Aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Fourth of July has to be my favorite holiday. Every hot Fourth of July we hear the classic Bruce Springsteen song, "Born In The U.S.A." blasting during firework shows, on the radio, etc. Sure, it is a wonderfully catchy song that seems very pro-American, but what you did not know (most likely) is at the time written, Springsteen was not feeling the American spirit.

Why?

Well, what I learned sitting in my American History class sophomore year of high school is that the song is targeted towards the Vietnam War. Springsteen wrote the song to highlight the negative effects the war had on Americans and specifically the veterans from Vietnam. You hear this if you are really paying attention to the lyrics, or rather, if you were to go and read them. When Springsteen performs acoustic versions of this seemingly patriotic anthem you can easily hear the power of the lyrics.

I find it interesting that for years people have not really paid attention to the lyrics. Americans continue playing it repeatedly on the Fourth of July holiday and think how great it is to be an American and born in the United States when that is not the message portrayed.

I am not saying we should never play this song. Personally, I enjoy it a lot and it memorializes a part and feeling of our nation's history. But I do not think we should keep playing it to feel a sense of patriotism.

So, my fellow Americans, I urge you to inform others the real meaning of this song when you hear it. Maybe someday we will all think of it in its true meaning.