Thank you note to our country.

To you, 56 brave men, who signed your own death warrants when signed Thomas Jefferson's declaration and literally risked everything for freedom and painfully birth a new nation. Thank you.

To the farmers and shop keepers, brothers, fathers, and sons who stood tall and brave, with your hearts thudding in your ears; at Lexington, facing overwhelming odds against the greatest army the world had known. And then, after facing the enemy at Lexington, you ran with all your strength, lungs exploding, legs aching to Concord to face them yet again.

To the mothers and wives and children who prepared food and fed a standing army, bandaged wounds, bore the future of this great nation, and in many cases fought alongside our brave men for the chance of freedom. Thank You.

To you Sir, the man who would become our first president; you left your home and your wife to lead a rag-tag bunch of country folk. You were not prepared for what lie ahead and yet you rose to the greatest challenge of your life only to face certain defeat and charges of treason. You and your army defined the new American Spirit. That fire-branded resolute desire to stand up and fight for what you utterly believe in and never back down no matter what; even in the loss at New York, when your faith was shaken, you stood, head-held high, to fight another day. Thank You, Sir.

To Dr. Franklin, renaissance man of the world, you chose to become a patriot and use all your wisdom and experience to help define a nation, lead younger, hot-headed, passionate men to sensible cool and rational decisions. You convinced an entire nation to come to the aid of 13 little colonies against their greatest foe and across the Atlantic Ocean. Thank You.

To Mr. Adams and his wonderful Abigail. for your passion for each other and for the new baby county you helped birth. You fought and won many battles of wits and words to bring those over to your belief that we could prevail and succeed.

To Caleb Gibbs, who chose my 4th great- grandfather, William Riley, to serve in the Commanders Guard, protecting General Washington. This is my legacy and my blood burns with the same independent spirit. Thank You!

To the Men and Women of the greatest generation. Thank you will never be enough but that's what I have to say. That and a promise: I will do all I can to be true to you and your ideals. I will pass on the legacy.

The all of those men and women who leave their own homes and their own families so that I might retain the hard-fought freedom, and that my own children are safe, thank you. You continue to give and serve with everything you've got so that the greatest nation the world has ever known will continue to lead and be the symbol of hope and promise. Thank you.

And to the Father of the heavens and the Earth: Even though a few loud, misguided people have lost sight of You, I know you will not forsake us and that YOU are faithful even when we are not. There are Americans who fervently believe in Your guiding hand and the principles so many fought and died for, so long ago and still fight for even today. Don't give up on us.

And last, to those who wish us harm:
You will not prevail in your malicious endeavors.
Ultimately you will lose.
You have picked a fight with a nation born out of tyranny and unafraid to stand face any enemy; A nation that would come to the aid to those who need help and stand beside all those you threaten. Do not underestimate the American Spirit. It is that Spirit that stormed the beaches at Normandy and fought alongside other nations to bring down the greatest evil in the history of the world.
Do not make the mistake of assuming our nation is weak because of its present leadership. It is that weak, misguided leadership that has awakened the American people and cause the American Spirit to stir once again.
Let this serve as a warning to those domestic and foreign who would attempt to cause us harm. Be very careful, your days are numbered.
God, Please bless this Nation.
I do pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
And to the Republic, for which IT stands,
One Nation, Under GOD, Indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for ALL.