Everyman

I am a patriot
who loves my nation and
the ideals on which it stands;
I am an American who believes that my country
has grown and developed through
successive waves of immigrants who
subscribe to our common values;
I am a citizen who strives to ensure the continued vitality of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution;
I am a veteran, and the son of a veteran,
who knows that heroic figures are those who sacrifice for the common good;
I am a student of history and politics
who knows the value of diplomacy
and the role of the military in ensuring our nation’s security;
I am an educator
who teaches critical thinking
and independence of thought;
I am a leader
who believes that, in all things,
truth matters, integrity counts;
I am a father and grandfather
who wants my family, and your family,
and everyone’s family, to enjoy the fruits of democracy,
the responsibilities of freedom, and the privileges of citizenship;
I am an advocate of informed
and civil debate, and abhor how
divisive politics has become;
I am a religious person
who believes in tolerance
and knows that you can
be right without my
being wrong;
I am a mourner
who grieves for all those
we honor today, those
of the North and those of
the South;
I am a father, a friend, a professional, a citizen.
I am “everyman.”
I am your neighbor.
And, in the end, we are one.