My Memorial Day Letter to the Editor of the Waterbury Republican

Celebrate Memorial Day by remembering what it means

Lexington-Concord, Bunker Hill, the Alamo, Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, Antietam, Bull Run, San Juan Hill, Belleau Wood, Pearl Harbor, Omaha Beach, Battle of the Bulge, Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, Inchon, Ia Drang Valley, Khe Sanh, Tet Offensive, Anbar Province, Fallujah.

Does anyone recognize any of these names and places? These were major battles in wars America has fought since the Revolutionary War. Hundreds of thousands of men and women gave their lives so you can be free, but how long are you going to be free?

We now have an administration and Congress that are rapidly taking away our freedoms, nationalizing major industries and banks, and leftist organizations that, with the help of the government and their friends in the mainstream media, want to force their agendas on the rest of us.

The wacko environmentalists, the "food police," gun-control zealots and animal-rights activists are pushing their agenda to force you to eat what they want you to eat, drive what they want you to drive and take away your right to defend yourself and your family.

I see plenty of letters to the editor pushing these very agendas, but I don't see any letters telling people to buy a gun when they don't want one, eat a steak when they want to be vegetarian, drive an SUV, or take up hunting or fishing.

The people not trying to get you to accept their way of life are the types of people who built this country, believe in its freedoms and fought for it in all our wars.

They feel their rights and individual freedom, "endowed by their creator" (not the government), are guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence — Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They believe in "live and let live," a policy that is anathema to leftists who can't stand those who stand up against their agendas. They will be immediately demonized.

Think of all those men and women who gave their all so you could be free, and fight the left's agenda every inch of the way.

Stand up for your freedoms and your right to be an individual, and don't fall prey to the guilt the left constantly forces on people who don't agree with them.

Celebrate Memorial Day, but remember what it means. The leftist government officials will do their obligatory duties such as putting a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns or marching in Memorial day parades, but deep in their hearts they want no part of the military, freedom (especially yours), love of country or that darned thing called the Constitution that keeps getting in their way.

Go to the next Tea Party, get involved and vote in the next election.

Jon Quint

Woodbury