Loyalty Day

[Doug Henwood]

[You may think it's May Day, but officialdom begs to differ.]

                               THE WHITE HOUSE
                        Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release                               May 1, 2000



                              LOYALTY DAY, 2000

                                - - - - - - -

              BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                               A PROCLAMATION


In the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution, our 
Nation's founders first articulated the enduring ideals that have 
sustained our democracy -- freedom, self-determination, justice, and 
equality. Each year we set aside this special day to reaffirm our 
allegiance to those ideals and to our beloved country.

The power and promise of our country's principles moved men and women 
throughout the American colonies to declare their allegiance to a new 
country and a new form of government that respected the rights of the 
individual. Throughout the decades, millions of immigrants drawn to 
America's freedom proved their loyalty to their adopted Nation in the 
words of the oath of citizenship and in their daily lives -- working 
hard, striving to build a better future for their families and 
communities, serving in our Armed Forces, upholding our laws, and 
participating in our democracy.

Other Americans have showed their loyalty by courageously challenging 
our Nation to live up to its ideals. We owe a profound debt to the 
heroes and visionaries who opposed slavery, reformed labor practices, 
won the right to vote for women, marched for civil rights, and spoke 
out with conscience and conviction whenever we have failed to uphold 
the highest standards of freedom and justice.

We find perhaps the strongest and most moving evidence of loyalty to 
America in the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. 
 From the War of Independence to today's peacekeeping missions around 
the world, generations of Americans have shown their allegiance by 
defending our Nation against tyrants and terrorists, protecting our 
national interests wherever they are threatened, and promoting our 
values across the globe.

On this first Loyalty Day of the 21st century, all Americans should 
give thanks that we live in a Nation that inspires such fidelity. And 
we should remember with pride the loyal patriots who have gone before 
us, whose character and efforts built America, preserved it in times 
of peril, and gave life to our founders' dreams.

Recognizing the importance of loyalty to the continued strength of 
our country and success of our democracy, the Congress, by Public Law 
85-529, has designated May 1 of each year as "Loyalty Day."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States 
of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2000, as Loyalty Day. I urge 
all Americans to recall the valor and selflessness of all those who 
made this Nation worthy of our love and loyalty and to express our 
own loyalty through appropriate patriotic programs, ceremonies, and 
activities. I also call upon Government officials to display the flag 
of the United States in support of this national observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day 
of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
twenty-fourth.



                                    WILLIAM J. CLINTON




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