Ms. Knight performed magnificently-- but to be picky, I thought maybe a tad bit too theatrical. Seeming to showcase Gladys Knight's beautiful singing prowess, over the purpose for her being there-- The National Anthem. She did look fabulous!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTuoq6TllaU
Call me soft but I still sometimes get goosebumps and chills when I hear someone sing it exactly right. With feeling and soul (Like K.D. Lang would do it)... Done correctly in a venue such as the packed, universally watched Super Bowl, it could have lasting subconscious affects on large numbers. Positive affects. So many people- some secretly, others not so much, long for a return to genuine civic patriotism. They long for a more firm conviction of their freedom. Heartfelt love for the country and all people in it. All of them. 'All of them' is not a 'return to the way thing's were'. All Of US is the preferred recipe for the ongoing successful future. The only one that's going to work.
Many will hopefully remember, if only subliminally, feeling the heat of lost inspiration from hearing the song- the Anthem- done right. The self-force-feel won from fanning flames of genuine patriotism. They'd relish the feeling of a graceful return to global acceptance, respect and rank-- Unquestioned safe harbor. And a far less evil power structure. Return empathy to it's rightful place. Patriotism has been turned into something perhaps negative. Frankly, deservedly so... as is the case with so many entities. They've been revealed. Genuine Patriotism is nothing like this. What we have today. I think many 'Genuine Patriots' actually keep their mouths shut. Least until Trumps'-Crusade is dead and quiet.
The way things used to be-- Even though political tyrants were already running loose, they observed certain 'rules and protocols'. A measure of feigned civility. And far, far, less harmful to the country as a whole. Great in fact, for their states and citizens. Motivations were different. More "localized." (Few were actually double-operatives for foreign adversaries. Arguably, no other presidents). Even if our political class wheeled and dealt behind close doors. We generally trusted/assumed they were probably doing a good thing. They covered it all up and none of it became a national disaster, from within. The crooks were actually far more professional than the current mob. Few were the wiser. Lots of secrets and looking the other way. The possibility of our democracy being intentionally dismantled, causing the imminent collapse of the country, then mayhem--was nowhere in the books. By a sitting president, no less! I don't think it was even a remote or lucid thought, before it began happening in real time.
Before Trump happened, "They" kept secret our most nefarious policies, diplomatic actions, and innumerable covert shenanigans. "They" all worked in relative harmony with each other. No more. Every intelligence agency is under contrived threat from that dick in the Oval Office. All to eliminate any serious legal threat for himself. Or meaningful enforcement of laws for the current criminal undertaking's by Trump and Gang.
Trump has made necessary an urgent reassessment of the national proclivity to let politicians do their own thing, as long as we didn't have to hear about it. Trump and his mob are doing serious damage all throughout government. His cabinet choices tell you how bad it is. All quiet, virtually under the proverbial radar. We are no longer safe from previously monitored, deadly health intrusions. No more guarantee of clean, safe water. Our air is going to return to the smog-covered cities we saw in the past. The planet will get warmer, faster than ever before. There's going to be ongoing natural disasters, the likes of which we aren't ready for. Much less, ever experienced before. Polar Vortexes will be a yearly event, worse every year. We're closer than ever to nuclear catastrophe.
One man. One deranged, selfish, greedy sociopath is doing this to 7.5 Billion people. He's legally about to feed at the human trough, as long as he's allowed to. Why is it, "Only the Good Die Young"? The planet could use a good caretaker about now. Trouble is, all the good caretakers are on the side against us- Like Trump. Won't switch. afraid of gettin' taken care of- Like Trump.
Trump will absolutely destroy us if he's left alone to do it. Relative to that possibility; I've always considered the Russian language to be coarse, brutish sounding... no 'melody' to the words. Harsh, difficult and ugly to the (my) ears. I wouldn't look forward to being forced to learn it.
Never to be minimized or forgotten, it's republicans who are shamelessly letting him get away with all of it. Even helping. They are the figurative coal for his engine. They have to know what they're allowing is nothing less than pure evil in motion. No mitigation exists. What do they all fear? How can they allow this complete domination over them, seemingly at any cost. What keeps them from reacting to this threat from within the White House?
They could stop it. And allow America to make the long trek to a more unified, progressive, useful country. The land of laws, equally applied. To a place not under siege by it's own elected political "leaders." To something closer to acceptable, understandable reality. Rational and fair. A country to be truly proud of. Not universal piranhas, eating everything insight, including our own.
Seen as a rolling clown show for international criminals. Which is precisely what we are at the moment. Russian, Jewish, others, and to a lesser degree, American Mobsters and Mobster wannabe's are firmly in charge. Some real Patriotism could surely be put to some good use right about now.