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November
27, 2002
WHITE HOUSE THANKSGIVING DAY PROCLAMATION
(Statement
marks November 28 American holiday)
Following
is the text of the White House 2002 Thanksgiving Day
Proclamation:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
THANKSGIVING
DAY, 2002
BY
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A
PROCLAMATION
In
celebration of Thanksgiving Day 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
wrote, "Rarely has any people enjoyed greater prosperity
than we are now enjoying. For this we render heartfelt and solemn
thanks to the Giver of Good; and we seek to praise Him -- not
by words only -- but by deeds, by the way in which we do our duty
to ourselves and to our fellow men."
President Roosevelt's words gracefully remind us that, as citizens
of this great Nation, we have much for which to be thankful; and
his timeless call inspires us to meet our responsibilities to
help those in need and to promote greater understanding at home
and abroad.
As
the Pilgrims did almost four centuries ago, we gratefully give
thanks this year for the beauty, abundance, and opportunity this
great land offers. We also thank God for the blessings of freedom
and prosperity; and, with gratitude and humility, we acknowledge
the importance of faith in our lives.
Throughout
the Thanksgiving holiday, let us renew our commitment to make
our country and our world better. As we welcome new opportunities
and face new challenges, we are thankful for the resolve and generosity
of so many of our people who are touching countless hearts and
souls through thoughtful acts of kindness. By answering the call
to serve others, Americans are building a culture of service that
strengthens our Nation.
We also honor and salute the selfless sacrifice of the brave men
and women of our Armed Forces who are defending our lives and
liberty at home and abroad with skill, honor, and dedication.
This
Thanksgiving, we recognize the ties of friendship and respect
that bind us together. And we renew our pledge to uphold the timeless
principles of freedom, equality, and opportunity that have made
our country into a great Nation. By working together, we will
continue to build mutual trust, peace, and hope for all across
this land and around the world.
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 Thursday, November
28, 2002, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage Americans
to gather in their homes, places of worship, and community centers
to share the spirit of understanding and unity, and of prayer,
as we express our thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. I also
encourage Americans to reach out in friendship to the larger family
of humankind.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first
day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and
of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred
and twenty-seventh.
GEORGE
W. BUSH
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