Marsha Blackburn

Happy Birthday America! I hope you are enjoying this wonderful holiday weekend and will be able to take some time out of your busy schedule to celebrate the day with parades, picnics, barbeques and fireworks.

Despite all of the problems that our country faces today, we, as a nation, come together to celebrate and give thanks that we are free and living in the greatest country in the world.

When I reflect on the 4th of July, I think of the courage and wisdom of our founding fathers and the sacrifices they made to set the course for future generations of Americans. The genius of leaders such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Ben Franklin, John Adams and John Hancock is probably best reflected in the Declaration of Independence.

Today, as we celebrate America’s birthday, take some time to reflect on the sacrifices so many have made to ensure our freedom. From the founding fathers who risked their lives on the gamble that simple farmers could defeat a world superpower, to the thousands of Tennesseans who are facing down terrorists and jihadis at this very moment. Each generation has sacrificed the best among us to ensure that a nation of, by, and for the people shall not perish from the earth. They have given their lives to defend a government founded in the belief that our most basic rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness are endowments from the Almighty and not from bureaucrats in Washington.

Give thanks for living in America – the land of the free and the home of the brave – and say a prayer for our military, as they continue to fight for our freedom.