    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [July 2, 1996]
    [Page 1056]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of Independence Day, 1996
    July 2, 1996

        I am pleased to join my fellow Americans across the nation and
    around the world in celebrating Independence Day.
        On this day each year, we gather with family and friends to
    commemorate the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of
    Independence. With vision and courage, our Founders stated unequivocally
    to the world: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
    are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
    unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit
    of Happiness.'' These were literally revolutionary concepts, and they
    fundamentally changed the course of human history.
        Today we are living through another period of profound and historic
    change--change in the way we work, the way we live, the way we relate to
    one another and to the rest of the world. But the truths set down in our
    Declaration of Independence are immutable, and they continue to light
    our path into the challenges and possibilities of the future. Equality,
    individual rights, life, freedom, opportunity--we still cherish these
    values, and we must continue to reaffirm them daily.
        America is a work in progress, and we have strived through decades
    of challenge and change to become what our Founders envisioned on our
    first Independence Day. As we continue that endeavor, let us work
    together to create an America that remains the world's strongest force
    for peace, justice, and freedom. Let us work for an America that is not
    driven apart by differences but instead is united around shared values
    and respect for our diversity. Let us work for an America in which every
    one of us, without regard to race or religious belief or gender or
    station in life, can achieve our dreams. In this way we will best pay
    tribute to those who, 220 years ago, pledged their lives, their
    fortunes, and their sacred honor to guarantee our freedom.
        Best wishes for a memorable Fourth of July.

                                                                Bill Clinton