I just finished watching a documentary called "Ninth", about Beethoven's 9th symphony, "Ode To Joy", and the various countries and leaders who adopted it as their anthem.

  It's almost tragic how much that piece has been missused and apparently missunderstood.

  In his time, Beethoven promoted freedom for people, and he was even called an anarchist by some.  His 9th was music he wrote to be paired with a poem about freedom.

  It's shameful that leaders and countries with obviously no appreciation for freedom would use his piece as some sort of representation of themselves.

  Socialist, Marxist, Communist, Fascists.  What possible kinship could they feel with "Ode To Joy" or Beethoven?

  When you seek to have control over you fellow humans, then you show no respect to freedom.  When you are controlled by a government, be it as a slave or a pet, then you are not free.