[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