The Price Of Freedom

As a “Baby Boomer” and the son of a World War II vet and the proud father of a Iraqi War veteran. I wanted to speak to you my fellow Americans. There are those who say that if you look closely in the early morning mist, that hangs motionlessly still, above the hallowed fields and waves both here and there in many far away lands and seas far from home. Never to return, you can see them standing there, those thousands of brave young American men and women who have given their all for freedom, that same freedom all Americans have today.

In that early morning mist if you look hard enough you can see them as they form into ranks for morning call. Their faces still young, their thoughts only of home, of loved ones and family, now gone, all forever now but memories frozen in time. You can see them there as they stand around and joke with each other and make small talk as soldiers do before the call of roll. They light them up and talk of loved ones far away at home.

If you could ask them they would tell you that when the time came they came forward to fight as one to defend the freedom symbolized in that proud red, white and blue. Some were called up and others volunteered. All of them as brave Americans ready to fight to keep the light of liberty alive against the encroaching darkness of evil and tyranny.

Many were, as today, naïve and unknowing of the true horrors of war. There were those who were raised upon stories of glory and pride. “Dulce et decorum EST Pro patria mori,” they would cry. And then there are those special others, who were raised well, with that special pride based on the basic principals that they were taught and have made America great. “One nation (created) under God with liberty and justice for all.” That Supreme Being, Our Lord and Our Maker who created us as he created all, we as the first Pilgrims give thanks unto him for we are all equal since he created us all. In those same hallowed fields there is no room, nor tolerance for blindness based on the difference of color, race nor religion.

Lest we forget, there are those who came as immigrants to our shore as we all did at various times from foreign lands zealously seeking religious freedom and freedom from tyranny. These patriots have unselfishly volunteered and risked their lives throughout our history to show their love and devotion to the land that had given them a new life in Liberty.

So at what price, you ask? What is the value that one can place on the price of freedom? 

Remember the famous last words of Patrick Henry –“Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!”

There are those who decry the motives of the government and criticize it. It is their right to do so they scream. Yet, do these same critics even acknowledge that brave young men have paid for this same freedom in their blood? That when a nation sends it’s brave young men to fight and defend our freedom, these same critics who so zealously proclaim the freedom of speech when they protest should be the first in line to volunteer themselves to insure that freedom they so zealously claim but amazingly they are naught.

Our brave young men, those true defenders of life, liberty and freedom, as one will continue to say as of old; “Our’s is not to reason why, Our’s is but to do or die.” Since the price of Liberty and Freedom are dear, it must be made perfectly clear that as of old there will always be a need to shed or give blood to defend them.

Do not forsake them that have fought and died for YOU and fly that Star Spangled Banner with the utmost honor and pride as you give homage and remember them always those brave men that Band of Honored Brothers.