February 28, 2013 (Thursday)
“God bless America!”–Irving Berlin *
My family and I moved to Rockport in November, 1964. Six months before the move, I joined W.D. Broadway and Gene McCombs on a trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey, for a trip to the Southern Baptist Convention and what was called, “Baptist Jubilee,” celebrating with several other Baptist denominations. The meetings were held simultaneously in various parts of the old but huge convention center.
One of the speakers for the American Baptist Convention was Martin Luther King, Jr. His father accompanied him to Atlantic City and was present every day in a large open area within the center, talking with everyone who wished to engage him in conversation. He was an exciting, energetic, intelligent person who kept a crowd around him every day. He was a highlight of the trip.
The other person I remember so well from that trip was a Jewish lady, possibly in her 60’s, who had immigrated to this country from Europe. We met her in a Jewish delicatessen, where we were served wonderful food and met very friendly folks. They asked where we were from, and we told them we were from Texas. This dear lady had gathered her bags and was headed toward the door when she heard that. She reached the door and turned around to say, with a heavy accent, and a huge, broad smile, “That’s where our president is from! God bless Lyndon Johnson! God bless Texas! God bless United States America!”
I cannot tell you how her words stirred my soul that evening. Suddenly I was tremendously thankful to be an American, something we tend to take for granted.
I don’t know why this nearly 50-year-old experience came to my mind today, but I felt I had to share it with you. “God bless America, land that we love.”
(Born in Russia as Israel Beilin on May 12, 1888. Fled persecution with his family in 1893. At age 13, worked to support his family after his father’s death).