The Greatness of Our Nation

  What is it about America that unites three hundred twenty-seven million individuals? Why do tears run down faces when our anthem plays? Why do so many people sacrifice all they have to come here and start a new life? What is the appeal? The simple answer is we are all drawn here because the United States of America is truly great. We want to be somewhere where dreams are expected, diversity is celebrated, and our efforts are rewarded. America is great because it is built on the foundation of freedom, which is preserved and protected by sacrifice, ensuring hope for tomorrow.
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  Freedom is the foundation of what makes America great. Millions of people all over this world are not allowed the opportunity to express their beliefs, have a voice in government, or have a fair trial. In our country, however, such opportunities are commonplace and expected. These liberties are all so easy to take for granted. As Franklin Roosevelt once remarked, “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” May we never surrender the gift of freedom. It is the foundation we must cling to if we wish America to remain great.

  This core value of freedom is and always has been protected and preserved by great sacrifices. Since the dawn of our nation, millions of brave men and women have seen a hope for what America could be. They’ve fought for this vision, christening it with blood, sweat, and tears. Giving of themselves, they bought for us the freedoms we cherish. From legendary heroes to those whose stories will never be told, they have been united by a common conviction. As former president Ronald Reagan put it, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

  Freedom and sacrifice ensure we can have hope for tomorrow. This hope is that in the land of free and the home of the brave, maybe there’s a place for you and me to be the free and the brave. We have all heard about the dedication, patriotism, and self-sacrifice of those who have gone before us. And we currently experience many wonderful blessings of freedom today. As heirs of this liberty, we must be vigilant and fight complacency. Our freedom has been upheld by the persistent faithfulness of all those who believed that each person has the right to, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The principles that America is built on are enduring. They have withstood the test of time, and as long as there are people willing to protect these central truths, our nation will stand. Knowing this, we may delight in the hope of future generations inheriting the same liberties that have been passed on to us.

  Today, let us treasure our freedoms, sacrifice to defend them, and rejoice in the bright hopes we have for tomorrow. To do so is not blind patriotism but is wise stewardship of our magnificent home. The values that made and have kept America great are the same principles that will sustain her legacy for centuries to come.