I'm only partially with you. I don't enjoy singers who go way over the top like Ms. Houston, but the homage to America wouldn't come in the form of a song if we didn't want people to personalize it. That's the nature of music appreciation...mindless carbon copies aren't welcome.
People complain about earnest, humble renditions of the Star Spangled Banner sung badly out of tune by amateurs. They do. I've been to plenty of minor league baseball games where some local teenage girl comes out, sings respectfully but poorly, and receives polite applause and then people talking behind her back about how awful it was.