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

 
PROCLAMATION 8860--SEPT. 10, 2012

Proclamation 8860 of September 10, 2012

Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On September 11, 2001, a bright autumn day was darkened by the worst
attack on the American people in our history. Thousands of innocent men,
women, and children perished when mighty towers collapsed in the heart
of New York City and wreckage burned in Pennsylvania and at the
Pentagon. They were family and friends, service members and first
responders--and the tragedy of their loss left pain that will never fade
and scars our country will never forget.
More than a decade later, the world we live in is forever changed. But
as we mark the anniversary of September 11, we remember what remains the
same: our character as a Nation, our faith in one another, and our
legacy as a country strengthened by service and selflessness. In the
spirit that moved rescue workers and firefighters to charge into

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darkness and danger that September morning, we see the same sense of
moral responsibility that drove countless Americans to give of
themselves in the months that followed. We offered our neighbors a hand
and lined up to give blood. Many helped our Nation rebuild and recover
long after the dust had settled, donating and volunteering and helping
survivors who had borne so much. We were united, and the outpouring of
generosity reminded us that, through challenges that have spanned from
acts of terrorism to natural disasters, we go forward together as one
people.
Today, as we remember the victims, their families, and the heroes who
stood up during one of our country's darkest moments, I invite all
Americans to reclaim that abiding spirit of compassion by serving their
communities in the days and weeks ahead. From volunteering with a faith-
based organization, to collecting food and clothing for those in need,
to preparing care packages for our men and women in uniform, there are
many ways to bring service into our everyday lives--and each of us can
do something. To get involved and find a local service opportunity,
visit www.Serve.gov, or www.Servir.gov for Spanish speakers.
Even the simplest act of kindness can be a way to honor those we have
lost, and to help build stronger communities and a more resilient
Nation. By joining together on this solemn anniversary, let us show that
America's sense of common purpose need not be a fleeting moment, but a
lasting virtue--not just on one day, but every day.
By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89),
the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as ``Patriot
Day,'' and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, the Congress
has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized
``National Day of Service and Remembrance.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2012, as Patriot Day and
National Day of Service and Remembrance. I call upon all departments,
agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States to display the flag
of the United States at half-staff on Patriot Day and National Day of
Service and Remembrance in honor of the individuals who lost their lives
on September 11, 2001. I invite the Governors of the United States and
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and interested organizations and
individuals to join in this observance. I call upon the people of the
United States to participate in community service in honor of those our
Nation lost, to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and
activities, including remembrance services, and to observe a moment of
silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to honor the
innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.
BARACK OBAMA