"It's not about the floods or the fires or the twisters in Kansas," he said. "It's not about the stock market being down, it's not about the gas, it's not about oil being up 700 percent — it's none of those. It is that all is well — that we will make it — as long as we look at ourselves and ask ourselves, 'Who are we?"'

Beck said he was wearing a pin on his suit Sunday that had the letters WTC on it. He said a New York City police officer gave it to him. The pin's purpose is to say the wearer was working, or on duty on Sept. 11. He said he'd never worn it before, and will probably never wear it again, but decided to put it on for the service.

"I hadn't realized that I was on duty that day," he said. "You were on duty that day, and we're all on duty today."

The service got started with the Freedom Festival Concert Band playing each of the five anthems of the branches of the military. Members of the different branches stood when their anthem was played, and members of each branch were represented.

Freedom Festival National Advisory Board member Stephen R. Covey introduced Beck, calling him a "modern-day Paul" and a "true patriot."

"He is armed with quick wit, an informed opinion and a unique ability to inspire others to rise to their full potential with an open heart," Covey said.

Prior to Beck's remarks, those gathered listened to vocalist Michael Ballam, who sang "God Bless America" and "My County 'Tis of Thee," in addition to singing the national anthem.

The Freedom Festival's speech contest winner, Kyler Ludwig of Mountain View High School, compared America to a city with a light on a hill, of biblical origin, while he spoke on the festival's celebration of family, freedom, God and country.

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E-mail: jdavis@desnews.com