WEBVTT 01:24.340 --> 01:26.510 Mhm . Wasn't your fault ? 01:28.940 --> 01:29.940 Yeah . 01:37.340 --> 01:38.340 Yeah . 01:41.150 --> 01:42.960 Okay . Mhm . 01:46.340 --> 01:47.340 Okay . 01:52.740 --> 01:55.200 Mhm Oh 01:59.440 --> 02:02.860 yeah . Yeah . 02:05.740 --> 02:06.150 Yeah . 02:33.740 --> 02:37.160 Door or turn George 02:38.540 --> 02:41.360 Yeah . Yeah . 04:48.840 --> 04:49.840 Mhm 05:03.340 --> 05:06.860 Please please Hey . 05:44.040 --> 05:47.240 Mhm . Yeah . Mhm . Yeah . 05:57.940 --> 05:59.360 Yeah . Yeah . 06:02.240 --> 06:06.180 Yeah . And Uh 06:06.180 --> 06:09.140 huh . Yeah . 06:12.440 --> 06:13.440 Yeah . 06:16.240 --> 06:19.960 Yeah . Oh go 06:20.340 --> 06:21.340 right 07:06.540 --> 07:10.160 please Oh 07:16.640 --> 07:17.640 yeah . 07:37.140 --> 07:38.140 Mhm . 07:59.540 --> 08:00.540 Mhm 08:35.440 --> 08:36.850 Oh dad . 08:39.340 --> 08:40.340 Yeah . 09:29.340 --> 09:30.340 Yeah . 09:33.940 --> 09:34.940 Yeah . 09:37.840 --> 09:39.840 Yeah . Yeah . Yeah . 09:48.540 --> 09:49.540 Yeah . 10:21.340 --> 10:22.340 Yeah . 10:27.940 --> 10:28.860 Uh huh . 10:35.640 --> 10:37.862 Ladies and gentlemen , the President of 10:37.862 --> 10:40.029 the United States , accompanied by the 10:40.029 --> 10:42.140 Secretary of Defense and the Chairman 10:42.140 --> 10:43.862 of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . 10:49.440 --> 10:50.440 Yeah . 10:53.740 --> 10:54.740 Yeah . 11:04.540 --> 11:08.420 Okay , ladies and 11:08.420 --> 11:10.587 gentlemen , chaplain , Colonel Michael 11:10.587 --> 11:12.790 Schellman , Command chaplain , Joint 11:12.790 --> 11:15.010 Task Force , National Capital Region 11:15.040 --> 11:17.373 and the Military District of Washington . 11:19.240 --> 11:21.760 Please join me in prayer . 11:23.340 --> 11:26.430 Almighty God who is the champion of 11:26.430 --> 11:30.200 liberty , The champion of our freedoms 11:30.740 --> 11:32.573 and the God who loves us with an 11:32.573 --> 11:35.670 everlasting love today . Let us lift 11:35.670 --> 11:38.320 our hearts and prayers and thanksgiving 11:38.320 --> 11:41.090 to you for those patriots who paid the 11:41.090 --> 11:43.830 ultimate price by giving their lives in 11:43.830 --> 11:46.410 full measure for their country . With 11:46.410 --> 11:48.700 humble hearts , may we never forget 11:48.700 --> 11:51.860 their patriotism and commitment as a 11:51.860 --> 11:54.460 nation . We can never be grateful 11:54.460 --> 11:57.280 enough for the uncommon bravery of 11:57.280 --> 11:59.910 those sons and daughters who preserved 11:59.920 --> 12:03.520 our freedoms . Lord thank you for the 12:03.520 --> 12:05.910 gift of liberty and the blessings of 12:05.910 --> 12:08.720 freedom that you have bestowed on our 12:08.720 --> 12:12.240 nation , the United States of 12:12.240 --> 12:15.760 America . Let us never forget these 12:15.760 --> 12:19.150 heroic souls , our brothers and sisters 12:19.410 --> 12:23.370 of days gone by , some who never had 12:23.370 --> 12:26.640 the chance to grow old . Let us thank 12:26.640 --> 12:29.170 them for their sacrifice as it 12:29.170 --> 12:31.980 continues to be . Our blessing in their 12:31.980 --> 12:35.880 bravery continues to be our reward 12:36.100 --> 12:39.450 in your gracious name . I pray Amen . 12:42.340 --> 12:44.284 Ladies and gentlemen , please join 12:44.284 --> 12:46.396 Sergeant , first class Brendan Curran 12:46.396 --> 12:48.173 and the United States Army Band 12:48.173 --> 12:50.229 Pershing's own in the singing of our 12:50.229 --> 12:51.229 national anthem . 13:00.840 --> 13:04.630 Oh , say , can you see 13:04.640 --> 13:07.960 my daughter light 13:07.970 --> 13:10.970 Once upon me . We 13:10.970 --> 13:14.760 had at the twilight's last 13:14.760 --> 13:18.630 week . Who's one stripes and bright 13:18.630 --> 13:22.600 stars to the parent last 13:22.600 --> 13:26.440 fight for the round . What's we 13:26.440 --> 13:30.110 watched were so gallantly 13:30.110 --> 13:33.780 stream under the rockets . 13:33.780 --> 13:36.160 When ? Yeah , one 13:36.160 --> 13:40.060 thursday april 13:40.640 --> 13:44.490 through the night . Flag 13:53.400 --> 13:54.950 way . 13:56.740 --> 13:59.280 Oh I know 14:01.740 --> 14:03.860 yeah . And the heart 14:06.440 --> 14:09.340 bryce . 14:30.740 --> 14:31.796 Please be seated . 14:36.440 --> 14:40.000 Ladies and gentlemen , please welcome 14:40.010 --> 14:42.440 General Mark A Milley , the Chairman of 14:42.440 --> 14:44.050 the Joint Chiefs of Staff , 14:52.540 --> 14:55.560 Mr President madam , Vice President , 14:56.640 --> 14:58.807 Secretary Austin , Distinguished Gas , 14:58.807 --> 15:01.250 fellow americans and most importantly , 15:01.940 --> 15:04.490 gold star families , those that are 15:04.490 --> 15:06.950 here and those that could not make it 15:06.950 --> 15:10.630 here . It's an honor to join you all 15:10.630 --> 15:12.741 and solemn remembrance and reflection 15:13.240 --> 15:16.810 On this 153rd Observance of Memorial 15:16.810 --> 15:20.360 Day For the over one million Americans 15:20.840 --> 15:23.090 who have given the last full measure of 15:23.090 --> 15:25.560 devotion in service of their country . 