For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 25, 2001
Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2001
By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
"Humility must always be the portion of any
man who receives acclaim earned in the blood of his followers and the
sacrifices of his friends." These words, spoken by General Dwight D.
Eisenhower following Germany's surrender in 1945, paid tribute to his
fallen comrades as he humbly acknowledged that their ultimate sacrifice
gave occasion for recognition of his leadership.
Similarly, we stand as a Nation that is strong
and deserving of praise. Yet we are humbled, because we
remember that the wealth of this Nation's heritage, the strength of its
ideals, and the extent of its freedom came with a tremendous
price. These treasures were purchased with the lives of
American service men and women, a cost borne prominently by several
generations. We are humbled because so many bright futures,
hopes, and dreams were sacrificed for the abundance of opportunities we
now freely pursue.
Through the course of our Nation's history,
more than 41 million Americans have served the cause of freedom and
more than a million have died in its name. On this noble
American holiday, we solemnly pause to remember the men and women who
gave their lives in service to our Nation. We honor those generations
and individuals who fought for liberty and in defiance of tyranny that
this unique experiment in self-government might long endure.
At a bridge at Concord, in the muddy trenches
of Europe, the rugged mountains of Korea, the dense forests of Asia, or
across the burning sands of the Persian Gulf, America's heroes have
advanced democracy around the globe and defended the liberties we hold
dear. We are particularly mindful of our fallen patriots as
we mark the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the
10th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm.
We honor the final sacrifice of our service
men and women by dedicating our own lives to peace and the defense of
freedom. For these ideals they fought, and for these ideals we continue
to strive. May we stand with diligence and with humility on
the broad shoulders of those whose brave deeds and sacrifice we
memorialize today. Let all of us commit this day, whether in
public ceremony or in quiet reflection over a single grave, to remember
them in fitting tribute.
In respect for their devotion to America, the
Congress by a joint resolution approved on May 11, 1950 (64 Stat. 158),
has requested the President to issue a proclama-tion calling on the
people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of
prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when
the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The
Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated the minute
beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all
Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President
of the United States of America, do hereby designate Memorial Day, May
28, 2001, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the
hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to
unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the
National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on
Memorial Day. I urge the press, radio, television, and all
other media to participate in these observances.
I also request the Governors of the United
States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the appropriate
officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown
at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings,
grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all
areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the
people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from
their homes for the customary forenoon period.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America
the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE
W. BUSH
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