As I looked around this holiday weekend I noticed families enjoying picnics, the beach, grilling out, and enjoying each other.  This is America, and families enjoying each other is as it should be.  In fact, we don’t get enough of that, so you’ll never hear me complain about this topic.

I did, however, wish to point out what Memorial Day is all about.  We enjoy the freedom to enjoy our families, our free speech, our private property rights, and all our inalienable rights including the pursuit of happiness because of three things.  First is the goodwill and fortitude of our founding fathers.  Secondly, is the spirit of our nation to honor and protect those values established many years ago.  And lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is the bravery and courage of America’s men and women who proudly serve our military.

For you see, our military doesn’t serve a proud dictator, or an evil empire.  Our military serves and protects us, citizens of the United States of America.  They also protect other countries and other people’s freedoms, and the U.S. gets little thanks for that.  In fact, let one injustice happen in the world and you’ll hear the world react and debate why the U.S. isn’t stepping in to protect a helpless and defenseless country from something bad.  But enough about other countries.

Today is the day we as American’s honor our military, and their families who risk all, and have suffered over the years.  Families have suffered from loss of loved ones forever, torn apart families, and just simply losing an armed forces member for long periods of time when called up to duty.  Anytime a family is separated, the entire family pays.

We also honor all who have died for our country, regardless of which war or conflict they died in.  Some may have died in a training mission and not in war, and yet their sacrifice isn’t anything less.  Today is a day to put politics aside, and remember we are who we are becuase of who was willing to lay down and die for us.  The popularity of the war itself has no bearing on the sacrifices our brave men and women have made for us.

So, when you’re out this weekend enjoying the weather, beach, picnic, and family, remember the real reason we have our freedoms.

On behalf of the entire United States of America, thank-you for serving us.  We all appreciate it more than our veterans know.