15:26.540 --> 15:29.560 Since our founding , more than 42 15:29.560 --> 15:31.727 million Americans have stepped forward 15:31.727 --> 15:33.782 to serve their country as soldiers , 15:33.782 --> 15:36.770 sailors , airmen , marines , guardians 15:36.870 --> 15:40.060 and Coast guardsmen . Their story is of 15:40.060 --> 15:42.650 course one of courage , 15:43.240 --> 15:46.140 selflessness and commitment . This 15:46.140 --> 15:48.196 memorial Day . We honor their memory 15:48.196 --> 15:50.480 and the values they upheld so that we 15:50.480 --> 15:53.940 could live in freedom from bunker hill 15:53.940 --> 15:57.200 to Gettys Bird from the meuse , Argonne , 15:57.210 --> 16:01.090 Iwo , Jima and Sean the I drank valley 16:01.100 --> 16:03.960 for the corn called Ramadi in Mosul . 16:04.840 --> 16:06.951 There are sacrifices , an example for 16:06.951 --> 16:09.870 all of us I could never forget and to 16:09.870 --> 16:13.050 always honor . At the first official 16:13.050 --> 16:15.540 Memorial Day ceremony held here at 16:15.540 --> 16:18.870 Arlington in 1868 , Children who have 16:18.870 --> 16:21.490 been orphaned by the Civil war move 16:21.490 --> 16:23.800 throughout the cemetery laying spring 16:23.800 --> 16:25.911 flowers on the graves of our soldiers 16:27.120 --> 16:30.550 Since that day , 153 years ago . On 16:30.550 --> 16:33.470 this day in May , we come together as 16:33.470 --> 16:36.100 americans to mourn . But much more 16:36.100 --> 16:38.400 importantly than morning we come 16:38.400 --> 16:40.760 together as americans to remember 16:41.440 --> 16:43.607 remember that we owe the brave men and 16:43.607 --> 16:45.551 women who have lost their lives in 16:45.551 --> 16:48.190 service to this nation . And remember 16:48.190 --> 16:51.260 to that behind every fallen comrade as 16:51.260 --> 16:54.460 a family , the family who 16:54.460 --> 16:57.830 sacrifices embody the soul that is 16:57.830 --> 17:01.030 America reflect on the dreams never 17:01.030 --> 17:04.850 realized the pain of a parent who has 17:04.850 --> 17:08.770 lost a child . The pain of a child was 17:08.770 --> 17:12.060 lost their parents for every day 17:12.640 --> 17:15.220 is memorial day for the families of our 17:15.220 --> 17:18.640 fallen . But today is also a day to 17:18.640 --> 17:21.010 celebrate the courage and how they 17:21.010 --> 17:23.700 lived and why they fought and remember 17:23.700 --> 17:25.700 that they live for something bigger 17:25.700 --> 17:27.811 than themselves . They fought for the 17:27.811 --> 17:29.978 values and traditions of this nation . 17:30.640 --> 17:32.940 They fought for the belief that under 17:32.940 --> 17:36.800 these colors red , white and blue , all 17:36.800 --> 17:40.040 of us or americans and we hold these 17:40.040 --> 17:43.860 truths to be self evident that all men 17:44.440 --> 17:47.580 and all women are created equal and 17:47.580 --> 17:51.260 each have all fallen . New freedom 17:51.840 --> 17:54.660 is worth fighting for and each of them 17:55.240 --> 17:58.360 made a difference . So it is up to us 17:59.040 --> 18:01.360 the living to leave these hallowed 18:01.360 --> 18:04.640 grounds today and recommit ourselves to 18:04.640 --> 18:08.290 the cause for which they died . But 18:08.290 --> 18:10.770 equally important to the cause for 18:10.770 --> 18:14.310 which they lived . It is our job to 18:14.310 --> 18:18.160 live a life worthy of their sacrifice . 18:18.740 --> 18:21.420 So may God bless our fallen , May God 18:21.420 --> 18:23.520 bless the families of our fallen and 18:23.520 --> 18:26.180 may God give us the strength to defend 18:26.180 --> 18:28.510 the idea that is America and ensure 18:28.510 --> 18:30.990 this nation shall not perish from this 18:30.990 --> 18:34.600 earth . It is my privilege to 18:34.600 --> 18:37.950 introduce the Secretary Defense . A man 18:37.950 --> 18:40.172 I have known for a quarter of a century 18:40.440 --> 18:42.720 and whose leadership and the crucible 18:42.720 --> 18:45.160 of battle I have personally witnessed . 18:45.940 --> 18:48.090 He's a leader of extraordinary 18:48.090 --> 18:50.420 integrity and it is my pleasure to 18:50.420 --> 18:52.780 serve alongside him again . Ladies and 18:52.780 --> 18:54.947 gentlemen , it's my honor to introduce 18:54.947 --> 18:57.170 the 28th United States Secretary , 18:57.170 --> 18:59.960 Defense Lloyd J . Austin the third 19:18.940 --> 19:22.160 Mr President , Dr Biden 19:23.040 --> 19:26.270 Madam . Vice President Mr Emhoff . 