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Tonight, on the threshold of our 250th year, we stand beneath the monument of these heroes, a true group of unbelievable people. And we rededicate ourselves to being a nation as big, bold, noble, and as great as these American giants. And that’s not easy to do, but we’re going to do it.
These men could only have been made in the USA. Their faces are engraved on these bluffs, not only because of what they did, but to remind us forever who we are. These heroes exemplify what is timeless, enduring, and eternal about the American character.
And in the end, it has always been that character, our distinct and unique identity.
It is a truly unique identity, and it’ll never change. It’s the ultimate source of our strength and the bulwark of our freedom.
On this anniversary, we must remember, we have to remember, we can never forget that American liberty has not endured for 250 years merely because of words on paper. Liberty has prevailed here because of the culture and character of the people who declared it, defended it, and preserved it.
These are very, very special times, and this is a very special place. You live in a very special place. Congratulations, everybody.
The identity of a nation is the destiny of a nation, and America has a destiny like no other because we are a people like no other. For whatever reason, that’s just the way it is.
Here, the old world sent its bravest, boldest, and most resilient, its fiercest, most faithful, and freedom-loving. These men and women brought values, traditions, and customs transmitted over the centuries in Britain and stretching back even further to Athens, Jerusalem, and Rome.
The United States of America is where the greatest civilization in human history became greater than ever before. On the grounds and granite hills and the rugged plains of this wide-open continent, they forged a uniquely American character, a new breed of citizen. That’s you. Congratulations. Congratulations.
You’re not that new a breed. You’re a really good breed, but I’m not sure that you’re that new a breed.
Americans did not bow before a king or a government, but kneeled only before Almighty God. That’s right.
These were the people who founded our republic. These were the patriots who fought for independence. This was the spirit that demanded freedom, and this was the culture that built America and carved its heroes into Mount Rushmore.
For generations, it was understood that the core patriotic duty of every American was to pass this culture on to our children and to preserve the nation for centuries and centuries to come.
But in recent years, there’s been an undeniable attempt to change this exceptional character, to beat the American spirit out of us, alienate us from our history, and to make it impossible to even answer the question, what does it mean to be an American?
As we march into our 250th year, credible, beautiful year it will be, we must never forget there is no American freedom without American culture. And there is no American founding without the American people.
Many nations have paper constitutions and legal systems, but the citizens live in fear and squalor. A constitution is only as strong as the people and the culture responsible for upholding it. But as long as we remember who we are, we have to always remember who we are and what we’re all about, the United States of America will forever be the land of free men and women, and we will never, ever fail.
So tonight, let us say clearly and proudly what makes Americans so unique and extraordinary. We’re going to give our country its identity back. Above all, Americans love freedom. We cherish independence, and we know that we are the heirs to the most beautiful land, the most thrilling story, and the most precious legacy in which the sun has ever shined.
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