Condoleezza Rice Honors Veterans: True Patriots Who Defend Our Constitutional Rights
Stanford University and Palo Alto came together this Veterans Day to honor America's finest warriors, with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivering a powerful tribute to our nation's defenders of freedom.
Speaking at the fourth annual Veterans Day celebration, Rice reminded Americans what makes our military the greatest force on Earth. "What I saw was these extraordinary human beings, these extraordinary patriots who had taken up arms to defend us," she declared.
The Hoover Institution Director emphasized the diverse unity that defines American strength: "People who have come from all over the country, all colors, all shades and sizes, all heritages, all experiences, to be a part of this extraordinary force that defends us at the bottom lines of freedom."
Constitutional Values Under Protection
Rice highlighted exactly what our brave service members defend: the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. These include the right to free speech, religious liberty, protection from government tyranny, and the dignity of choosing our own leaders.
"The right to say what you think, to worship as you please, to be free from the knock of the secret police at night, to be free from the arbitrary power of the government," Rice explained, outlining the precious liberties that separate America from oppressive regimes worldwide.
American Dream in Action
The former Secretary of State shared her own remarkable journey as proof of American exceptionalism. "Here is this Black woman, child of the segregated South, and she's taking an oath of office to defend the Constitution of America, which once counted her ancestors as three-fifths of a man."
This powerful testimony demonstrates the American principle Rice champions: "That it doesn't matter where you came from, it matters where you were going."
Heroes Among Us
The ceremony honored remarkable veterans including 102-year-old Navy veteran Ernestine Faxon, who served in World War II, and Vietnam War Marine Manny Velasco, who received a quilt of valor from the South Bay Blue Star Moms.
Stanford currently serves over 100 graduate student veterans and 36 undergraduate veterans, while Palo Alto is home to more than 1,100 veterans who chose to build their American Dream in the heart of innovation.
Rice concluded with a truth every patriotic American understands: because of our military's protection, the United States remains "among the most innovative, creative, and prosperous nations in human history."
Our veterans didn't just serve their country. They preserved the Constitutional republic that makes the American Dream possible for every citizen willing to work for it.