Leonard Pitts Jr.: Springsteen Captures The State Of America

http://www.nationalmemo.com/content/springsteen-captures-state-america

Springsteen Captures The State Of America
Wed, 03/21/2012 - 8:45am —
Leonard Pitts Jr.

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But with the anger, depression, lamentation and resignation, there is also defiance. There are also sprigs of hope. "Tomorrow there'll be sunshine and all this darkness past," he promises on "Land of Hope and Dreams." The title song, which commemorates the 2010 demolition of Giants Stadium, also functions as a statement of pugnacious pride: "Take your best shot, let me see what you've got. Bring on your wrecking ball!" In other words: knock me down -- if you can.

There is something quintessentially American in that. One recalls Gen. Anthony McAuliffe's one-word rejection of a Nazi demand for surrender: "Nuts!" One recalls Franklin Roosevelt's standing up to "fear itself" in the depths of the Great Depression. One recalls that look on Apollo Creed's face when Rocky Balboa got up off the canvas.

That is what America is -- hope and defiance in the face of challenge -- and there is something oddly patriotic in Springsteen's evocation of that in these hard times. Not the easy patriotism of Lee Greenwood's song and children waving sparklers on July 4th, but the hard and determined patriotism of those who will be down, but never stay down, never accept the gap between the America that is and the one that ought to be.

It is Springsteen's triumph to honor anger and lamentation, but also to look beyond them. And to remind us that, though hard times come and hard times go, hope and defiance still abide and sustain.

Bring on your wrecking ball.