Roybal-Allard delivers final Memorial Day speech

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard delivered her final Memorial Day Address at the 2022 Memorial Day Ceremony at Cinco Puntos, Mexican American All Wars Memorial yesterday. Roybal-Allard will be retiring at the end of her term this year.

Below is a transcript of her remarks:

“Good morning, it is a true honor to be with you today. President Kennedy once said, “The price of freedom is high, but Americans have always paid it.”

This morning we pay tribute to the women and men of our Armed Forces who paid that price by giving the last full measure of their life to defend our Nation. These patriots, like those serving today, are members of an exemplary, unique and unparalleled group of American heroes who selflessly and heroically answered the call to service.

In times of peril and darkness they wore our nation’s uniform and faced unimaginable dangers to defend and protect our homeland. Many were from our own community: moms, dads, sons, daughters, spouses, and friends. They are neighbors like those in my childhood community of Boyle Heights. I will never forget the screams coming from our neighbor, Mrs. Obregon, when she was informed her son Eugene had been killed during the Korean War, saving his comrades.

For his heroism he posthumously received our nation’s highest award: The Medal of Honor. The anguish of his mother’s screams forever seared in my mind that the great democracy and freedoms we enjoy today are not without significant sacrifice and tragic loss.

The patriots we honor today defended our homeland because they understood our democracy and freedoms are fragile and easily taken away if not protected and actively maintained.

Like them, we too have an obligation to defend our homeland and ensure our heroes did not die in vain. We must do our part by never taking our democracy and freedoms for granted or looking the other way when they are under attack.  

And throughout the world and even more sadly, within our borders today, our American values are under attack. They have never been in more danger or more relevant and necessary as our country faces the challenges and ugliness of divisiveness, hatred, anger and distrust of each other and our diverse communities, which in fact is unique to our nation and that which makes it the greatest country in the world.

Young or old, rich or poor, we have an obligation to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, not just in our hearts and minds, but by our actions.

On this Memorial Day let us challenge ourselves to fight these acts of violence in our country and to speak out against the lies and misinformation which fuel the hatred and fear against Latinos, Blacks, Jews, Muslim’s, Asians, LGBTQ and other groups throughout our nation.

As Americans, let us use our greatest weapon of freedom, the ability to vote and determine our leaders at the local, state and federal level. Su Voto es Su Voce is not just a saying. It is a most precious right of our American democracy and our most powerful tool to create positive change.

The June 7th and November elections are a perfect opportunity to show our gratitude and respect to those who died protecting that right.

They are an opportunity to honor their sacrifice and vote for those who will transform the hatred and fear festering in our country into understanding and mutual respect, for each other, our diversity and our values such as equality, liberty and justice for all that unite us as people and as Americans.

Let us honor our fallen heroes by pledging to unite in resilience, selflessness, and courage against those who, like thieves in the dead of night, attack our democracy often out of sight and without warning.

If we fail to do so, the seeds of fear and hatred we are experiencing will take root, and they will devour and destroy our democracy and the American values for which the men and women we honor today, gave their last breath of life to protect.

The sacrifices and loss we mourn today is why we feel safe at home, can speak and worship freely, assemble without fear, and have hope for a better tomorrow.

We owe it to them, who in every war wore our nation’s uniform and gave their last full measure of devotion to their country. 

 This is what patriotism is. 

In closing, on a personal note, since I will be retiring from Congress at the end of this year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for giving me the great honor and pleasure of representing you in the Congress of the United States. 

As I reflect on my nearly thirty years in Congress representing you and the communities where I was born, lived and reared has been one of the greatest privileges of my nearly 36 years of public life.

In the remaining time I have in Congress I will continue to fight and push for the policies and federal funding to help our communities thrive which were once called home by those who died defending them.

I will continue to fight against the violence that is shaking the very foundation of our democracy. And I will continue to fight for and support the benefits their families and our veterans have rightly earned and deserve.

Thank you for your many years of trust and support.

It is my greatest hope that I have helped make a positive difference in your life, the life of your family and that I have served our country worthy of the unyielding service, sacrifice, and devotion of the courageous men and women we honor today. 

May God bless each of you, your families, and God bless the United States of America.”