'God Bless America': A Twitter hashtag for all inauguration emotions
Commentary: One of the top-trending Twitter hashtags on Friday was a familiar phrase with (at least) two entirely different interpretations.
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Counting his blessings?
When it comes to politics, God is invoked in so many different ways.
The Brits want God to save their queen. Which is odd, as she's always seemed quite self-sufficient to me.
Americans, on the other hand, want God to bless America.
Is this a statement of fear? Or a wish that God continues to bless America with all the blessings that have showered down upon the nation so far?
On Inauguration Day, the hashtag #GodBlessAmerica became the number one trending item and a place where all gathered to emit their feelings.
Naturally, these feelings were somewhat mixed.
Many lauded the day as a new beginning for an old America. For example, this from Twitterer Candace: "It is most definitely a 'New Dawn In America!' God bless America and God bless President Donald J. Trump!"
Irma Hinojosa saw this as a day when we all become equal: "'Patriotism will over come prejudice' -- President Trump. His speech was about unity and improvements for us all, God Bless America."
Many crave this unity, though they don't yet see it, especially with Trump having built a wall between Latinos and his cabinet.
Some took the blessing idea even more literally.
"God bless America...so that we may be a blessing to the hurting, poor, vulnerable, immigrants, oppressed, marginalized," wrote Eugene Cho. Now, about those immigrants.
Jack Posobiec simply marveled that God blessing America had become so important: "Donald Trump is President of the United States and God Bless America is #1 Trend on Twitter." In this, it had beaten out #Amtrak and #NationalCheeseLoversDay.
Then there were those for whom "God Bless America" now means "God Help Us All."
BBC Scotland News tweeted the words of Alex Salmond, former First Minister of the country: "May God bless America and God help the rest of us."
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich took a very dark, plaintive view of the phrase: "Tomorrow, the tantrum-throwing monstrous man-child will become President of the United States. God Bless America."
It seems that no one can even agree on the maturity level of our new blessed president. Amy Mec, for example, countered with: "Our long national nightmare is finally coming to end! The adults are now back in charge. God Bless America!!"
Bless my soul, I have no idea what to think anymore.
Perhaps, though, it's best to leave the last word to the quintessential American, Larry The Cable Guy. He offered a real man's perspective on the whole thing: "That's one thing about rednecks. We always show up if we know there's gonna be a fireworks display! God Bless America!!"
There will surely be some fireworks over the next four blessed years.
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