    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [July 2, 2008]
    [Pages 973-974]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of Independence Day, 2008
    July 2, 2008

        I send greetings to all Americans on Independence Day.
        More than two centuries ago, bold and courageous visionaries pledged
    their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor in signing the
    Declaration of Independence. Guided by ancient and eternal truths, our
    forefathers proclaimed to the world that liberty was the natural right
    of all mankind and in doing so began one of the greatest chapters in
    human history. On the Fourth of July, our country commemorates the great
    achievements of these heroes and reaffirms its unwavering confidence in
    the power of freedom.
        It was the desire for freedom that inspired our Founding Fathers,
    and it is the belief in the universality of freedom that guides our
    Nation. On this occasion, we pay special tribute to the men and women of
    our Armed Forces, both past and present, who have answered freedom's
    call and defended the values that make America the greatest country on
    earth.
        May God bless America.

                                                              George W. Bush

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    this message.

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