We have seen the tolerance between peoples from around the world, who have sought refuge in the United States but came to learn our language, and respect our values and live under our flag as one nation.  From the expatriate German who celebrates an unlikely St. Patricks day to the Polka loving Brit import, we have exchanged some of our most prized cultural memories with each other simply through interaction, a common language, and a respect for the protection our constitution affords us.

The very engine of our Republic has at its core, tradition..

As most would recognize, tradition carries forward the best, and sometimes unique qualities of our finest citizens.  It develops as the best way for the cultural survival of particular ethnic groups, and serves as a way for former rivals to meet at some commonalities.

Yet, we are as a nation blessed with both tradition, and burdened with sacrifice.  The soldiers we send off to defend our way of life in foreign lands often return broken, or not at all.  There are those who in the most sincere gratitude for their citizenship have paid the dearest price of admission.

Our military efforts overseas, though sometimes seemingly mismanaged from any particular administration, has always had the best product this country produces.  The men and women who fight in our stead for our values, the defense of our interests and promoting our goodwill by freeing others internationally, do so from within an environment of steeped traditions that molds them into the best product this nation could produce.  The history of our military carries with it both loss and victory, but most of all a sense of duty to country and honorable service.

Today, I would like to acknowledge those men and women.  Those heroes of our conscience who are our best emissaries in a world that has seemingly been mad since the beginning of time.  I thank our Veterans, our fighters, our deliverers of liberty.