More Quotes on Liberty and America

“In a free government the demand for moral qualities should be made superior to that of talents.”
- Andrew Jackson

“Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him.”
- Dwight Eisenhower

“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”
- Thomas Paine

“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.”
- Ronald Reagan

“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.”
- John Adams

“We are not to expect to be translated from despotism to liberty in a feather bed.”
- Thomas Jefferson

“Every word decides a question between power and liberty.”
- James Madison (speaking about the Constitution)

This weekend, we once again celebrate the birth of the greatest free society this world has ever known:  the United States of America.  Every day, we in America enjoy a level of freedom that is unprecedented in human history.

We call July 4 our “Independence Day.”  With that in mind, we should consider what exactly our forefathers fought and died to gain independence from.

I believe the Declaration of Independence provides clear insight into the reasons our forefathers were willing to risk their lives and all of their earthly possessions to fight for independence from Great Britain.  I have inserted the entire text of the Declaration below.  Please take time to read it and reflect on it as you enjoy this holiday weekend.

For the past two months, much of America’s attention has been focused on the unfolding disaster resulting from the explosion of BP’s oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.  I believe we are all united in our hope and prayer that those charged with capping the well and getting the leak under control will be able to do so soon.  As someone who lives in coastal North Carolina and values our coastal resources, that is certainly my hope and prayer.

With that being said, I believe the aftermath of the BP oil spill offers a few public relations lessons.

This weekend we celebrate Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a time set aside to remember the men and women who lost their lives serving in our nation’s Armed Forces.

As the author of USMemorialDay.org states, “Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades.”