We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

These words from our Declaration of Independence were drafted by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776 and represent the ideals of freedom that makes the United States of America such a special place. Since the Revolutionary War men and women have answered the call to defend and preserve the same freedoms that our fore fathers fought for.

Freedom is not free! Thomas Paine once said "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."

So many people today take freedom and liberty for granted. They believe our constitutional republic would remain intact if we did not keep a vigilant eye on the enemies of freedom and not be prepared to defend against them.

A little over a year and a half ago our nation was attacked by terrorists. In the days, weeks and months that followed this country was in shock and disbelief. I shudder to think where we would be today without our Armed Forces. Slowly we have put the fear of that day behind us and replaced it with caution and vigilance. One of my favorite quotes regarding the truth of military is from George Orwell. He said, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

I'll end with this poem attributed to Father Denis Edward O'Brien, USMC A Guadalcanal Veteran of WWII, 11th Marines, and the Chaplain for the 1st Marine Division Association.

It Is The Soldier

It Is The Soldier not the reporter,
who has given US Freedom of the press

It Is The Soldier not the poet,
who has given US Freedom of speech

It Is The Soldier not the campus organizer, 
who has given US the Freedom to demonstrate

It Is The Soldier not the lawyer, 
who has given US the right to a fair trial

It is the soldier, who saluted the Flag,
who serves beneath the Flag
and whose coffin is draped by the Flag,
who allows the protester to burn the Flag