[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9690 of January 16, 2018

Religious Freedom Day, 2018

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Faith is embedded in the history, spirit, and soul of our Nation. On
Religious Freedom Day, we celebrate the many faiths that make up our
country, and we commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the passing of a
State law that has shaped and secured our cherished legacy of religious
liberty.
Our forefathers, seeking refuge from religious persecution, believed in
the eternal truth that freedom is not a gift from the government, but a
sacred right from Almighty God. On the coattails of the American
Revolution, on January 16, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly passed
the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. This seminal bill, penned by
Thomas Jefferson, states that, ``all men shall be free to profess, and
by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that
the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil
capacities.''; Five years later, these principles served as the
inspiration for the First Amendment, which affirms our right to choose
and exercise faith without government coercion or reprisal.
Today, Americans from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds remain
steadfast in a commitment to the inherent values of faith, honesty,
integrity, and patriotism. Our Constitution and laws guarantee Americans
the right not just to believe as they see fit, but to freely exercise
their religion. Unfortunately, not all have recognized the importance of
religious freedom, whether by threatening tax consequences for
particular forms of religious speech, or forcing people to comply with
laws that violate their core religious beliefs without sufficient
justification. These incursions, little by little, can destroy the
fundamental freedom underlying our democracy. Therefore, soon after
taking office, I addressed these issues in an Executive Order that helps
ensure Americans are able to follow their consciences without undue
Government interference and the Department of Justice has issued
guidance to Federal agencies regarding their compliance with laws that
protect reli

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gious freedom. No American--whether a nun, nurse, baker, or business
owner--should be forced to choose between the tenets of faith or
adherence to the law.
The United States is also the paramount champion for religious freedom
around the world, because we do not believe that conscience rights are
only for Americans. We will continue to condemn and combat extremism,
terrorism, and violence against people of faith, including genocide
waged by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria against Yezidis,
Christians, and Shia Muslims. We will be undeterred in our commitment to
monitor religious persecution and implement policies that promote
religious freedom. Through these efforts, we strive for the day when
people of all faiths can follow their hearts and worship according to
their consciences.
The free exercise of religion is a source of personal and national
stability, and its preservation is essential to protecting human
dignity. Religious diversity strengthens our communities and promotes
tolerance, respect, understanding, and equality. Faith breathes life and
hope into our world. We must diligently guard, preserve, and cherish
this unalienable right.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 16, 2018, as
Religious Freedom Day. I call on all Americans to commemorate this day
with events and activities that remind us of our shared heritage of
religious liberty and teach us to secure this blessing both at home and
abroad.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of
January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.
DONALD J. TRUMP