The National Anthem Makes Me Weirdly Patriotic

Unlike Memorial Day I am much more inclined to be patriotic on the 4th of July. I know a lot of people are, but I'm usually never patriotic. I feel like those people who only go to church on Easter and Christmas, I'm only patriotic on Independence Day.
The whole 'rocket's red glare' and the 'flag through the night' thing really sets me off. Especially when it's sung by someone who's got a soaring voice. I guess it's the whole day, like Christmas is so much more Christmas-y when the tree smells good and the people around you are kind and the snow falls. When the weather is balmy and the picnic is great and the people are good and the fireworks explode so inticingly and the sky is that dusky blue shade and the fireflies blink. The smell of hot dogs and gunpowder really makes me happy. I feel oddly elated and amazed to be a part of this country. It doesn't happen often, that I'm proud of who we are and even on the Fourth I get angry and upset, but I still somehow think it will turn out alright. Overall we're decent people who believe in these abstract things like Freedom and Liberty and we have fought wars to keep it that way. Even though we screw up often, and I wish we never went to war, especially the current one, I think Americans have this funny decency buried somewhere and after a while the cruelty gets intolerable and we do something about it. Granted, it's usually followed by bloodshed. It's strange, isn't it, how many of our boys have felt the same way, and how many of them have decided that they would be willing to die for that. I wish they could decide that and feel good about that decision, but not actually have to prove it by dying, or getting maimed or scarred, emotionally or physically. I wish we could show our pride in our country without having to sacrifice these boys needlessly. Even though I think these things I am amazed at the fact that someone would care enough about these things to do that. Amazed, awed, grateful and saddened.

Man, this wasn't supposed to go down that path. I was actually just going to comment on how cute the cheerleader from 'Heroes' is, and how she has a decent voice after all. Thank god she's not just some actress who THINKS she can sing, or a singer who thinks she can sing coughbritneycoughjessicacough cough.
That's all I meant to say. And that her singing 'The Star Spangled Banner' makes me oddly patriotic, something I never really intend.