By Illinois Review
While governors across America paused Saturday to honor the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was notably silent.
On June 6, 1944, more than 156,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in the largest amphibious invasion in history. Thousands of Americans gave their lives to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny and secure freedom for future generations.
Among the most celebrated acts of heroism occurred at Pointe du Hoc, where U.S. Army Rangers scaled 100-foot cliffs under intense enemy fire to destroy German artillery positions threatening the Allied landings.
Their courage became immortalized by President Ronald Reagan during his famous 1984 address:
“These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent.”
This year, governors across the country took time to remember those sacrifices.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott honored the “extraordinary sacrifice in defense of freedom.” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp reminded Americans that the courage displayed on D-Day changed the course of history and that freedom is never free.
Governors from states including Wyoming, Montana, Missouri, and Virginia also publicly recognized the anniversary and the men who helped save the world from tyranny.
Yet in Illinois, there was no public statement from Governor Pritzker.
No proclamation. No social media post. No public acknowledgment from the governor’s office.
The silence is particularly noteworthy given that Pritzker did find time over the weekend to celebrate the Pride flag flying above the Illinois State Capitol. While governors routinely recognize a wide range of causes and commemorations, many Illinoisans may reasonably wonder why the governor could publicly mark that occasion while remaining silent on the anniversary of one of the most consequential military victories in American history.
Illinois is home to hundreds of thousands of veterans and military families. D-Day is not a partisan event. It is one of the most significant moments in American history – a day when ordinary young men accomplished extraordinary things in defense of liberty.
The Rangers at Pointe du Hoc did not climb those cliffs for recognition. They did it out of duty to country and a belief that freedom was worth defending at any cost.
Eighty-two years later, remembering their sacrifice should be the easiest thing elected leaders do.
Many governors understood that this weekend.
Illinois’ governor did not.
