“If what I’m about to do offends anybody, well, you’re welcome to step out on the wing,” said Lee Greenwood aboard a flight over the weekend.

On Sept. 12, just one day after Greenwood delivered a powerful 9/11 tribute performance of “God Bless the USA” at Yankee Stadium to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terror attacks, the country artist shared a captivating message with passengers about the freedoms that are enjoyed in the United States of America.

His statement boldly declared why he — and so many others — love America, and it was received by the passengers onboard in a big way.

He even sang a little.

Watch Lee Greenwood’s Statement Onboard A Flight About Why He’s “Proud To Be An American”

During a Southwest flight from New York City on Sept. 12, a passenger recorded a video of Lee Greenwood delivering remarks over the cabin PA system.

Greenwood, who is an outspoken conservative, prefaced his statement by saying, in jest, that:

“If what I’m about to do offends anybody, well, you’re welcome to step out on the wing.”

At that, several passengers laughed.

From there, he then noted that “God Bless the USA,” which he wrote in 1982 and recorded in 1984, was a song that he performed 25 years ago in response to the 9/11 terror attacks.

“God Bless the USA,” he said, “is about our country and how much we believe in its freedom.”

Continuing, Greenwood said, “A lot of people are coming to America now, nobody’s trying to get out, and the reason they’re coming here is because we honor those who fight for our freedom.”

Taking a moment to acknowledge the sacrifice of any members of the military aboard the flight, he then began to sing the opening verse of “God Bless the USA,” singing, “Remember this, ‘If tomorrow all the things were gone I worked for all my life, and I had to start again with just my children and my wife, I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today because our flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.”

Greenwood then stopped singing, rhetorically asking, “Who are ‘they’?”

Defining who the “they” is in his classic song, Greenwood said, “‘They’ are anybody who would like to take our freedoms away, and I stand with our president and anyone else who would defend our flag who would defend our country.”

Returning to song, he then sang the chorus to “God Bless the USA,” which goes:

“I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free, and I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me, and I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, ’cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the USA.”

To applause, he then said, “Thank you very much.”

Watch Lee Greenwood’s passionate statement on why he’s proud to be an American, here: