Our Freedom Isn’t Free
Written and recited for The NM Elks Lodge Flag Day Ceremony June 14th 2007
by Vanessa A. Griego Gulf War Veteran

I am a U.S veteran; the Armywas my choice. I’m grateful for this moment here to stand and speak my voice. The topic that I represent with pride and glory true, about the flag we know and love; the red, the white and blue. The flag still stands for freedom; for the strong and for the weak. To give us all the right we have to open up and speak. For Flag Day is an honor that we owe our happiness, to soldiers whom have served us well, in this country where we’re blessed.

The U.S flag we know and love Old Glory! Stars and Stripes! May under God, we always pledge, to stand for what is right. Our flag in which we put our faith, our love, our hopes and trust, this flag in which we should respect for righteous peace we must. A flag, that in so many lands, she's horribly abused. By being burned and torn apart, dishonored, and refused. The burning of our nations flag dishonors those who rest. For them I will defend her still and always do my best. To show the people of the world the good that we have done through battles of land, and air and sea, in victories we’ve won.

The colors of our nations flag depict a sacred song, like brothers names upon a wall as those of Vietnam. We’ve planted her on foreign lands in dirt with stains of red, forgetting not, Korean vets whose blood they also shed. The caring of, disabled vets, becomes our nations plight. For wounded heroes shine the way like peaceful stars of white. For World War two, a star of blue is hanging in the glass, while mothers mourn, upon a cross that rests above the grass.

I'm proud to be American, in knowing that I’m free, to men and women whom have served who gave that right to me. For every fallen soldier, and for every life they’d give to guarantee our freedom and the liberty we live. For those who served beside me and for those who serves us now, let us fly our flag up proudly and show other nations how. For a desert’s storm can blind a heart and make some turn their backs, but avenging souls of nine one, one (9*1*1) is why we’re in Iraq. We all need to come together, not divided but as one, to stand up tall to terrorists and show them how it's done!

It brings me such emotion when I think about the brave, the strength, the blood, the sweat and tears their lives in which they gave, for us to have a freedom that no other people know. A life without oppression, where our kids are free to grow. Our troops will have to travel far, with guns in hand, to face the war. They leave their loved ones far behind so we can be with yours and mine. To fly the flag in which we raise, some have to fill an honored grave, with blood they know they’ll have to shed, for stars and stripes of blue and red. The flag draped caskets that we see honoring the bold of those that stay forever young so we can still grow old. We give the flag with memories secured within its folds, to loved ones that are left behind, what’s left of those to hold. What glory and such honor! So brave! So strong! So young! Please rest yourselves in peace my friends, your duty here is done. And though you may not be a soldier fighting for your land their voice is crying from the grave, “Stand up and take a stand!” for of their death and sacrifice they bought a brand new day to wave the flag and raise your hand and let you have your say. So fly that flag with honor through whatever storms descend, that united we shall stand together and be faithful till the end. Until all our soldiers come from war, until the battle ends. Until everyone is safe at home, with family and friends, I shall fly my nations flag with joy for all the world to see that through serving all humanity our freedom isn’t free.