Supporting our troops.

A Speech Presented at S.O.S. Support Our soilders | 20030311 | Wallace F. Eddy

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What I want to speak with you about is what it means to be an American. To have the right and privileges to be a citizen of this country. I also want to speak with you about what it means to wear a uniform of the United States Armed Forces. First I will tell you about myself I have served in the United States Navy for 12 years, I was in the Gulf War, Somalia and a few other engaments through out the world. I wear this uniform with integrity, honor and duty.

Integrity To have unwavering devotion towards what you hold dear. I have my own personal credo that I would like to share with you it is based of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet “to thy own self be true” and what I mean is if you are true to yourself, you will be true to your family, true to your country and true to your god.

Honor To be one of the few selected to represent my Country by wearing the Navy Uniform, to Show respect to my family that have served this country in uniform since the revolutionary war and continue to server today. To take personal responsibility of what it means to be an American, What it means to sacrifice the time with my Wife my Family, and friends and the basic comforts of being in a land of such wealth and opportunity.

Duty since I was a child I was told of the importance of what it means to be an American. My father in Vietnam, my Grand Father in World War 2, and myself now. This is a duty my family has taken on voluntarily with no reservation about what we have sworn to defend. I have made a commitment like those before me to protect all that we hold sacred our constitution, our way of life as freedom loving people. I once overheard a person say duty is an obligation, I agree, it is an obligation to those that have gone before us that has given us the freedoms we currently have. And more so to those that will come after us so that also have the same freedoms people now seem to take granted.

It is my belief that these three basic principles make us what we are Americans; whether you were born here or immigrated here we are all Americans and always will be.

I look on the streets and watch the news and wonder what is happening to our country, Our country is under attack and has been since September 11th 2001, by an Enemy so vicious and cowardly that they attack innocent civilians just going about there daily lives like most of you. Think back and remember what you were doing and whom you were with on that day when the towers fell. The pain and frustration and grief that filled me almost brought me to my knees, but I am a sailor that this country depends on to keep them protected, it hurt to see my countrymen and women struck down so savagely, to see the pain and tears in the eyes of those of a earlier generation. To look at the younger generation and have them ask why?

My young nephew was born on that day the same time the second plane hit the tower, I remember going to the hospital and picking him up in my arms and swearing I would protect him from those that would try and do us harm. In the days that followed I learned that I knew people that died in that tragedy, a classmate from high school that was killed in the plane from Boston to Los Angeles, and three Shipmates that lost there lives in the Pentagon serving there country. Now I reflect back at the American Spirit and our ability to come together like a family in the face of adversity.

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Our country is now on the brink of war once again trying to rid this world of criminal regime’s and evil that must be stopped whether it is Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaida or Saddam Hussein’s oppressive regime in Iraq or terrorist groups in the Philippines and through out the world who are determined on world domination through terrorist act’s Human Oppression and deception, we as Americans must be ready to sacrifice.

Because it will be me and those like me who will go to Iraq or anywhere else in this world to face down these fanatical people that raise there heads and when casualties come back it will be me who will grieve for my fellow Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, and Airmen who have served so honorably protecting this country and it’s citizens.

Some people chose to voice opposition to war to sit in there homes or protest on the streets and pass judgment against us so be it, but remember it will be me and those like me who will make the ultimate sacrifice so you can protest, write a letter, and vote. When your country calls and needs you to support the war effort here on the home front do it don’t complain because I will be there a young man from Montclair defending your rights, your freedom, and so will those like me.

I want to mention one last point before I go our Nation was not built by cowards, it was built by brave men and women who understood what freedom meant, from George Washington and our Founding Fathers, to Abraham Lincoln the Great Emancipator, to Franklin Roosevelt who brought our country out of the Great Depression through World War Two. To John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. who gave there lives for human rights and freedom.

God Bless America God Bless the American People. Let Freedom Ring

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This is a Speech i presented last night at a Support our Troops movement last night in Upland California.