113 STAT. 2046
PROCLAMATION 7162—JAN. 14, 1999
Proclamation 7162 of January 14, 1999
Religious Freedom Day, 1999
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
On Religious Freedom Day we commemorate a landmark achievement
in the history of our Nation: the adoption in 1786 by the Virginia legislature of a religious freedom statute. This historic legislation, drafted
by Thomas Jefferson and co-sponsored by James Madison, was designed to prevent religious discrimination and to protect Virginians
from pressure to join or support any church. It served as the model for
the First Amendment of our Constitution, the guarantee of freedom of
religion that has beckoned so many people fleeing persecution to seek
sanctuary in this land.
Americans are a deeply religious people, and our right to worship as
we choose, to follow our own personal beliefs, is the source of much
of our Nation's strength. Our churches, synagogues, mosques, temples,
and other houses of worship are centers of community service and
community life. They preserve and promote the values and religious
traditions that have infused our efforts to build a civil society based
on mutual respect, compassion, and generosity. They provide our children with the moral compass to make wise choices.
America's reverence for religious freedom and religious tolerance has
saved us from much of the hatred and violence that have plagued so
many other peoples around the world. We have always been vigilant
in protecting this freedom, but om* efforts cannot stop at our own
shores. We cannot ignore the suffering of men and women across the
globe today who are harassed, imprisoned, tortured, and executed simply for seeking to live by their own beliefs. Freedom of religion is a
fundamental human right that must be upheld by every nation and
guaranteed by every government. The promotion of religious freedom
for all peoples must continue to serve as a central element of our foreign policy.
Reflecting our steadfast commitment to this goal, last fall the Congress
passed, and I was proud to sign into law, the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998. This legislation enhances our ability to advance
freedom of religion for men and women of all faiths throughout the
world. It also establishes a new position at the Department of State—
the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom—to ensure that religious liberty concerns receive consistent and appropriate
attention at the highest policymaking levels.
On Religious Freedom Day, let us give thanks for this precious right
that has so profoundly shaped and sustained our Nation, and let us
strengthen our efforts to share its blessings with oppressed peoples everywhere.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United
States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 16,
1999, as Religious Freedom Day. I call upon the people of the United
States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and
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