Now, as much as I criticize President Obama, I do have to congratulate him. But more than congratulating him, I congratulate the men and women of our joint armed forces, for they are the ones who have fought and died for us in order to bring to justice the man who committed the worst terrorist act in history. I also thank the soldiers in SEAL Team Six. These men are the elite soldiers in our Navy's Special Ops program. They train the hardest, they practice the most, and they are the ones who will be fighting the enemies front line from behind it. These men had to have complete precision in order to commit an operation like this.
Let us remind ourselves, as the President sits behind a podium telling us about his part in the operation, we will never get to hear the side of the soldiers stormed the Bin Laden compound. They, like many soldiers out there, will celebrate tonight not being able to tell their story, one that should be shared with the world. It was these men, not the President, who were the ones who were going to succeed or fail in their mission. And it is these same soldiers, who fight for our freedoms, that are also the ones who are protested in death.
In light of our recent victory against our enemies in terror, I would like to honor the thousands of American soldiers that have died in both Afghanistan and Iraq by reviewing the Bill of Rights. The reason I review it here is because, each of the ten unalienable rights that American's are granted, are paid for with the lives of the soldiers and civilians who died because of this war:
First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Second Amendment:
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
Third Amendment:
"No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."
Fourth Amendment:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Fifth Amendment:
"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
Sixth Amendment:
"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."
Seventh Amendment:
"In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law."
Eighth Amendment:
"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
Ninth Amendment:
"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
Tenth Amendment:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
I remind the readers of these first ten amendments to the constitution, because it is these rights that our soldier fight for, bleed for, and die for. Our soldiers know when they sign up, that their main duty is to the Constitution of the United States, and protecting those very same unalienable rights of our citizens. And no matter how much the citizens of this country spit on them, taunt them, hurt them, they will continue to defend our country from any foe, both foreign and domestic.
I say that we take this day and remember this, especially those who choose to use those very same rights to harm, to cause tyranny in others. For when a group protests the funeral of a soldier that fought and died in Iraq, saying that god hates him, they need to be reminded that his sacrifice was to protect their right to say that. When someone takes up arms against another person in nothing more than spite, a member of our armed forced served to protect that.
Our country needs to realize that while we do have the some of the most flexible rights and liberties out of any nation in the world. The difference is, that we take those rights and we twist them to suit what we want. While yes, we do have the right to assembly, our line of moral decency should show us that protesting the funeral of a fallen soldier is wrong. That calling someone a racist name because of the color of their skin is wrong. However, like I said, our constitution allows for this. These types of ideologies are just as harmful as the ideologies that our soldiers are fighting over in Iraq and Afghanistan, and must be fought with just as much love and hope as we can muster.
So, as we sit back and celebrate the conquest of justice, let us remind ourselves that the war is not yet won, nor will it ever be. For it is not a country that we wage battle with, not a religion at we seek to cause harm, but an ideology. For an Ideology, while twisted and broken, is something stronger than any army, stronger than any human being. For once an idea forms in the mind of one, that idea can adapt and grow into a meaning for many.
Today, honor our soldiers, both fighting and fallen, for tomorrow begins the fight ever more. Our world has changed, for the better and worse, and only in the due course of the next generation of youth can we hope that the ideology is viewed in its true light.
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