by Marco Biagi on Wed May 05, 2004 7:30 am
"Good morning. In less than an hour, pilots from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the greatest aerial battle in the history of mankind. 'Mankind' - that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences any longer. We will be united in our common interest.
"Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression or persecution - but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist. And should we win the day, the 4th of July will be known no longer as an American holiday, but the day when the world cried out in one voice 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish, without a fight! We're going to go on. We're going to survive.' Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"
The President, Independence Day
(apologies if not exactly correct, it was done from memory)