give me liberty or give me death by patrick henry

Pender is the senior vice commander of North Brunswick American Legion Post 459. The fire of Patrick Henry has been carried around the world where the name – American – is now synonymous with Liberty, Freedom and Justice. Liberty, independence and freedom are now ingrained in the individual American’s heart and soul as well as our national policy.

The seeds of the American psyche had been sown. Firebrands like Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine put spirit into the muscles of the Colonial farmers and woodsmen. Talk of liberty and self-determination began to seem a reality. The ability to survive in this wilderness land required the development of greater skills and character than was required in their homeland. Since coming here to the Colonies, these peasant people have developed new personas. Here, British aristocracy controlled all their movements. The Colonial civilians imported here came from generations of a feudal society in Europe. But, their pens were more powerful than a battery of cannons. These people and others like them fanned the flames of liberty. A salute should be reserved for people like Patrick Henry, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson. We are rapidly approaching that time of the year when we remember and honor those who have sacrificed for our nation. American dollars and technical assistance put them on the track to recovery. For example, look at Japan or western Germany. We do not exploit it, but rather help it rebuild. We will shepherd a newly liberated nation as it struggles to regain stability after a period of subjugation. We are not a nation of conquers, but rather, we are liberators. Liberty was on the march not only would our homeland be secure, but we were also bringing liberty to those people in Europe and the Pacific whose lands we had liberated. Allied Forces had crossed the Rhine into Germany. The march up the Japanese home islands began with the American victory in the bloody battle for Iwo Jima on March 26, 1945. I doubt if Patrick Henry or any of his contemporaries ever thought that once taken, liberty would be so fiercely defended.

Give me liberty or give me death by patrick henry