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Since 1860 Anheuser-Busch has been synonymous with working class America. When a day of hard work at the factory, mine and shipyard ended with a cold brew from the ice chest. Our grandparents looked forwarded to it, cherished it. Our memories are fond of Grandpa wrapping his calloused hand around a cold bottle of "Bud" and that distinct, almost effervescent sound as he twisted off the cap. We could almost taste his delight with that first sip. It whispered to him "job well done".

When the time came to celebrate Anheuser-Busch was always a welcomed guest at our wedding receptions, summer barbeques and holiday picnics. A trusted friend who shared in our pride as we watched fireworks explode and our sons slide into home plate for the first time.
Our favorite brew has toasted every great American achievement over the last century and a half. Wars won and freedom gained; the birth of our children and our ideas. It has welcomed home our winning teams and our weary troops. We have held its emblems as symbols of victory, symbols synonymous with traditionthe team of Clydesdales pounding through the snow delivering our old friend to our hearth sides. The race car adorned with our favorite trademark rushing to victory time and time again. These symbols have echoed the spirit of America, a spirit that says we will endure.

How important is it that our beer is brewed in the U.S.? From a taste standpoint, not very but in a time when tradition escapes us as quickly as our jobs we are drawn to reflect on the values of our parents, our grandparents and their parents before them. Brewed in America means the hands that lift a cold one on a Friday night are the same hands that labored to bring it to us. We drink it with pride because we brewed it with pride.

In this time when all things American are at jeopardy we must each one of us take up the cause of victory. The factories, mines and shipyards may have vanished but not our resolve. Not our spirit. We are still Americans. Take away every symbol, every tradition and yet our spirit will remain. We are freedom fighters. We will press forward through the challenges of this day embracing the ideals and symbols of our past. Symbols that have shared in our victories and heartaches, symbols that have whispered to us "job well done".

Learn more about this author, Laura Beth Caldwell.
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