Thank You, Signers

“…And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

To the men listed below: Thank you.

Today I will teach my children about you. I will remember.

I will teach them that your cause was far from certain. That as a ragtag, unorganized, disadvantaged assembly of freemen, you challenged the world’s dominant power at the clear and probable risk of death, and the guaranteed risk of prolonged suffering.

I will teach them that, like you, they can choose freedom over bondage. That they are not entitled to anything except that for which they’re willing to fight, suffer, struggle, and sacrifice.

That destitute, shoeless soldiers left bloody footprints in the snow so that today they can ride in an air-conditioned car with a DVD player to a swimming pool in a neighborhood full of houses with amenities you never dreamed of — that King George himself couldn’t imagine.

I will teach them that freedom isn’t free. To depend on Divine Providence and to never bow to earthly masters.

I will teach them that there are fates worse than death. That their Honor is infinitely more important than wealth.

I will teach them that you weren’t perfect, but that your legacy means we can continue striving for an ideal republic and society.

Thank you for your sacrifices and examples: