[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 18 (Monday, May 8, 2000)]
[Pages 944-945]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7298--Law Day, U.S.A., 2000

 April 28, 2000

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

    The freedom of America's citizens is sustained by American law. In 
crafting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, our Nation's founders 
wisely understood that liberty and law are equally important to ensuring 
human rights and preserving human dignity. Law without freedom becomes 
tyranny; freedom without law becomes chaos.
    The theme of this year's Law Day observance, ``Speak up for 
Democracy and Diversity,'' reminds us of the vital role that the law and 
America's legal community have played in protecting our freedoms and 
extending them to an ever-widening circle of Americans. Many signal 
victories for civil rights have been won in the courts by men and women 
of conscience whose commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law 
compelled them to speak out against bigotry and discrimination. Many 
Americans have found champions among the legal profession to defend 
their rights and to uphold our Nation's promise of equality and justice 
for all. From the War for Independence to the War Between the States, 
from emancipation in the 19th century to women's suffrage and the civil 
rights movement in the 20th century, courageous Americans have risen to 
the challenge of improving upon our laws and extending their protections 
to all of our citizens.
    Today, thanks in large measure to the efforts of our Nation's legal 
community, people of all backgrounds, races, and religions are working, 
living, and learning side by side. The doors of opportunity are open 
wider than ever. But despite the advances we have made, we still see in 
our society stubborn

[[Page 945]]

obstacles to true freedom and justice--obstacles such as poverty, 
unemployment, and lingering discrimination. That is why I have called 
America's legal community to action once again to lead the fight for 
equal justice under law. Whether promoting racial diversity in our 
judicial system and the legal profession, using their knowledge of the 
law to help underserved communities increase homeownership and 
entrepreneurship, or providing skilled representation to low-income 
Americans to ensure the protection of their rights, our Nation's lawyers 
can make important and lasting differences in preserving justice and 
promoting freedom and equality.
    I encourage all Americans to observe Law Day by reflecting on the 
impact that our Nation's laws have had upon the quality of our lives and 
the strength of our democracy. From the promise of a more perfect union 
prescribed in the Preamble to the Constitution to the daily rulings of 
our modern-day justice system, our Nation's system of laws has made real 
our founders' vision and sustained their fundamental values. As we 
continue to work for a more just society for all, let us celebrate our 
legal heritage and reaffirm our reverence for the rule of law, which has 
safeguarded our liberty and preserved our democracy for more than 200 
years.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton,  President of the United 
States of America, in accordance with Public Law 87-20 of April 7, 1961, 
do hereby proclaim May 1, 2000, as Law Day, U.S.A. I urge the people of 
the United States to consider anew how our laws protect our freedoms and 
contribute to our national well-being. I call upon members of the legal 
profession, civic associations, educators, librarians, public officials, 
and the media to promote the observance of this day with appropriate 
programs and activities. I also call upon public officials to display 
the flag of the United States on all government buildings throughout the 
day.
    In Witness Whereof,  I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth 
day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
fourth.
                                            William J. Clinton

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., May 2, 2000]

 Note:  This proclamation was published in the  Federal Register  on May 
3. This item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate 
issue.