In defense of America

There were periods in the past when there was a noticeable decline in patriotism in our country, yet it has reappeared in times of war or when there was a threat of war.

The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, awakened within us an awareness of what it means to live in America. Our response to these violent attacks was to come together as one nation, which aroused in our hearts a more intense love of country, a renewed sense of patriotism, and a greater respect for the flag of our country, our star-spangled banner, a symbol of the freedoms we all share and enjoy.

I know also that there has been a moral decline in our country during the past 40 or 50 years as a result of federal court rulings, including those against prayer in public schools.

All of our country’s official documents, written and adopted by our forefathers, refer to God in one form or another. The Constitution of the United States was established “by unanimous consent of the States present on the 17th Day of September in the Year of our Lord 1787.”

The Declaration of Independence refers to “the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” in the first paragraph. In the second paragraph it is stated “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

The last paragraph states, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

The First Amendment to the Constitution begins with these words: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” My interpretation of these words is: Congress shall not make any laws pertaining to a religious establishment (one that already exists); nor shall Congress make any laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion.

The founders of our country and those who wrote the Constitution wanted merely to establish our right to freedom of religion without interference from Congress. In other words, the Constitution guarantees our right to worship God anywhere and any time – at home, at work, and even at school.

The last stanza of The Star Spangled Banner (our National Anthem) ends with “And this be our motto – In God is our Trust!” The official currency and coin of our country include the same words – “In God We Trust.” “God” was never meant to be stricken from any of the things that hold meaning for us in our “land of the free.”

The history of our country has been distorted to the point that it bears no resemblance to what truly happened when our country was born and what the founders intended.

We must never forget that the 56 courageous signers of the Declaration of Independence sacrificed and pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor so that you and I could have the freedoms we enjoy today. It is only right that we should continue to honor these brave patriots who fought and died for liberty.

All of us must work toward a rebirth of our Nation and the renewal of patriotism in the hearts of all who are part of this great country of ours – the United States of America!

In order to hold on to the principles, the doctrines, and the beliefs for which our founding fathers fought and died, we, too, must fight vigorously to defend our freedoms, and to rekindle within ourselves the joy of patriotism, love for God, and love for our country.

We live in the greatest country in the world, and we cannot allow the government to usurp any more of our God-given rights! President Ronald Reagan reminded us of our obligation to help preserve America’s freedom when he said, “For freedom is not the property of one generation; it is the obligation of this and every generation.

It is our duty to protect it and expand it and pass it undiminished to those still unborn.” In other words, it is up to us who are living today, and those who come after us, to inspire a new generation of patriots who will protect and defend our nation with all their might, just as Patrick Henry and others fought and died for freedom so many years ago.