A prominent Florida Republican is slamming pop star Lady Gaga for changing the lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner.
On Friday night, singing at the New York City Gay Pride Parades Kickoff Rally, Gaga changed the last line of the national anthem. She changed star-spangled banner for star-spangled flag of pride. Some believe she changed home of the brave for home of the gay at the end of the song.
West weighed in on Monday, ripping into Lady Gaga for defiling the national anthem. A favorite of the tea party movement and of conservatives, West has left the door open for a political comeback in 2016 despite losing his congressional seat to Democrat Patrick Murphy in November.
Having served in the U.S. Army for 22 years alongside some very brave men and women, I find Lady Gaga's defiling of our national anthem reprehensible, West posted on Facebook on Monday.
We are the land of the free because America has always been the home of the brave from Lexington and Concord to Kandahar, West added. This young lady should be taken to Fort McHenry and given a history lesson as to why Francis Scott Key wrote those words, incredible words.
In this week where we remember the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and the 237th anniversary of our independence is further evidence of the level of ignorance and disrespect some have for our national character, West wrote in conclusion. She and all those who cheered her abomination should be ashamed and apologize to every serving and retired member of our armed services.
Gaga is not the first celebrity to draw criticism over Star Spangled Banner. Comedian Roseanne Barr was heavily criticized for her version of it before a baseball game back in July 1990.
While supporters of same-sex marriage, like Gaga, cheered the Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional, West did not join some on the right in bemoaning the decision. Instead, the former congressman said the issue of same-sex marriage should be left to the states. West wrote last week that voters should have more of a say on the matter instead of leaving it all in the hands of the judicial branch.
I don't believe when the 14th Amendment was passed to support the 13th Amendment, the writers ever conceived it would be used as a catch-all for various special interest groups, West wrote after the decision was released. And I am very concerned that special interest groups can challenge the referendum of the people and seek out their interest before the courts -- and in fact overrule the democratic process by legislating from the bench. America is facing immense issues that threaten our republic -- economic, energy, and national security issues -- and I shall not get caught up in debates at the federal government level on legislating sexual behaviors. The states will make the final determination but then again, we need to beware judicial activism.
Watch Lady Gaga's rendition of the National Anthem:
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at 904-521-3722.
