May 25, 2009
Memorial Day Posting
In times of danger, such as now, when pirates cruise the waters off Somalia, terrorists made a bid to take over Pakistan, Iran threatens to wipe other nations off the map, and North Korea starves its citizens while testing rockets, we appreciate much more our freedoms and the sacrifices made to achieve and maintain them. The fallen soldiers we honor this day died so that we do not have to experience such evils. Their sacrifices also enabled other nations to break free from oppressive darkness: Germany, Japan, and Italy, from World War II, and Afghanistan and Iraq, in more modern times. Because of the sacrifice of our soldiers, we and many other nations care for the disabled instead of murdering them in gas chambers, treat civilians in war zones with respect instead of as slaves, allow freedom to all religions instead of bullying some, care for widows instead of brutally butchering them, and sling mud at our political opponents instead of assasinating them in front of their families.
For these reasons and many more, I honor the soldiers who gave their lives for us, and thank the families and friends who have had to live without these brave warriors by their sides. In addition, I'd like to thank the living soldiers who stand in harm's way on our behalf; you do your jobs with excellence and are a credit to us all.