Today we pay our respects to fallen Americans, and to their families, for a debt that we can never fully repay, but that we can and must honor.

There is no other soldier in the history of the world that has fought so valiantly for the cause of freedom and liberty as the American soldier.  That’s because there is no other country in the history of the world that stands so firmly for freedom and liberty like the United States of America. It’s the cause that serves as the foundation of our nation, and it’s ingrained in every man, woman, and child born on American shores.

Today, as we remember the men and women who have sacrificed for our freedoms, who have fallen for our liberties, let’s also hold high the cause for which they gave their lives.

We can honor their sacrifice by preserving and protecting our liberties for the generations to come.  That is a debt we owe that we can repay. Let’s be mindful of our actions in this generation, choose those that benefit our future and avoid those that may cause our children to stumble.

We can honor our fallen soldiers by genuinely caring for their brothers and sisters with whom they served. Keeping our promises to our service men and women must be a priority.

To all who have served our country, thank you. We also honor your sacrifice today, because I know an American soldier’s blood forever runs red, white, and blue.  Thank you for continuing to serve the cause of freedom.

For those who died and those who serve, the American Flag represents the reason and justification for that sacrifice.  Our flag, under which they fought and for which they died, is much more than a collection of fabric.  It is the very essence of what makes our country great, and that’s why I think it’s time to protect that flag from disrespectful desecration once and for all.

I encourage everyone to thank an American veteran today, and to do more.  Advocate for the veterans in your communities, and lend a hand if they have a need. Though we may not all wear our country’s colors on our sleeves, we can all honor and defend our country’s ideals in our actions.

God bless you and God bless the United States of America.