A "Hero" Of The Faith - President George W. Bush

July 4th Speech, 2005

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) Happy Fourth of July. (Applause.) Thanks for coming. I am honored to celebrate Independence Day in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Applause.) I appreciate you all being here. The history of this land dates back to the earliest days of our republic. Turns out George Washington used to drop by this part of the state. And I appreciate a warm welcome for another George W. (Applause.)

Coming to West Virginia is becoming a Fourth of July tradition for me. (Applause.) And every time I come here, I appreciate the beauty of West Virginia, and I appreciate being with decent, hardworking, patriotic Americans who call the Mountain State home. (Applause.)

Today we gather to celebrate the 229th anniversary of America's independence. Across our great land, families will gather to fly the flag, to watch the fireworks, and count our blessings as Americans. We are grateful for the bounty and opportunity of our land. We are grateful for our liberty. And we are grateful for the men and women in uniform who keep our country safe. (Applause.)

Thank you all. I bring greetings from First Lady Laura Bush. (Applause.) She said, "You go over to West Virginia and tell them how much we love them." (Applause.)

AUDIENCE PARTICIPANT: We love her!

THE PRESIDENT: I love her, too. (Laughter.)

I appreciate Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito. I appreciate her service; I appreciate her love for the great state of West Virginia. Thank you, Shelley Moore. (Applause.) I want to thank the Mayor of Morgantown, West Virginia, Ron Justice, for serving the people. (Applause.) Mr. Mayor, thanks for coming out today. I want to thank all the local and state officials who are here. I want to thank David Hardesty, the President of West Virginia University. I appreciate you. (Applause.) I appreciate being on this fine campus, and I appreciate the good work that the folks do here to educate the people of West Virginia.

The history we celebrate today is a testament to the power of freedom to lift up a whole nation. On Independence Day, we remember the ideals of liberty that led men from 13 colonies to gather in Philadelphia and pen a declaration of self-truths. And we remember the band of patriots who risked their lives to bring freedom to a new continent.

On July 4, 1776, more than five years of the Revolutionary War still lay ahead. From the battle of New York to the winter at Valley Forge, to the victory at Yorktown, our forefathers faced terrible losses and hardships. Yet, they kept their resolve. They kept their faith in a future of liberty, and with their hard-won victory, we guaranteed a home for the Declaration's proposition that all are created equal. (Applause.)

posted by Motivated By Grace @ 5:55 AM