Memorial Day -- May 25, 2015
All honor to American soldiers, our humble gratitude and heartfelt thanks
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Alan Keyes
May 25, 2015


This weekend, formally commemorated on the fourth Monday of every May, America unites in Memorial Day solemn remembrance of every member of the Armed Forces who has fought and died defending our nation, in the never-ending struggle to preserve and protect the God-given liberty enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, and codified as law in our Constitution.

America stands proud and free because our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen have stood courageously in harm's way – today, yesterday, and for generations long past. For their steadfast devotion to duty, honor, and country, we, the American People, offer our humble gratitude and heartfelt thanks.

RONALD REAGAN VIDEO – "A Time for Choosing"

Let us remember that since the American Revolution, tens of millions of Americans have served our nation with honor and fortitude, and almost 1.2 million have died in defense of our freedom. Another 1.4 million have been wounded, many gravely. These harrowing numbers, of course, offer no reckoning of the inestimable worth of each patriot's life, or of the loss and anguish borne by each suffering family. But we do know that their sacrifices upheld their sacred oath to protect and defend these United States, and secured for us a most precious gift from God – the gift of liberty that we cherish today.

On this Memorial Day, we as a nation are particularly burdened with the heavy knowledge that on Barack Obama's watch, the grave sacrifices made abroad over the last decade to contain Islamist depredations upon a civilized world are daily being squandered through dereliction of duty and breach of faith by feckless, irresponsible, maliciously disloyal politicians. Their malfeasance has already caused untold loss of life, and territory hard-won to the cause of freedom by our armed forces. Our government is signally failing to keep its solemn promises to our service members and their families – and to the cause of freedom. These shameful failures must be rectified, with severe justice visited upon those responsible for perpetrating them. Let us remember and honor them with the love of liberty, and respect and devotion to duty shown by uncompromising patriot President Ronald Reagan in his famous speech "A Time For Choosing" here.

It is only because the men and women of these United States volunteer their military service with honor, courage, determination, steadfastness, and selfless sacrifice that America remains free, our liberty is sustained, and the civilized world is defended from tyranny and travail.

Every day of the year, may God bless our men and women in uniform, those who have served before them, and their families. May God bless those preparing to come after them: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:12-14)

Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines – we, your fellow citizens, owe you our uncompromised faithfulness; we honor you with our deepest gratitude, the tribute of our love and respect. This holiday's ceremonies recall our undying memory of especially those fallen in battle – to commemorate the incalculable price you have paid for our freedom.

We know, as Abraham Lincoln said of the Gettysburg battlefield, that it is

"for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

We, as a nation, can never truly repay our brave warriors who have served and suffered in battle, or their families, for their heroic devotion to America – but we can certainly show them our faithful and abiding love and take special time this weekend to prayerfully, loyally pay them the honor they have earned from a grateful people, for all time.

RONALD REAGAN VIDEO – "A Time for Choosing"

Keep Faith,

Ambassador Alan Keyes
Honorary Chairman, RenewAmerica

 


They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. —Isaiah 40:31