The words inscribed on the Liberty Bell that once sat atop Independence Hall quote Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”  When the Declaration of Independence was read publically for the first time, it was fitting that the Liberty Bell, with that inscription, rang out with the sound of hope.  But in order to achieve the freedom our Founding Fathers hoped for as they embarked on the formation of a new nation, great sacrifices would be required.  As we celebrate this Independence Day, we should remember those sacrifices.

Have you ever stopped to think about the incredible sacrifice that each of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence made by simply putting their names on the document?  As each of those men - some businessmen, some teachers, others farmers and ministers – signed the Declaration, the room was filled with a pensive silence because they all believed they were signing their own death warrant for rebelling against the King of England.  The Declaration itself recognizes this sacrifice as it ends with the words: “for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

In the months and years following the signing of the Declaration, extreme sacrifices of all types were necessary to protect and expand liberty to every man, woman, and child in our nation.  From the Revolutionary War to the battles that are being fought today in Iraq and Afghanistan, these sacrifices are no more evident than in the lives of those who have worn our nation’s uniform.

Closer to home, our great state is full with a rich history of service to our country and defending our freedom.  Alongside the red dirt and wheat fields, patriotism is one of the many things that define Oklahoma, and these principles have been shared in our families, passed down by one generation encouraging the next.  From veterans of the two World Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War to veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other conflicts, stories of duty and honor are told and retold by grandparents to grandchildren, fathers to sons.

This Independence day, as we celebrate our nation, we should also celebrate and remember the sacrifices made by so many Oklahomans that make it all possible.   We should celebrate those that have gone before, and those who still defend freedom today.  The 3,400 soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team who will deploy to Afghanistan next year will be our state’s largest deployment since the Korean War. We celebrate these men and women for their sacrifices, the sacrifices of their families, and for their commitment to their country.  It is because of soldiers like those in the 45th that our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy future Fourth of July celebrations.

Therefore, on this Independence Day, may we remember these many sacrifices, and may we work and live to keep the America we love a shining beacon of liberty and freedom, fulfilling the promise and hope that was born with the sound of Liberty Bell’s ring.