19:26.740 --> 19:28.920 General Milley . Distinguished Guest 19:28.920 --> 19:31.990 Service members , Gold Star Family 19:31.990 --> 19:35.160 members . My fellow Veterans . 19:35.740 --> 19:39.740 Ladies and gentlemen , thank you for 19:39.740 --> 19:43.670 joining us on this solemn day in 19:43.670 --> 19:47.380 this solemn place , we come together to 19:47.380 --> 19:50.830 remember and to renew our sense of 19:50.830 --> 19:54.140 common purpose and to reach out to 19:54.140 --> 19:57.170 those who have long mourn and to those 19:57.640 --> 20:01.370 who newly grieve mr 20:01.370 --> 20:03.426 President and thinking about joining 20:03.426 --> 20:05.314 you here today . I reflected on a 20:05.314 --> 20:08.500 meeting I held a few days ago with some 20:08.500 --> 20:10.900 of our Gold Star if and surviving 20:10.900 --> 20:14.560 families . one of them was 20:14.570 --> 20:17.640 Shannon Man , the wife of a marine 20:17.640 --> 20:20.860 reservist . They have three Children . 20:22.740 --> 20:24.680 Her husband Chris was killed by a 20:24.680 --> 20:28.100 suicide bomber on April eight , in 20:28.100 --> 20:32.040 Bagram Afghanistan . The 20:32.040 --> 20:33.873 first thing that she said in our 20:33.873 --> 20:37.310 meeting was simply , I'm gonna try not 20:37.310 --> 20:41.280 to cry . And she told us that 20:41.290 --> 20:44.340 before her husband left on one of his 20:44.340 --> 20:48.320 deployments , she set him down and said , 20:48.330 --> 20:51.170 God forbid something happens to you . 20:52.040 --> 20:55.030 But if it does , where do you want me 20:55.030 --> 20:58.830 to bury you ? And he told 20:58.830 --> 21:01.660 her , I don't care , 21:03.140 --> 21:04.850 I just want to be near you . 21:08.040 --> 21:10.460 And today , staff Sergeant Chris 21:10.460 --> 21:12.650 Stutman rest here in Arlington in 21:12.650 --> 21:16.540 section 60 alongside so many 21:16.540 --> 21:18.762 of his brothers and sisters in arms who 21:18.762 --> 21:21.890 made the ultimate sacrifice in action . 21:21.890 --> 21:24.460 And this longest of american wars . 21:26.640 --> 21:28.760 Our Gold Star and surviving families 21:28.760 --> 21:31.000 way to fight . That goes on long after 21:31.000 --> 21:34.900 the funerals . And it is our sacred 21:34.900 --> 21:37.550 duty to do more , to ease the burden at 21:37.550 --> 21:41.260 the shoulder on memorial Day 21:42.140 --> 21:45.990 and every day because for as 21:45.990 --> 21:48.101 long as America has sent our sons and 21:48.101 --> 21:51.790 daughters into harm's way . Those on 21:51.790 --> 21:54.620 the home front have also been on the 21:54.620 --> 21:58.030 front lines . And Mr 21:58.030 --> 21:59.990 President , you know firsthand the 21:59.990 --> 22:03.430 pride of seeing a loved one put on our 22:03.430 --> 22:04.560 country's uniform , 22:07.240 --> 22:09.820 you also know what it means to wait and 22:09.820 --> 22:11.987 worry while the son serves in a battle 22:11.987 --> 22:13.660 zone far away . 22:15.840 --> 22:18.660 And you know what it means to commit 22:18.670 --> 22:22.080 american troops to fight . And you 22:22.080 --> 22:24.080 understand the mixture of pride and 22:24.080 --> 22:28.020 stress and fear that all 22:28.020 --> 22:31.820 our military families live with as a 22:31.820 --> 22:33.598 former commander . I know these 22:33.598 --> 22:37.570 feelings myself for the loved 22:37.570 --> 22:39.737 ones of those who have fallen . Let me 22:39.737 --> 22:43.470 simply say , we know the 22:43.470 --> 22:45.360 depth of your sacrifice , 22:47.340 --> 22:50.110 but we can never truly know the depth 22:50.120 --> 22:54.090 of your loss . What we can 22:54.090 --> 22:56.090 do is honor the memory of those who 22:56.090 --> 22:58.160 lost , by caring for those who mourn 22:58.160 --> 23:01.950 them and by seeking to 23:01.950 --> 23:05.560 perfect our union and defend our 23:05.560 --> 23:09.330 democracy , and by striving to 23:09.330 --> 23:11.880 live our lives in ways that advance the 23:11.880 --> 23:15.560 ideals for which they gave their own . 23:17.640 --> 23:20.720 It is indeed an honor to be here with 23:20.730 --> 23:24.410 all of you today . Ladies and 23:24.410 --> 23:26.632 gentlemen , the President of the United 23:26.632 --> 23:27.110 States 23:42.640 --> 23:46.320 Madam , Vice President , Secretary 23:46.320 --> 23:49.560 Austin , Secretary McDonough , 23:50.040 --> 23:53.670 General Milley , Gold Star Families . 