National Birmingham Pledge Week, 2001
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
The United States has grown strong and vibrant because of its
diversity and common values. Representing different religions,
cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds, our citizens have laid the
foundation for our remarkable achievements.
As a Nation, we celebrate those achievements and look forward to new
challenges. At the same time, we also recognize that racism still
exists in America.
One of the darkest days for the cause of civil rights was September
15, 1963, when a bomb exploded in the basement of the Sixteenth Street
Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The blast ended the lives of
four young African-American girls, and ultimately demonstrated the
tragic human costs of bigotry and intolerance.
Through the efforts of heroes like Martin Luther King, Jr., and other
brave men and women of the civil rights movement, our Nation has made
progress in battling racism and building a society that more fully
lives up to its democratic ideals. However, regardless of the decades
that have passed, despicable acts such as the Birmingham bombing
remain an unforgettable reminder of the need for continued vigilance
against those who would infest our society with hate.
The Birmingham Pledge, started in 1998, forges a positive legacy from
the lessons of the Birmingham tragedy. The Pledge encourages people to
take personal responsibility to conduct themselves in ways that will
achieve greater racial harmony in our communities. It calls for a
commitment to "treat all people with dignity and respect." This is our
solemn duty as citizens.
As part of National Birmingham Pledge Week, I encourage all Americans
to join me in renewing our commitment to fight racism and uphold equal
justice and opportunity. We also must strive to treat each other with
civility, to love our neighbors, and to extend the American dream to
every willing heart. By doing so, we can fulfill our Nation's promise
and build brighter futures for all our citizens as we look forward to
the challenges of tomorrow.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 9-15,
2001, as National Birmingham Pledge Week. I call upon the people of
the United States to mark this observance with appropriate programs
and ceremonies.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-sixth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
|