Fighter Jets at the Superbowl

I didn't watch the superbowl because I'm in England and not much of a sports fan. But I like to stay apprised of big goings-on in what I still consider my homeland, so I did what all lazy expats do--surfed twitter for other people's highlights.Thoughts:Christina Aguilera flubbing the lines of the Star Spangled Banner: I totally forgive her. It was unfortunate, and perhaps she should have practiced more. But, despite the temptation to read WAY too much into the line "twilight's last reaming," I think it was an honest mistake.Groupon's tasteless Tibet ad: Unfathomably stupid. Not funny. Just sort of catty and mean. Of all the causes in the world to make fun of, why Tibet? Extra points though for soiling themselves via Tim Hutton against whom I have a personal grudge.Black Eyed Peas half time show: Um... are they like professional performers? Was that karaoke? And why was the movie Tron playing in the background?No comments on the game itself. Congrats to the winners; condolences to the losers, etc.There was one element of the limited highlights I watched that did bother me a great deal, however. And that was the fighter jet fly-by at the end of Xtina's performance of the Star Spangled Banner. Call me overly serious if you want, but I think it's inappropriate to use fighter jets as a form of entertainment, especially during a time of war. War is not a form of entertainment. It shouldn't be referenced as background flare to liven up the warm up act to a sporting event. And the sight of those jets beneath a crowd of cheering sports fans reinforced for me the chilling notion that, for most Americans, the wars that are waged in our names have almost no bearing on our lives. Of course, there's nothing wrong with making a big spectacle out of the Superbowl and celebrating the joy of sport. I completely get that. And I understand that Americans are not going to spend all of their waking hours contemplating the fact that we are at war. But what was the point of that fly-by? Was it to remind us that, despite our momentary distraction by a sporting event, we are, in fact, a nation at war? Or was it an attempt to cast the whole event in an uplifting wash of patriotism? Patriotism should cost more than that. As the (actual) lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner indicate, it's not about fly-by's and cheering. It's about sacrifice.