On Monday we’ll pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in defense of the enduring principles of liberty upon which our nation was founded. Memorial Day is a solemn reminder that freedom is never self-executing, and it is never free. Each generation of Americans has been called upon to defend it against the forces of tyranny, collectivism, and oppression – and for 250 years, every generation has answered that call.
America was founded on the revolutionary truth that our rights are inherent and inalienable – they do not come from government, but belong by nature to every person. The Constitution was established to secure those liberties, and every servicemember swears an oath not to a ruler or political party, but to support and defend that Constitution and the freedoms it protects.
On battlefields across the globe and throughout our history, brave Americans laid down their lives to ensure that a nation born in freedom would endure.
This Memorial Day, we remember our fallen heroes, honor their families, and recommit ourselves to preserving the blessings of liberty for future generations.
Jon Riches is a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and the Vice President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute.
