Dear Friends,
I want to start this week's update by wishing you a happy Fourth of July! As people throughout the country come together to celebrate the 239th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I would enjoy hearing how you are celebrating with your friends and family.
I will spend part of the day at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock, where I will read the Declaration of Independence aloud to those in attendance. There are few documents more inspiring to a people than the words of Thomas Jefferson declaring America's independence from the rule of King George III.
Jefferson's line "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" has encapsulated the spirit of the American people for centuries.
Our history books are comprised of countless stories of the men and women who have risked life and limb to defend those ideals, and their commitment to preserving this tradition has made America the greatest country in the history of the world.
Whether at home or abroad, it requires a lot of courage to put on the uniform serve your country. In 2009, all of us in central Arkansas were reminded of this when Private William "Andy" Long and Private Quinton I. Ezeagwula were attacked in Little Rock.
This attack was indicative of the unpredictable nature of war and the reality that all of our servicemembers put themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis.
After a six-year process, these two soldiers were finally given their Purple Hearts. While witnessing the emotional presentation ceremony in the rotunda of the Arkansas Capitol for Pvt. Ezeagwula and the family of Pvt. Long, I was overjoyed to see them finally get the recognition they deserve for their service to our Nation.
My message to you this Independence Day is to be thankful to all of those who have undertaken the mission to keep this country free, and to celebrate not just the original Declaration of Independence, but to also celebrate the 239 years of guardianship our military has provided to defend it.
Wishing you a Happy Fourth of July,
Representative French Hill |
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