Fort Bliss Monitor

Salute to the Union
Fort Bliss celebrates America’s independence

Catrina Francis
Monitor Staff

State flags are displayed during the Salute to the Union.

Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, Pa.

“Our precious liberty is one of the three tenets of Americanism the Declaration of Independence addresses. The other two are life and the pursuit of happiness. We recognize each as fundamental today, but at their inception, they were radical proposals, liberty most especially,” said Brig. Gen. Robert P. Lennox, Fort Bliss commanding general, at the Salute of the Union ceremony held June 30 at Noel Field.

When the framers of the constitution wrote these rights they wanted to not only ensure the rights of life and the pursuit of happiness, but they also wanted to ensure “all men were created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.”

Over the course of history, American citizens have come to learn that freedom isn’t free and the cost of freedom has sometimes been paid with human life.

“This American character of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness has not been achieved without a cost. With inspired and dedicated leaders like Presidents Washington, Adams, Madison, Bush, Gens. Casey, Franks and Myers who instilled the notion of everyone’s right to freedom in our Armed Forces and through many hard fought battles, lives lost, sacrifices made, victory was achieved.

“Liberty is not free and we find that out daily in Iraq and Afghanistan as our military stand with their emerging armies and security forces. Lives are lost daily, almost 1,700 Americans since 9/11, coalition forces have fought and died as well, and an untold number of the Iraqi and Afghan people have given their lives for liberty,” added Lennox.

According to one historian, the words of the Declaration of Independence offer “continual challenge to ourselves as well as an inspiration to the oppressed of all the world.”



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	July 7, 2005

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