Remember sacrifices for freedom

By: Contributed | Orange County Review
Published: July 02, 2009

To the editor,
As we celebrate Independence Day this July 4, I ask that you take a little extra time to think about the great courage and enormous risk of their lives, their families' lives and the property of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Think about the great risk and sacrifice made by George Washington and his military and the great success (in the battles that counted) by that small, ill-equipped Continental Army. Their final assault a Yorktown, weapons not loaded, only bayonets fixed on their weapons, ropes and ladders in hand as they moved forward at night in the face of the British Army. (If you think seriously about their risk, pain and sacrifice, I am sure your eyes will tear up.)
The sacrifice did not stop at Yorktown! Our military has had to continue the battle since Yorktown in one part of this world or another to defend our democracy and way of life.
Today in our present conflicts, Virginia has lost almost 200 lives and our nation about 5,000. That is a tremendous sacrifice by those families, wives, kids, mothers and fathers.
I am asking you to take a little extra time to think about the enormous risk by those that gave so much for this great nation-you and me. I am asking you to think while you can, because what they risked and died for just might be slipping away before your eyes.
Victor King