We are Free,
Because of the Brave.
Not because of peace, nor diplomacy, nor toleration, nor capitulation. We are free, because there are brave men and women, who know the difference and are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice, not because they want to, not because they wake up one morning and say, what the heck, I'd like to die for a whole lot fools back home. Rather, they get up each morning, without vacation or sick time, to defend the free, because they know the difference.
It is not because of the poets or authors, the politicians, or the pacifists that we are free - simply put - we are free because of the men and women who place themselves between us and them, and like any son, daughter, husband, father, wife, or sister - they want to live a long life and see their grandchildren grow up, but they also know they are the only reason we can live out our lives - doing whatever it is we do each day, free.
These men and women are part of a legacy that has spanned more than two centuries of citizen soldiers, ready to defend the nation, and ensure we remain free. It is truly awe inspiring to know that America has so many heroes - brave men and women who stand against a tide of human waste that would wash away civilization if it could. They do not think of themselves as brave nor as heroes, yet a hero is not someone who necessarily acts without fear or concern, rather it is someone who does what they must do, what they need to do, because there is no other choice. That is a hero, and we are blessed to have more than a million men and women who are true heroes defending our freedom.
(I commend Three Doors Down, Citizen Soldier video)
United States of America
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