23:54.740 --> 23:58.660 My fellow americans , we're gathered at 23:58.660 --> 24:02.360 this sacred place in this solemn 24:02.370 --> 24:05.760 hour , engaged in the most fundamental 24:05.760 --> 24:08.980 of undertakings , the right of 24:08.980 --> 24:12.360 remembrance . Remember those 24:12.940 --> 24:14.996 who gave their all in the service of 24:14.996 --> 24:18.260 America , the service of freedom , the 24:18.260 --> 24:20.840 service of justice . Remember their 24:20.840 --> 24:24.060 sacrifice , their valor and their grace , 24:25.140 --> 24:28.860 remember their smiles , their loves , 24:29.540 --> 24:32.200 their laughter , they're essential , 24:32.200 --> 24:34.860 vibrant and transcendent humanity . 24:36.740 --> 24:39.000 For while we stand amid monuments of 24:39.000 --> 24:42.790 stone , we must never forget that each 24:42.790 --> 24:45.940 of these markers for those known and 24:45.940 --> 24:49.240 unknown here at Arlington and far 24:49.240 --> 24:52.970 beyond represent a precious 24:52.980 --> 24:56.780 life , a son , a daughter , a 24:56.780 --> 24:59.470 mother , a spouse , brother , sister , 24:59.470 --> 25:03.410 a friend , a neighbor to those 25:03.420 --> 25:07.270 who mourn A loved one today . 25:08.640 --> 25:10.696 Jill and I have some idea how you're 25:10.696 --> 25:14.470 feeling . Our losses are not the 25:14.470 --> 25:18.430 same , but that black hole you feel 25:18.430 --> 25:20.652 in your chest as if it's gonna you into 25:20.652 --> 25:22.860 it . We get 25:24.650 --> 25:27.640 I know the incredible pride You felt 25:27.640 --> 25:30.010 senior loved one where the uniform of 25:30.010 --> 25:33.850 our country and the pride they felt 25:34.240 --> 25:38.030 wearing it . Our son 25:38.030 --> 25:40.030 Beau's service in the Della robbery 25:40.030 --> 25:42.630 National Guard unit the year is spent 25:42.630 --> 25:46.520 deployed in Iraq was one of the things 25:46.810 --> 25:49.170 that he was most proud of in life . 25:50.940 --> 25:53.162 Yesterday marked the anniversary of his 25:53.162 --> 25:56.850 death and it's a hard time , 25:58.640 --> 26:02.420 hard time of year for me and our 26:02.420 --> 26:05.950 family just like it is for so many of 26:05.950 --> 26:09.770 you it can hurt to 26:09.770 --> 26:13.140 remember , but the hurt is how we 26:13.140 --> 26:16.990 feel and how we heal . I always 26:16.990 --> 26:19.270 feel both close to me on Memorial Day , 26:20.130 --> 26:22.720 I know exactly where I need to be 26:23.740 --> 26:27.220 right here honoring our fallen 26:27.220 --> 26:30.770 heroes because through pain and anguish 26:30.770 --> 26:33.500 of his loss , I remember the pride on 26:33.500 --> 26:37.270 his face did I pinned those bars 26:37.640 --> 26:41.540 on his shoulders all of you who are 26:41.540 --> 26:44.360 fighting . But the fresh pain of loss 26:45.360 --> 26:48.540 as hard it is to believe , I promise 26:48.540 --> 26:52.170 you this , the day will come 26:53.040 --> 26:56.170 with the image of your loved one will 26:56.170 --> 26:58.980 bring a smile to your lips before it 26:58.980 --> 27:02.610 brings a tear to your eyes . The bible 27:02.610 --> 27:06.360 teaches , blessed are they that mourn 27:07.240 --> 27:09.800 for ? They shall be comforted . That 27:09.810 --> 27:13.520 comfort , that reassurance can be a 27:13.520 --> 27:17.160 long time in coming . But it will come , 27:17.640 --> 27:21.520 I promise you and my prayer for all of 27:21.520 --> 27:24.550 you is that that day will come 27:25.140 --> 27:27.450 sooner rather than later . 27:29.440 --> 27:32.590 We all know , Memorial Day origins lie 27:32.590 --> 27:36.460 in the wake of the civil war or for the 27:36.460 --> 27:39.860 freedom of all , a war for union , 27:40.440 --> 27:42.830 a war for liberty and for the 27:42.830 --> 27:46.630 preservation of the constitution and 27:46.630 --> 27:49.750 calling for such today . General John 27:49.750 --> 27:51.917 Logan , Commander of the Grand Army of 27:51.917 --> 27:54.360 the Republic issued General Order # 11 . 27:55.440 --> 27:57.900 He directed the nation's set aside a 27:57.900 --> 27:59.956 day to honor . And I quote those who 27:59.956 --> 28:02.540 died in defense of their country during 28:02.540 --> 28:05.440 the late rebellion and whose bodies now 28:05.440 --> 28:09.230 lie in almost every city , village and 28:09.230 --> 28:12.350 Hamlet churchyard throughout the land . 