One lone rider sets out across the plains of Texas carrying a letter. “To the people of Texas & all Americans in the world - Fellow citizens & compatriots I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna - I have sustained a continual bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man - The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken - I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls - I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch - The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am

determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country -” Victory or Death. William Barret Travis.

The brave men who found themselves barricaded inside the Alamo are among many throughout our history who were met with an overwhelming challenge. America has never been short of patriots willing to die for their country; for we are the land of the free because we are the home of the brave. For 230 years enemies have threatened to destroy us and take away our freedom. John F. Kennedy said, “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”

The threat of war has always challenged our freedom and questioned our loyalty but Americans refuse to accept defeat; even when we have fallen to our knees and are at the mercy of our enemies like the men who survived the Bataan Death March during WW II.

Their freedom was taken from them and replaced with slavery. It is because of our loyalty and love of freedom that these men were rescued and their freedom restored.

We voice our freedom and show our patriotism every day when we sing the national anthem or say the pledge to our flag which flies proudly over our country. The American flag stands as our great symbol of freedom that represents our purity, valor, and loyalty.

On February 23, 1945, six men quietly raised the American flag over Iwo Jima where one of the bloodiest battles in our history took place. That flag represented the American people, and was evidence to the world that we were willing to fight and die for our freedom. Within our country there are those who tear down our flag and when they tear down that flag they are destroying more than a star spangled banner, they are tearing down our freedom and everything we stand for.

We have stood witness to those who are willing to raise our flag to the enemy as a symbol of our love for our country and our free will yet there are those in our country who choose to tear it down, in an attempt to express their free will. War is not the only challenge that threatens our freedom.

Every day our society is challenged by communism, racisms, sexism, religious controversy and apathy.

Looking beyond all that challenges our freedom, lies loyalty, patriotism, and love for our free country. Franklin D. Roosevelt said it best when he said, “We, too, born to freedom, and believing in freedom, are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We and all others who believe as deeply as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.”