Naples Daily News Editorial: Fight for Freedom Continues

Naples Daily News Editorial: Fight for Freedom Continues

On this and every Memorial Day, it's appropriate for each of us to pause and pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of America's sons and daughters in defense of our nation and our freedom.

Nearly 220 years ago, our Founding Fathers penned our Constitution and their immortal words defined the governing principles of our nation. They set forth the ideals that have always defined America — freedom, security and property.

For every generation, these fundamental ideals have stood the test of time.

To our founding fathers, they represented a life-and-death struggle as they fought for freedom from tyranny and gave birth to a nation under the blanket of liberty.

America's greatest generation stood up for these ideals and joined with our allies to battle oppression and occupation in Europe and Asia.

And today, brave men and women are fighting for freedom as we battle the evils of terror across the globe. It is a war that we must continue to fight and that will be won.

President Reagan once said: "Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation."

From World War I's Western Front and the invasion at Normandy in World War II; to the liberation of Seoul in the Korean War and the countless battles in the war in Vietnam; to the War on Terror in Kabul, Baghdad and elsewhere around the world, America has sent our soldiers into harm's way not as empire builders or imperialists, but rather, as liberators and defenders of freedom.

In the years since the attacks of Sept. 11, the essence of America's spirit has been tested. But since that terrible day, we have shown the world that America remains vibrant, optimistic and resolute in our ideals of freedom and democracy.

We are reminded every day that the heart and soul of the nation are the heroes who don the uniform to keep us free and secure.

To the men and women serving in the armed forces today, and to the veterans who wore it before, thank you for protecting our liberty. The nation owes you a debt we can never truly repay.

But we are obligated to try.

The United States must continue to invest in the technologies, tools and training that will maintain our military superiority and prepare our soldiers to meet any challenge they may face.

We must make certain that our citizens are safe at home and abroad, and that in this new era we continue to cherish our freedoms as much, if not more than, we relish our security.

And we must ensure that those men and women who have served their country have access to the care they need when they come home. That includes making certain that, once and for all, Southwest Florida has a veterans' hospital of its own.

This year, Congress is poised to provide historic levels of funding to meet the myriad needs of the nation's growing veterans population. It's right, it's just, and we must continue to stand side by side with the heroes who stand up for the American way of life.

On this Memorial Day let's each pause, reflect and say thank you to America's veterans, their families and those serving the cause of freedom today.

http://mack.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=OpEds.View&ContentRecord_id=198&CommitteeType_id=0&Issue_id=0&CFID=20596776&CFTOKEN=99785729