Kindergarten students at a New York City elementary school were recently banned from performing the song "God Bless the USA" at their June 20 graduation ceremony after principal Greta Hawkins said the song was not age-appropriate and could end up "offending other cultures" -- but the song's author, country music artist Lee Greenwood, said he was offended by Hawkins' decision, CBN News reports. "I wrote 'God Bless the USA' about the love I have for this country and the struggle we have gone through to remain free," Greenwood said. "Personally, denying the children of PS 90 to sing 'God Bless the USA' offends me as a Christian. My song is about hope, faith, spirit and pride. How could that be wrong on any level?" Meanwhile, the American Center for Law and Justice is working to have the song ban reversed, saying banning the song violates First Amendment free speech rights. More than 23,000 people signed a petition in favor of the song being performed, which was sent, along with a letter from the ACLJ, to the school superintendent, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, and several other school officials.
