[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8811--MAY 1, 2012

Proclamation 8811 of May 1, 2012

Loyalty Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

More than two centuries ago, our Founders laid out a charter that
assured the rule of law and the rights of man. Through times of
tranquility and the throes of change, the Constitution has always guided
our course toward fulfilling that most noble promise that all are equal,
all are free, and all deserve the chance to pursue their full measure of
happiness. America has carried on not only for the skill or vision of
history's celebrated figures, but also for the generations who have
remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our
founding documents. On Loyalty Day, we reflect on that proud heritage
and press on in the long journey toward prosperity for all.
In the years since our Constitution was penned and ratified, Americans
have moved our Nation forward by embracing a commitment to each other,
to the fundamental principles that unite us, and to the future we share.
We weathered the storms of civil war and segregation, of conflicts that
spanned continents. We overcame threats from within and without--from
the specter of fascism abroad to the bitter injustice of
disenfranchisement at home. We upheld the spirit of service at the core
of our democracy, and we widened the circle of opportunity not just for
a privileged few, but for the ambitious many. Time and again, men and
women achieved what seemed impossible by joining imagination to common
purpose and necessity to courage. That legacy still burns brightly, and
the ideals it embodies remain a light to all the world.


[[Page 2575]]


Countless Americans demonstrate that same dedication to country today.
It endures in the hearts of all who put their lives on the line to
defend the land they love, just as it moves millions to improve their
communities through volunteerism and civic participation. Their actions
help ensure prosperity for this generation and those yet to come, and
they honor the immutable truths enshrined in our Nation's founding
texts. On Loyalty Day, we rededicate ourselves to the common good, to
the cornerstones of liberty, equality, and justice, and to the unending
pursuit of a more perfect Union.
In order to recognize the American spirit of loyalty and the sacrifices
that so many have made for our Nation, the Congress, by Public Law 85-
529 as amended, has designated May 1 of each year as ``Loyalty Day.'' On
this day, let us reaffirm our allegiance to the United States of
America, our Constitution, and our founding values.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2012, as Loyalty Day. This Loyalty
Day, I call upon all the people of the United States to join in support
of this national observance, whether by displaying the flag of the
United States or pledging allegiance to the Republic for which it
stands.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May,
in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA