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Politically correct madness

If anyone of sane thoughts (there are still some remaining) doubts the crazy — yes, crazy — mindset of today’s liberals, one need look no further than their latest stunt: “Let’s go after Kate Smith!” Their antics shock me almost daily, but this really takes the cake.

Even worse though are those who caved to this PC madness. The Philadelphia Flyers removed the statue of Kate Smith which had been there since 1987. Not to be outdone, the New York Yankees decided to stop playing the iconic Smith rendition of “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch. The Flyers quickly followed suit, banning the rendition.

Why? Not that reason ever matters a whole lot to liberals, but liberals (in the Yankees’ case, “a fan” — as in “one”) brought the fact that Smith had sung two allegedly racist songs in 1931. Then, of course, the looney tunes went into action.

Liberal news organizations often spiced up their reporting with lines like “… the statue was removed due to Kate Smith’s alleged history of singing racist songs.” History? Are you kidding me? Out of the more than 3,000 songs she recorded, they found two — recorded in 1931, when Kate Smith was in her 20s. Nor was either song with racist intent.

In fact, one of the two was also recorded by famous black baritone Paul Robeson and was considered satire, not racist.

The other was from a film in which Kate Smith sang to a group of black orphans. This was 1931 — intent should always be the bottom line, and while the words may certainly be questioned by today’s take-no-prisoners standards, there certainly was no animus intended.

We are talking about two songs from over 85 years ago. However, nothing — and I mean nothing — stops liberals.

Kate Smith was no racist. She was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. That is the nation’s highest civilian honor. She was a patriot whose efforts garnered some $600 million in U.S. War Bond sales during World War II. She was — and should remain — esteemed by this country she loved.

Nor should we ever forget her lovely singing. She was a fine singer with a beautiful voice. Today, few complain when some god-awful “singer” butchers our national anthem. No one seems to care when Kate Smith’s “God Bless America,” written for her by Irving Berlin, is rendered almost unrecognizable by some “artist” who is there only for exposure and publicity, not for patriotism and certainly not for singing.

Liberals — most of them — do nothing but drag this country down. That they have succeeded to the degree they have is the truly galling part. There is no end because they’re never satisfied. For example, Philadelphia Black Lives Matter activist Asa Khalif wasn’t even satisfied with the removal of Smith’s statue. Why? Because it happened at night. Since he’s running for city council, I guess he wanted to be there to mouth off for his constituents.

I pray there is backlash heaped at both the Yankees and Flyers for their ludicrous and slanderous actions. I hope fans are furious as they should be. In many respects, Kate Smith is America. She represents all the good it stands for. If she is “too controversial,” who’s next? Mother Seton?

I have often cried for the return of America, cried at what she has become. Today, however, I am weeping.

Katherine Leisering

Parkersburg

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