Dakota Beacon

Benjamin Franklin said that “The way to be safe is never to be secure.” In order to stay free, we must always be on guard; ever vigilant.

As we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day, and move into another uncertain summer, we must remember, to never forget. We must resolve, once again, to simply stay the course, for a world of free and peace-loving people. We must accept the eloquent and sobering words of Thomas Jefferson, that “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

While the memory may be fading, we must, must, never forget the wake-up call of 9/11; the wound in our country’s heart and soul that will never heal. We must thank God every day for the faith and the courage and the sacrifice, and the blood of those heroes!

Again, I go back to our founding fathers and the words of a patriot. Samuel Adams said it over 220 years ago; but he could have said it yesterday:

            “The liberties of our country and the freedom of our civil constitution are

            worth defending, against all hazards, and it is indeed, our duty, to defend

            them against any and all attacks.

            Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen and then ask ‘What

            should be the reward for such sacrifices?’

            Bid us and our posterity bow the knee, supplicate the friendship, and plough

            and sow and reap, to glut the avarice of the men who have let loose on us the

            dogs of war to riot in our blood and hunt us from the face of the earth.

            If you love wealth better than liberty” Samuel Adams continued, “If you love

            the tranquility of servitude rather than the animating contest of freedom, then

            go from us now in peace. We ask not your counsel or arms.

            Crouch down and lick the hands that feed you. May your chains sit lightly

            upon you, and may posterity forget that you were ever our countrymen.”

We must never postpone the inevitable battles for a peaceful world, but face them, as one nation, united by God. We must forever strive to leave the people of our world in peace, safety and freedom. Another patriot, Thomas Paine, gave us our legacy when he wrote, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”

It is right that we honor our heroes on this Memorial Day. That we take the time to remember what the sacrifices of our American patriots have given us; and that we live a life that is forever worthy of those sacrifices; and that we never, never, never forget.

God Bless our patriots, our heroes, our men and women in uniform, here and around the world; ever-vigilant so that we may live in freedom; and may God continue to bless the

United States of America.

I’m Joel Swanson and that is my comment for today.