HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!
July 4,
2015 marks the
celebration of the most important beginning
in American history. A beginning that
consisted of freedoms, liberty and
righteousness inspired by the revolutionary
idea to stand up against tyranny … an idea
that would forever change the lives of
everyone in this great nation. On
Independence Day, we celebrate the birth of
America.
Prior to July 4, 1776,
fear and oppression were synonymous to
governing rule. Edicts were issued without
consent, trials were held without juries and
rulers revoked privileges as quickly as they
were granted. Men were not equal – and so
with cargos of tea, and the scratch of a
pen, a revolution began. Time and time
again, men brought forth the radical ideas
of freedom and stood up to tyranny despite
the looming consequence. Amidst this fervor,
the first generation of the American patriot
was born – one who had a genuine love for
the country and a willingness to sacrifice
everything for it, without regret.
25,000 would-be
Americans lost their lives, and more than
8,000 were injured in the fight for freedom.
The losses, though tragic, were not lost in
vain, but for the future of our country’s
people. These men were the first to
unselfishly sacrifice themselves for the
creation of something better, a state of
mind, a way of life – the American way.
America learned quickly
that freedom does not come free. On July
Fourth we are not only celebrating the
beginning of America and our independence,
we also celebrate the courage, bravery and
boldness that today’s men and women of the
armed forces display to protect the core
values of America in order to keep us free.
Even today, 239 years
after our founding, our way of life and
vision of freedom meet opposition. With
freedom comes the responsibility to defend
it, and our service members have proven time
and time again that they stand ready to
defend what is ours.
As we celebrate our
independence, the VFW thanks all of our men
and women of the armed forces – our patriots
of the past and present – who have defended
it and given us hope, not only for our own
futures, but for all future generations.
They are the ones who have preserved
freedom, and who have given us reason to
defend it for all future generations. Their
fight has and will continue to lead others
to a better way of life and truly given us
all reason to celebrate our past, our
present, our future – our independence.
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