28:14.140 --> 28:17.680 And so we have and so we do again 28:17.680 --> 28:21.680 today in our time where 28:21.680 --> 28:24.460 the Children of sacrifice 28:25.240 --> 28:27.950 made by a long line of american service 28:27.950 --> 28:31.860 members each a link in that 28:31.860 --> 28:35.550 chain of honor . We live by the light 28:35.560 --> 28:38.380 of the flame of liberty . They kept 28:38.390 --> 28:42.320 burning . We're free because they 28:42.330 --> 28:46.060 were brave Here on these 28:46.070 --> 28:49.110 gentle rolling green hills and across 28:49.110 --> 28:52.780 America and around the globe lie 28:52.780 --> 28:55.670 buried the heroes of the greatest 28:55.670 --> 28:59.360 experiment the world has ever known 29:00.040 --> 29:03.800 ever seen . The experiment bears the 29:03.800 --> 29:07.470 noble name . The United States of 29:07.470 --> 29:11.120 America . Women and men , 29:12.140 --> 29:15.710 All those we honour today gave their 29:15.710 --> 29:19.060 lives for their country , but they live 29:19.060 --> 29:22.200 forever in our hearts , Forever , 29:22.200 --> 29:25.720 proud , forever honorable , forever 29:25.720 --> 29:29.480 american . They are , 29:29.710 --> 29:31.654 they are the sentence of liberty , 29:32.340 --> 29:35.610 defenders of the downtrodden liberators 29:35.610 --> 29:39.330 of nations . And still 29:39.330 --> 29:43.020 today americans stand 29:43.020 --> 29:45.770 watch around the world . Often they're 29:45.780 --> 29:49.260 great personal peril , war and 29:49.260 --> 29:52.730 conflict , Death and lost are not 29:52.730 --> 29:55.160 relics of our american history . 29:55.940 --> 29:58.300 They're part of american story . 29:59.740 --> 30:02.920 Here in Harlington lie heroes who gave 30:02.930 --> 30:05.860 President Lincoln called the last full 30:05.860 --> 30:07.082 measure of devotion . 30:10.240 --> 30:12.780 It did not only die at Gettysburg or in 30:12.780 --> 30:14.780 flanders field or on the beaches of 30:14.780 --> 30:17.120 Normandy , but in the mountains of 30:17.120 --> 30:20.240 Afghanistan , the deserts of Iraq In 30:20.240 --> 30:24.000 the last 20 years , six and 30:24.000 --> 30:26.370 60 when I walked through , it reminds 30:26.370 --> 30:29.610 me of the cost of war . Hundreds of 30:29.610 --> 30:32.560 graves , hundreds of grades are here 30:32.560 --> 30:35.990 from recent conflicts . Hundreds of 30:35.990 --> 30:38.270 patriots gave her all 30:39.340 --> 30:42.060 each . He says , I'm leaving behind the 30:42.060 --> 30:44.690 family . We live with their pain and 30:44.690 --> 30:48.060 their absence . Every single day . 30:50.840 --> 30:53.173 I want to assure each of those families , 30:53.440 --> 30:57.340 we will never forget what you gave 30:57.340 --> 31:01.240 to our country . We will never fail to 31:01.250 --> 31:04.370 honor your sacrifice 31:06.740 --> 31:10.560 each day , starting when I was Vice 31:10.560 --> 31:13.270 President , United States , I carry in 31:13.270 --> 31:16.260 my pocket a number of troops 31:16.940 --> 31:20.620 killed during the wars in 31:20.620 --> 31:23.770 Afghanistan and Iraq . Not an 31:23.770 --> 31:27.590 approximation . Not rounded off numbers 31:28.840 --> 31:30.830 the Eastleigh behind an entire 31:30.830 --> 31:34.740 community and family . But today That 31:34.740 --> 31:37.710 number is 7036 , 31:38.540 --> 31:41.770 7036 Fallen Angels 31:43.240 --> 31:46.600 have lost their lives these conflicts 31:48.240 --> 31:51.160 and this memorial day , we honor their 31:51.160 --> 31:53.450 legacy and their sacrifice 31:54.540 --> 31:58.350 duty , honor country , 31:59.440 --> 32:03.040 They lived for it . They died for 32:03.040 --> 32:06.230 it and we as a nation are 32:06.230 --> 32:07.890 eternally grateful . 32:11.840 --> 32:13.896 You know , America has been forged , 32:14.540 --> 32:18.100 the basil and the fires of war , our 32:18.100 --> 32:20.267 freedom and the freedom of innumerable 32:20.267 --> 32:22.840 others has been secured by young men 32:22.840 --> 32:24.840 and women who answered the call of 32:24.840 --> 32:28.680 history and gave everything the service 32:28.680 --> 32:32.670 of an idea the idea 32:32.670 --> 32:36.050 of America . It's the greatest 32:36.050 --> 32:39.270 idea in the long history of humankind . 32:40.040 --> 32:43.590 An idea that we're all created equal in 32:43.590 --> 32:47.110 the image of Almighty God . They were 32:47.110 --> 32:49.620 all entitled to dignity , as my father 32:49.620 --> 32:53.490 would say and respect , decency 32:53.490 --> 32:56.240 and honor , love of neighbour . They're 32:56.240 --> 32:59.880 not empty words but the 32:59.880 --> 33:02.240 vital beating heart of our nation 33:05.040 --> 33:07.207 and that democracy must be defended at 33:07.207 --> 33:09.530 all costs for democracy . makes all 33:09.540 --> 33:12.960 this possible democracy . That's the 33:12.960 --> 33:14.550 soul of America 33:16.940 --> 33:18.718 and I believe it's a soul worth 33:18.718 --> 33:21.300 fighting for . And so do you . A soul 33:21.300 --> 33:24.760 worth dying for ? Heroes 33:25.440 --> 33:28.200 who lie in eternal peace in this 33:28.200 --> 33:30.770 beautiful place , this sacred place . 33:31.520 --> 33:34.820 They believe that too , the soul of 33:34.820 --> 33:37.450 America has animated 33:39.140 --> 33:42.350 by the perennial battle between our 33:42.350 --> 33:45.000 worst instincts , which we've seen of 33:45.000 --> 33:47.450 late and our better angels 33:49.040 --> 33:52.950 between me first and we the people 33:53.940 --> 33:57.490 between greed and generosity , cruelty 33:57.490 --> 34:00.960 and kindness , captivity and freedom . 