Memorial Day: The Price For Peace
This Memorial Day weekend, I had the honor of marching in multiple parades across our great communities. From Island Park to Lawrence-Cedarhurst and beyond, the turnout was extraordinary. Families lined the streets, veterans stood tall with pride, and young children waved their flags with awe. It was the most spirited community participation I’ve seen in years—and it sent a clear message: America remembers.
As I addressed the crowds, one message remained at the heart of my remarks: peace.
Memorial Day is not just a day of remembrance—it is a solemn recognition of the price of peace. The men and women we honor did not go to war seeking glory or recognition. They were sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, neighbors and friends. They put on the uniform because they believed in something bigger than themselves: the promise of peace through strength, the preservation of freedom, and the hope that their children might never have to fight the same battles.
When we speak of peace in this modern age, it’s often clouded by politics, ideology, or hollow rhetoric. But peace, at its core, is a simple concept—it is the absence of fear. It is the ability to walk your street safely, to speak your mind freely, to raise your family proudly, and to worship without persecution. Peace is not given; it is earned. And on every battlefield, in every generation, brave Americans have earned it for us.
The tragedy, of course, is that peace often comes at a terrible cost. On Memorial Day, we confront that cost directly. We look into the faces of Gold Star families and we remember that behind every grave marked with the American flag is a story of sacrifice—a life lived with courage and cut short by duty.
In Island Park, I marched with the badge of Ex. Chief Michael Masone, who left his role as Fire Chief to fight in World War II. In Lawrence-Cedarhurst, I stood alongside veterans whose service spans decades and continents. And in every town I visited, I saw banners honoring heroes of past wars. I met grandchildren and great-grandchildren who now carry their names forward.
This weekend was a reminder that peace isn’t passive. It’s not a given. It’s the result of action, commitment, and in many cases, sacrifice. In an age where we are bombarded with distractions, division, and often a rewriting of history, Memorial Day brings clarity. It centers us. It reminds us that the freedoms we enjoy came at a price—and that preserving them requires vigilance.
As a retired NYPD detective, former fire chief, and public servant, I’ve seen firsthand the consequences of forgetting those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I’ve seen what happens when leadership bows to politics instead of principle. Peace deteriorates. Trust erodes. Communities suffer.
That’s why I continue to speak loudly and clearly about the values that make America strong—faith, family, service, and yes, peace through strength. Memorial Day is not just about the past—it’s a challenge to the present. It asks each of us: what are we doing to honor their sacrifice? What are we doing to preserve their legacy?
For some, it may be marching in a parade or placing a flag on a veteran’s grave. For others, it may be mentoring the next generation, standing up for our veterans, or ensuring our government is worthy of the people it serves. For me, it’s a continued commitment to accountability, to truth, and to the belief that the American people deserve a country that respects and remembers its heroes.
Let us never forget that peace is not merely the absence of war—it is the presence of justice, of security, and of freedom. This Memorial Day, let us recommit ourselves to building an America worthy of those who died for it.
Because the fight for peace did not end on the battlefield—it continues in our communities, in our institutions, and in our hearts.
G-d bless our fallen heroes. G-d bless their families. And G-d bless the United States of America.
Congressman Anthony D’Esposito was recently nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as Inspector General of the Department of Labor. Previously, he served in Congress, representing New York’s 4th Congressional District. Anthony served as a Councilman in the Town of Hempstead after retiring from the NYPD as a highly decorated Detective. He also served as Chief of the Island Park Fire Department and helped lead the all-volunteer organization’s response to Super-Storm Sandy. The Congressman appears frequently on Fox News, Newsmax, ABC National News, and 77 WABC Sid and Friends in the Morning. To contact, email [email protected].
