07/05/2026
I know the rain kept some people away. Here’s the text of my speech from this evening.
“Tonight, we gather with family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate the birth of the United States of America and the freedoms that unite us as a nation.
This year’s celebration is especially meaningful as we look ahead to the 250th Anniversary of the United States. For nearly two and a half centuries, Americans have worked, sacrificed, served, and dreamed in pursuit of the ideals first expressed in 1776.
When our founders signed the Declaration of Independence, they took an extraordinary risk. They pledged, in their own words, their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to build a nation founded on liberty, self-government, and the belief that ordinary people could shape their own future.
They were building something they knew they might never see fully realized. They were investing in generations they would never meet.
Today, we are those generations.
The freedoms we enjoy did not simply appear one day. They were earned, defended, and preserved by countless Americans who came before us. Their courage and sacrifice created the foundation upon which we continue to build.
And while Independence Day invites us to reflect on our nation’s history, it also gives us an opportunity to recognize those who continue serving their communities today.
Two hundred and fifty years later, there are still Americans who choose service over comfort and duty over convenience. We see that spirit in our military members and veterans. We see it in our teachers, volunteers, and public servants. And we see it every day in the police officers and firefighters who dedicate themselves to protecting others.
While cities provide many important services, none are more essential than public safety. A community cannot thrive unless people feel safe in their homes, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods.
When someone is experiencing the worst day of their life, a firefighter answers the call.
When someone is in danger, a police officer responds.
When disaster strikes, first responders run toward the problem while others are running away from it.
They work nights, weekends, holidays, and family celebrations. They miss birthdays, dinners, and special moments because they have committed themselves to serving complete strangers.
They do not know what challenge awaits them when their shift begins. They simply show up, prepared to help.
That kind of commitment deserves our gratitude and our support.
In a time when it can sometimes feel easier to focus on what divides us, Independence Day reminds us of something far more important: the values that bring us together.
Love of country.
Love of community.
Service to others.
Personal responsibility.
And a commitment to leaving things better than we found them.
The strength of America has never come from Washington alone. It comes from communities like Groveland, where neighbors look out for one another, where people volunteer, serve, and step up when they’re needed most.
It comes from the veterans who defended our freedoms, the first responders who keep us safe, the families who raise the next generation, and the citizens who choose every day to invest in their community.
As we celebrate our nation’s birthday, let us remember that freedom is not just a gift we inherited from the past. It is a responsibility we carry into the future.
May we honor those who built this nation, support those who serve it today, and continue working together to ensure that the next generation inherits a country that is strong, safe, and full of opportunity.
Thank you to our police officers, firefighters, paramedics, military members, veterans, and all those who serve our community
Have a safe and happy Independence Day!”