34:03.540 --> 34:05.707 The americans of Lexington and concord 34:05.707 --> 34:07.596 of new Orleans , Gettysburg , the 34:07.596 --> 34:09.810 Argonne , Iwo , Jima , Normandy , 34:09.820 --> 34:12.153 korean , Vietnam , Afghanistan and Iraq . 34:12.153 --> 34:14.550 And thousands of places in between . 34:16.140 --> 34:18.196 These americans weren't fighting for 34:18.196 --> 34:20.140 dictators . They were fighting for 34:20.140 --> 34:23.260 democracy . They weren't fighting 34:23.940 --> 34:26.680 to exclude or to enslave . There are 34:26.680 --> 34:28.730 fighting to build and broaden and 34:28.730 --> 34:31.670 liberate . They weren't fighting for 34:31.670 --> 34:34.780 self . We're fighting for the soul of 34:34.780 --> 34:38.360 the nation for liberty 34:38.740 --> 34:42.490 In simple fair play , simple 34:42.490 --> 34:44.560 fair play and decency 34:46.840 --> 34:50.130 today is remember their sacrifice . We 34:50.130 --> 34:52.940 remind ourselves of our duty to their 34:52.940 --> 34:55.760 memory to the future they fought for . 34:57.640 --> 34:59.910 We owe the honor debt a debt we can 34:59.910 --> 35:03.180 never fully repay . We owe them our 35:03.180 --> 35:06.230 whole souls . We owe them our full best 35:06.230 --> 35:09.400 efforts to perfect the union for which 35:09.400 --> 35:12.680 they died . We owe them the work of our 35:12.680 --> 35:15.800 hands and our hearts to make grilled 35:15.800 --> 35:17.967 the promise of a nation founded on the 35:17.967 --> 35:21.420 proposition all of us , all of us , all 35:21.420 --> 35:24.110 of us are created equal and deserve to 35:24.110 --> 35:26.054 be treated that way throughout our 35:26.054 --> 35:29.200 lives . Democracy is more than a form 35:29.200 --> 35:32.250 of government . It's a way of being . 35:32.640 --> 35:34.473 It's a way of seeing the world . 35:36.340 --> 35:40.170 Democracy means the rule of the people , 35:41.040 --> 35:44.900 the role of the people , not the rule 35:44.900 --> 35:48.360 of monarchs , not the role of the money , 35:49.040 --> 35:51.830 not the rule of the mighty , literally 35:51.830 --> 35:55.700 the rule of the people , the 35:55.700 --> 35:58.950 lives of billions from antiquity to our 35:58.950 --> 36:01.160 own . Our have been shaped by the 36:01.160 --> 36:03.600 battle between aspirations of the many 36:03.600 --> 36:07.050 in the greed of the few between people 36:07.720 --> 36:10.600 right to self determination and the 36:10.600 --> 36:13.530 self seeking of the dictator between 36:13.530 --> 36:16.220 dreams of democracy and appetites for 36:16.220 --> 36:18.670 autocracy which we're seeing around the 36:18.670 --> 36:21.690 world . Our troops have fought this 36:21.690 --> 36:23.912 battle on fields around the world , but 36:23.912 --> 36:26.960 also the battle of our time 36:28.620 --> 36:30.731 and the mission falls to each of us . 36:30.731 --> 36:34.660 Each and every day . Democracy itself 36:35.130 --> 36:38.250 is in peril here at home and around the 36:38.250 --> 36:42.050 world . What we do now , 36:43.030 --> 36:45.410 what we do now , how we honor the 36:45.410 --> 36:48.590 memory of the fallen will determine 36:48.590 --> 36:50.534 whether or not democracy will long 36:50.534 --> 36:54.260 endure . We all take it for granted . 36:54.260 --> 36:56.427 We think we learn in school , you have 36:56.427 --> 36:58.593 to , every generation has to fight for 36:58.593 --> 37:01.350 it . Look , 37:03.530 --> 37:06.300 it's the biggest question or they're a 37:06.300 --> 37:09.420 system . The prize is the individual 37:09.620 --> 37:12.460 that bends towards liberty . It gives 37:12.470 --> 37:14.450 everybody a chance of prosperity , 37:15.430 --> 37:17.950 whether that system can and will 37:18.700 --> 37:20.756 prevail against powerful forces that 37:20.756 --> 37:24.610 wish to harm all that we do in 37:24.610 --> 37:26.721 our common life as a nation . As part 37:26.721 --> 37:29.250 of that struggle , a struggle for 37:29.250 --> 37:32.300 democracy is taking place around the 37:32.300 --> 37:34.490 world . Democracy and autocracy , 37:37.930 --> 37:41.250 struggle for decency and dignity , 37:42.130 --> 37:46.080 Just simple decency . A struggle for 37:46.080 --> 37:48.660 posterity , prosperity and progress . 37:49.730 --> 37:53.540 And yes , the struggle for the soul 37:54.140 --> 37:56.550 of America itself , 37:58.930 --> 38:01.830 folks , you all know it . 