Thank You to 1,250,000 Who Have Died So That I May Live Free

"May I have my freedom, please?"

Of 200 generations of mothers and fathers, sons and daughters in the history that I know fewer than ten of the most recent have had even the possibility of any true degree of personal freedom, and only for about 5% of those will reality reflect the potential. For all the rest, the billions upon billions of men, women and children of earlier generations across the earth, each just like me, each just as worthy and as desirous, freedom, the ability to choose, was a hope, a wish, a prayer, a dream.

"May have I have my freedom, please?"

Has ever a people asked for freedom, to see the request granted? Which in history? Which today?

That Americans today live as citizens rather than as subjects, seek out Starbucks rather than Earl Grey, travel and trade freely with others around the world, speak English rather than German or Russian, worship as they wish rather than as commanded, have available thousands of sources of information and opinion, and are able to look forward to a future of their individual choice, all of that is possible only through the sacrifices of men I do not know and will never meet.

I have my freedom.



Every moment of every day I should say "Thank you" to 1,250,000 men and women who made that possible.



Every moment of every day I should honor their memories best by holding their precious gift tight to my chest, loosening my grip only to pass on to others their present to me.

Every moment of every day I should honor those who tonight stand watch, keeping evil from my door.