Major League Baseball must permanently retire ‘God Bless America,’ a song that

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Well it is 2016 after all

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/major-league-baseball-permanently-retire-god-bless-america-article-1.2693228

> Part of my outrage stems from ponderous Mussolini-esque introduction of the song, when fans are asked to rise, remove their caps and place them over their hearts.

Reality check, friends: “God Bless America” is not the National Anthem. The only songs Americans should stand for are “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Here Comes the Bride.”

> The song still embodies great things about America, but also our worst things: self-righteousness, forced piety, earnest self-reverence, foam.

I’m certainly not alone. A poll conducted by Sheryl Kaskowitz for her 2013 book, “God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song,” says it all:

> More than 61% of baseball fans — even some who like the song — don’t want it played at games.

“God Bless America” is as divisive as American politics: Kaskowitz’s research found that 83.8% of people who described themselves as “very liberal” dislike the song, while only 20.5% of people who called themselves “very conservative” have a problem with it.

>* Foreigners!: I once went to a Brooklyn Cyclones game with a British guy named James Silver, who smiled when “God Bless America” was being played. “It’s exactly what I expect from Americans,” he said. “The self-righteousness, the patriotism. It’s always nice to see my opinions confirmed.”