38:02.920 --> 38:04.590 Democracy thrives when the 38:04.590 --> 38:06.812 infrastructure of democracy is strong , 38:07.720 --> 38:09.664 when people have the right to vote 38:10.320 --> 38:12.650 freely and fairly and conveniently , 38:13.720 --> 38:15.609 when a free and independent press 38:15.609 --> 38:18.780 pursues the truth founded on facts , 38:19.100 --> 38:21.650 not propaganda . When the rule of law 38:21.650 --> 38:23.910 applies equally and fairly to every 38:23.910 --> 38:26.780 citizen , regardless of where they come 38:26.780 --> 38:28.950 from what they look like . 38:29.920 --> 38:33.640 Excuse me , wherever 38:33.640 --> 38:37.300 americans are there , there is 38:37.300 --> 38:40.610 democracy , churches and synagogues and 38:40.610 --> 38:43.190 mosques , neighborhoods and coffee 38:43.190 --> 38:46.470 shops and diners , bleachers and kids , 38:46.470 --> 38:49.590 baseball or soccer game libraries and 38:49.590 --> 38:53.590 parks . Democracy begins and grows in 38:53.590 --> 38:56.890 the open heart and the impetus to come 38:56.890 --> 39:00.760 together for a common cause . And I 39:00.760 --> 39:02.927 might know parenthetically , thank you 39:02.927 --> 39:05.150 taps , that's what you do 39:07.320 --> 39:11.120 and that's where we'll be preserved for . 39:11.130 --> 39:14.020 Empathy Is the fuel democracy . Let me 39:14.020 --> 39:17.650 say that again . Empathy . Empathy 39:18.020 --> 39:21.830 is the fuel of democracy . Our 39:21.830 --> 39:24.570 willingness to see each other , not his 39:24.570 --> 39:26.681 enemy as neighbors , even we disagree 39:26.681 --> 39:30.570 to understand , but the other is going 39:30.570 --> 39:34.100 through state the obvious . 39:35.420 --> 39:38.410 Our democracy is imperfect . It always 39:38.410 --> 39:41.230 has been when americans of all 39:41.230 --> 39:43.500 backgrounds , racist creed , gender 39:43.500 --> 39:47.080 identities , sexual orientations have 39:47.080 --> 39:49.247 long spilled their blood to defend our 39:49.247 --> 39:51.890 democracy , the diversity of our 39:51.890 --> 39:54.370 country and her arm and of our armed 39:54.370 --> 39:57.280 services is and always has been an 39:57.280 --> 39:58.840 incredible strength . 40:00.910 --> 40:03.260 Generation after generation of american 40:03.260 --> 40:05.482 heroes have signed up to be part of the 40:05.482 --> 40:07.830 fight because they understand the truth 40:08.710 --> 40:11.440 that lives in every american heart , 40:12.510 --> 40:16.400 that liberation opportunity justice are 40:16.400 --> 40:18.980 far more likely to come to pass in a 40:18.980 --> 40:21.320 democracy than an autocracy . 40:23.410 --> 40:26.470 If every person is sacred and every 40:26.470 --> 40:30.460 person rights are sacred , individual 40:30.460 --> 40:32.940 dignity , Individual worth , 40:34.210 --> 40:37.650 individual sanctity . The right to life , 40:37.660 --> 40:39.827 Liberty and the pursuit of happiness . 40:40.110 --> 40:43.460 We say those words so often , but think 40:43.460 --> 40:47.240 of it the right to vote , 40:48.710 --> 40:51.270 right to rise in the world as far as 40:51.280 --> 40:54.240 your talent can take you unlimited 40:55.310 --> 40:57.900 by unfair barriers of privilege and 40:57.900 --> 41:01.750 power . Such are the principles of 41:01.750 --> 41:05.730 democracy . So why would 41:05.730 --> 41:07.730 you put these noble principles into 41:07.730 --> 41:09.841 practice ? How do we do that ? How do 41:09.841 --> 41:13.590 we make the idea real or as close to 41:13.590 --> 41:16.580 real as we can make it ? This nation 41:16.580 --> 41:19.370 was built on an idea . The only nation , 41:19.370 --> 41:21.426 the world building , and every other 41:21.426 --> 41:23.148 nation is built on ethnicity , 41:23.148 --> 41:25.870 geography , religion , etcetera . We 41:25.870 --> 41:28.460 were built on an idea , the idea of 41:28.460 --> 41:31.740 liberty , an opportunity for all . 41:32.910 --> 41:34.743 You've never fully realized that 41:34.743 --> 41:37.250 aspiration of our founding , but every 41:37.250 --> 41:39.670 generation has opened the door a little 41:39.670 --> 41:42.930 wider and every generation has opened a 41:42.930 --> 41:45.830 wider and wider to be more inclusive , 41:46.910 --> 41:48.854 include those who've been excluded 41:48.854 --> 41:52.530 before . It's a mission handed down 41:53.010 --> 41:56.140 generation to generation . The work are 41:56.140 --> 41:59.860 perfecting our union in 41:59.860 --> 42:03.810 18 30 when we were young nation , 42:05.000 --> 42:07.260 this unionist put their sexual interest 42:07.260 --> 42:10.430 ahead of the common good . A great 42:10.430 --> 42:12.820 Senator , Daniel Webster 42:13.990 --> 42:16.420 rose in the capital to defend the union . 42:17.100 --> 42:19.710 To him , we're not just a collection of 42:19.710 --> 42:22.630 competing forces , but a coherent whole . 