David Trone’s alteration of ‘America the Beautiful’ draws strong reactions | READER COMMENTARIES

Kudos to Trone for emphasizing the environment

Michael G. Alexander of Bel Air, writes in his letter to the editor that he’s appalled Rep. David Trone, now campaigning for the U.S. Senate from Maryland, would use a children’s choir to sing an altered version of “America the Beautiful” dedicated to environmental causes in a campaign ad (“Trone takes ugly liberties with ‘America the Beautiful,’” Nov. 27).

I too listened to that song when it played on TV. I thought it was clever, and it was apropos that children sang the altered song. After all, children are the future of America, and they are the ones who will be impacted by the environmental degradation of America, by pollution, toxic waste and climate change. To those who care about the environment; who’ve experienced the searing heat of summer 2023; who’ve seen spring with its flowers come early, fall with its colors come late and winter barely there each passing year; and to those who survived the downwind smoky haze of forest fires burning up North in Canada, the sentiments expressed in that altered song are powerful and real. It is an anthem that is a warning.

Margot Balboni, a cultural landscape photographer has documented in her book “The American Made Alphabet” scenes that bear witness to America the beautiful being mined for greed and opportunism. It is time we took notice when a politician such as Trone emphasizes the environment over balmy lies. Against the truth there are no untouchable and exalted lyrics of songs.

— Usha Nellore, Bel Air

The future of the environment matters most to the young

Michael G. Alexander describes himself as “livid” over U.S. Rep. David Trone’s choice of choir in his current television ad. Does it occur to the writer that the issues mentioned in Trone’s choice of song are those that will have the greatest impact on young people like those in Mr. Trone’s chosen choir — young people who should be able to lead long happy healthy lives and may not be able to do so if these issues are not addressed? I do believe that is Trone’s very valid point.

— Ann Power, Catonsville

‘Heinous’ version of an American classic

Kudos to The Sun for printing a letter from Michael G. Alexander of Belair about U.S. Rep. David Trone’s evisceration of “America The Beautiful” with children and young teens singing. I am glad others share the same sentiment about this heinous rendition of a classic American song. If I were Trone, I would pull the commercial off the air, and do it immediately!

— Patrick R. Lynch, Towson

Altered song a ‘call to action’

The overwrought letter writer castigating Rep. David Trone’s commercial featuring a new rendition of “America the Beautiful” sung by children seems to miss the point. The song in question is not the national anthem. The song seeks to inform us that our land will be much less beautiful as a result of climate change caused by global warming. Our bad habits have caused global warming, and the next generations are facing a very bleak future unless we change these habits. If you think America is beautiful and worth saving, there are practical things that can be done to mitigate bad outcomes. I see this as a call to action. Let’s not muddy the message by censoring a song that needs to be sung in all honesty — no fake pretense. I thank Trone for delivering this important message.

— Edward McCarey McDonnell, Baltimore

The children were singing about their own future

I couldn’t believe what I was reading in a comment sent in by Michael G. Alexander of Bel Air regarding David Trone’s political choice in his campaign to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate. The writer’s stated that he was “livid” over Trone’s use of children singing a modified version of ‘America the Beautiful,’ substituting original words with words that reflect what we are experiencing now in the environment and will even more so in the future with our actions propelling climate change. Trone’s use of children was not for political gain, but to drive home to all on Earth that if we do not make the changes we know we need to make now, the very words they sing will be their existence. They are singing their future.

— Prescimone, Rivera Beach

The children’s voices and words ‘spoke to me’

I want to share a different viewpoint on the recent letter to the editor, “Trone takes ugly liberties with ‘America the Beautiful,’” (Nov. 27). The ad hits home with me, getting the attention of viewers with the severity of global warming. The children in the choir were certainly asked permission to participate, and their voices speak louder than anyone else’s as it is their world to protect and reverse global warming trends. We will be long gone, but they will be living with the consequences of our neglect to do something right now. Politics aside, we must come together to change our behavior, and the singing voices of children and the words spoke to me.

— Brook Yearley, Baltimore