by a guy who used worse ones.  So don't get offended, get over it.  I bet you are more upset with me saying fuckity fuck fuck than you are that your favorite christian song was written by one of the most brutal slave traders.

 Over the next few years John Newton grew empathetic towards slaves and did go on to become a pastor and a strong abolitionist. So yes, you can sing this song with the same meaning that you feel when you sing it now.  Though he didn't change immediately, over time he did.  But let me ask you something....

Where is your song for the slaves? 

Why is their still racism and race issues in 2016?  

Where is the song for the Native Americans we flushed from this land? 

So many things that people forget.  So many things we do just because we've always done them and not giving a second thought to.  Maybe John Newton changed...but have you?  There is still blatant racism inside of church walls today and it needs to stop.  There is all kinds of hatred towards various people groups.  And it needs to stop.  

Shit this was a hard one to write.  I'm just a white dude sitting in the lap of privilege.  What have I done with that?