42:24.200 --> 42:27.010 His cry , first other just across the 42:27.010 --> 42:30.270 potomac in the capital resonates . Even 42:30.270 --> 42:32.940 now , he stood on the floor and he said , 42:32.940 --> 42:36.420 Liberty and Union , Now and forever , 42:36.430 --> 42:39.930 one and inseparable liberty and union . 42:43.010 --> 42:46.710 More than 142 years later when I first 42:46.710 --> 42:48.821 came to the United States Senate at a 42:48.821 --> 42:50.821 time when our country was so deeply 42:50.821 --> 42:53.160 divided over Vietnam . The struggle of 42:53.160 --> 42:55.382 civil rights , the fight of our women's 42:55.382 --> 42:58.240 rights . I had the notion that my first 42:58.240 --> 43:00.560 task as I stood to make my first speech 43:00.560 --> 43:02.782 on the floor of the Senate , but all of 43:02.782 --> 43:04.980 a sudden hit me . I'm standing where 43:04.980 --> 43:07.147 daniel Webster it stood . His desk was 43:07.147 --> 43:10.700 next to mine , and I was struck by the 43:10.700 --> 43:12.644 weight of history , as corny as it 43:12.644 --> 43:16.370 sounds by the legacy . The work were 43:16.370 --> 43:19.230 charged to carry forward Liberty and 43:19.230 --> 43:23.110 union now and forever . 43:25.900 --> 43:29.570 Now as then , unity is essential to 43:29.570 --> 43:31.470 life . Liberty and the pursuit of 43:31.470 --> 43:34.840 happiness . And so remember those who 43:34.850 --> 43:37.500 gave their all the cause of unity and 43:37.500 --> 43:39.444 the cause of a nation that endures 43:39.444 --> 43:42.980 because of them . We must honor their 43:42.980 --> 43:46.500 sacrifice by sustaining the best of 43:46.500 --> 43:48.960 America . Well , honestly confronting 43:48.960 --> 43:51.127 all that we must do to make our nation 43:51.127 --> 43:55.010 fuller freer and more just you 43:55.010 --> 43:58.740 must remember that we may find the 43:58.740 --> 44:01.420 light and the wisdom and yes to courage 44:01.990 --> 44:04.157 to move forward . In the words of that 44:04.157 --> 44:07.740 great him fighters , they 44:07.750 --> 44:10.110 know Billy fought of old 44:12.090 --> 44:14.201 foreign remembering slides . Not just 44:14.201 --> 44:17.090 our history but our hope not just our 44:17.090 --> 44:19.170 solemn remembrance , but a renewed 44:19.170 --> 44:21.630 purpose . Not just our solace but our 44:21.630 --> 44:25.110 strength this memorial day . 44:25.590 --> 44:28.410 Remember that not all of us are called 44:28.410 --> 44:31.640 to make the ultimate sacrifice . We all 44:31.640 --> 44:34.510 are called by God and by history 44:35.490 --> 44:39.330 and by conscience to make our 44:39.330 --> 44:43.160 nation free and fair . Just and 44:43.160 --> 44:46.610 strong . Noble and hold 44:48.490 --> 44:52.170 to this battle . May we 44:52.180 --> 44:55.660 now dedicate our soul that our work may 44:55.660 --> 44:58.430 prove worthy of the blood of our fallen 44:59.490 --> 45:02.300 for this work . The work of democracy 45:02.300 --> 45:05.570 is the work of our time and for all 45:05.570 --> 45:08.520 time . And if we do our 45:08.520 --> 45:11.110 duty then age is still to come will 45:11.110 --> 45:13.810 look back on us and say that we too 45:14.190 --> 45:17.730 kept the faith . There's nothing more 45:17.730 --> 45:20.350 important , nothing more sacred , 45:20.610 --> 45:23.560 nothing more american than keeping the 45:23.570 --> 45:27.430 faith and God bless the 45:27.430 --> 45:30.730 United States of America and may the 45:30.730 --> 45:33.220 light perpetually shine upon the fall . 45:34.390 --> 45:36.612 May God bring comfort to their families 45:37.590 --> 45:41.510 and my God protect our troops today 45:42.190 --> 45:45.310 and always God bless you all . 45:47.690 --> 45:47.920 Mhm 46:06.170 --> 46:08.281 Ladies and gentlemen please stand for 46:08.281 --> 46:10.550 the playing of taps and remain standing 46:10.560 --> 46:14.410 for the benediction . Yeah . Yeah 46:32.180 --> 46:36.490 yeah 46:38.280 --> 46:38.700 mm 47:35.580 --> 47:39.380 Yeah . please 47:39.380 --> 47:42.090 receive our closing prayer . 47:43.680 --> 47:47.610 Lord may we be inspired by the 47:47.610 --> 47:51.480 deep sense of loyalty , dedication and 47:51.480 --> 47:54.580 commitment of those we have remembered 47:54.580 --> 47:58.290 today renew our faith and allegiance 47:58.780 --> 48:02.500 to our nation and each other . Lord 48:02.980 --> 48:04.924 bless the families of our fallen . 48:05.280 --> 48:08.650 Bless our nation's leaders and God 48:08.660 --> 48:12.630 bless America in your loving name . I 48:12.630 --> 48:14.850 pray amen . 48:18.680 --> 48:20.791 Ladies and gentlemen please remain in 48:20.791 --> 48:23.610 place as the official party departs and 48:23.610 --> 48:25.554 for the departure of the state and 48:25.554 --> 48:26.666 territorial flags . 48:38.680 --> 48:39.000 Mhm .