Independence Day Message 2004

LTG James R. Helmly
Commander, US Army Reserve Command
Chief, Army Reserve

In a hot, steamy courthouse in Philadelphia 228 years ago, representatives of the 13 American colonies voted to pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor toward the birth of a new nation. In signing the Declaration of Independence that July 4, 1776 , many of those representatives would indeed sacrifice their lives and their fortunes, but never their honor.

Today, Americans continue to fight for the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- not only for themselves, but for others as well.

As we celebrate Independence Day, it is good for us to remember that the fight for freedom continues.

We wage war today against an enemy who seeks to deny life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to millions of people around the world. The foe we face in Iraq and other parts of the world in the Global War on Terrorism is fighting for the right to deny basic human rights to those under his rule.

The Declaration of Independence was indeed a revolutionary document. It asserted that human rights were bestowed not by government, nor by kings or constitutions, but by our Creator. Our rights, therefore, are not just for Americans, but are natural rights for humankind.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, speaking to Congress on January 6, 1941 , outlined four essential human freedoms:

• freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.
• freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.
• freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.
• freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor-- anywhere in the world.

Those freedoms we enjoy and celebrate today – freedom to worship in our own way, freedom to express our opinions openly, freedom to read whatever we choose, freedom to determine for ourselves what kind of lives we should lead – are once again threatened. They are threatened by an enemy who finds glory in suppressing liberty with terror and killing innocent civilians publicly and viciously. We fight for a world free of fear; our enemy seeks a world based on it.

Let us never forget the importance of the cause for which we struggle. It is a fight for freedom as much as any war in our history.

As we celebrate the 4 th of July with picnics, fireworks and family gatherings, let us also remember those who continue the fight on our behalf far away from home, in places where “bombs bursting in air” are more than lyrics to our National Anthem.

Thousands of our fellow Army Reserve Soldiers have answered the call to active duty, and are serving our country with the same dedication and diligence as the Minutemen of colonial times. Forty-seven Army Reserve Soldiers have sacrificed their lives in the fight for freedom. Hundreds of Army Reserve Soldiers are recovering from wounds sustained in this war. Their service and sacrifice demand we uphold the legacy that they have built with dignity and honor.

May God bless you, your families and your employers as you safely celebrate the Independence Day holiday. Thank you for your service to our country. May God bless our Army and may God continue to bless America.

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