Former Vice President Adlai Stevenson once said: “Patriotism... is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”  As we approach Independence Day, one of the most hallowed and revered days in American History, we must take a moment to reflect on the service and sacrifice that have gotten us to this point.

As a Marine Veteran of the Persian Gulf War, a National Guardsman and your Congressman, I take great pride in the work of our military.  For over 235 years, our nation’s military has been there to answer the call to arms whenever our country has needed them.  From the earliest days of service in the Revolutionary War, to those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, these men and women have risked their lives in the defense of the ideals and values that make this the greatest nation the world has ever seen.  Founded on the ideals of democracy, freedom of religion, and limited government intervention in the affairs of its citizens, this republic has stood the test of time, lasting longer than any of our Founding Fathers could have imagined.

In South Mississippi, we are blessed to have many strong-willed and strong-armed men and women who have answered the call to serve, whether it is the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or National Guard.  I often tell my colleagues in Washington how proud I am to represent such a selfless and patriotic group of citizens. So many would rather die than see the America that they know and love compromise its ideals or its status as a global leader.

I realize not all feel the same way.  We are in a unique time in American history. Before our eyes, we’ve watched a vocal, liberal-leaning agenda being pressed upon our children in an effort to change our nation’s social and moral foundations. Efforts to redefine basic institutions such as marriage, silence the words of our ministers and chaplains, remove God from the public sphere, and deny the rights to freedom of speech and to bear arms. I believe these efforts undermine the very principles our nation was founded on. 

What gives me hope for the future, and makes me proud, is the overwhelming majority of Mississippians who still stand unashamedly for these most basic principles that first made our nation great. We stand, not against something, but for faith, family and the same freedoms for which our forefathers stood. That is why these principles will endure in Mississippi, and across this great nation, despite the efforts of those to force a political agenda upon us. As long as we are willing to stand for the values upon which our country was founded, they will carry our country another 235 years into the future. We can be the rising tide that lifts all ships.

As we gather with family and friends for watermelon, burgers and fireworks; I urge you to remember what makes the Fourth of July special and what makes America the greatest country in the world.  I believe that America’s best days are in front of her, not behind her.

Remember the values that guide us.  Days and weeks after Independence Day celebrations have ended, remember that patriotism is not the warm flutter of emotion we feel while gazing at fireworks.  It is the result of the tranquil and steady dedication of so many who serve both at home and overseas, throughout a lifetime.

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