Today, March 6, is one of the most important days in our history. On this day in 1836 about one hundred and fifty Americans died fighting for freedom on a piece of property that was not theirs, as they sought to claim Texas from a nation that did not have the ambition to settle and deveolop that territory.
Many people think the battle at the Alamo was just another attempt by the United States or American citizens to steal land that belonged to someone else. They feel that the Texans lusted for a fight, that they were hypocrites for believing in slavery while fighting for freedom.
All these points might be true. But there is something important to remember: the Texans had everything to gain economically if they won, but if they lost, and they knew they would lose, they would have died fighting for freedom and against injustice.
These men had faith in freedom, faith in America, faith in each other. They had faith in destiny, faith in justice and faith in several hundred other Texans and Americans who never showed up to help them. These men kept their faith, knowing they were fighting for something greater than themselves.
It is hard for today’s Americans to think that a bunch of drunks, wife leavers and vagabonds would die for something greater than themselves. But they are heroes.
They are heroes because they did more than run away from their problems and responsibilities. If they had no intention of paying their debts or sending the family out when they got rich in Texas, the fact that they died so others could come to Texas and get rich, or at least start a better life, redeemed them.
My fellow citizens, Western Civilization is founded upon redemption and freedom. Most of the men at the Alamo abused their freedom, but made up for it when they put their future money where their mouths were and died for it.
In America today, we too have abused our freedom. We have gotten fat and sassy. But unlike the men at the Alamo, our arrogance has not tranmsformed into courage.
We need faith in each other to rise to the ocassion to fight our own battle as the chips are down, to redeem ourselves from our acceptance of the tyranny my predecessors have imposed.
Now, a moment of silence, for the men who died at the Alamo.
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