Sitting under the shade of a cypress tree coated in Spanish moss, I am shielded from the scorching sun. I view worn boots seasoned with routine flights and drills head out to base each morning. There is a warm feeling inside that comes from knowing a base just like this one exists in every branch of the world, brimming with bravest men and women. Each soldier who passes maneuvers in organized chaos. Each soldier who passes is coming with a different back story. Yet, each soldier who passes risks their life to guard the same thing: freedom.

Libya, Cuba, North Korea, Syriaー just three of the countries that are impeded from speaking their minds. In the United States, protests shape history. That is how the United States was born. The desire of freedom from an authoritative government. “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech” (Benjamin Franklin).

In 1773 men were seen hurdling hundreds of crates of tea into the Boston Harbor urging for their freedom from British rule.

Jump to 1963, Martin Luther King Jr’s words “I have a dream” leap from speakers into the thousands of ears standing on Washington urging for discrimination to come to an end.   

Progress to 1993, Washington is met once again with a march of over 800,000 people urging for the equality of all no matter what their sexual identity may be.  And, between these years even more voices can be heard urging for a change.

Advancing closer to present day, 2006 held hateful signs reading “Thank god for dead soldiers” marching around caskets of the very people who were slain protecting their freedom to do so.

Wind begins to whisper in my ear, but when I look up the arms of the cyprus tree remain shielding me from the sun's rays. With each whip of the breeze the leaves rustle, some even fall, but the tree continues soundly shielding me from the sun. Each soldier who passes risks their life to guard the same thing: freedom.