For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 22, 2002
Thanksgiving Day, 2002
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
In celebration of Thanksgiving Day 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt
wrote, "Rarely has any people enjoyed greater prosperity than we are
now enjoying. For this we render heartfelt and solemn thanks to the
Giver of Good; and we seek to praise Him -- not by words only -- but by
deeds, by the way in which we do our duty to ourselves and to our
fellow men." President Roosevelt's words gracefully remind us that, as
citizens of this great Nation, we have much for which to be thankful;
and his timeless call inspires us to meet our responsibilities to help
those in need and to promote greater understanding at home and abroad.
As the Pilgrims did almost four centuries ago, we gratefully give
thanks this year for the beauty, abundance, and opportunity this great
land offers. We also thank God for the blessings of freedom and
prosperity; and, with gratitude and humility, we acknowledge the
importance of faith in our lives.
Throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, let us renew our commitment to
make our country and our world better. As we welcome new opportunities
and face new challenges, we are thankful for the resolve and generosity
of so many of our people who are touching countless hearts and souls
through thoughtful acts of kindness. By answering the call to serve
others, Americans are building a culture of service that strengthens
our Nation. We also honor and salute the selfless sacrifice of the
brave men and women of our Armed Forces who are defending our lives and
liberty at home and abroad with skill, honor, and dedication.
This Thanksgiving, we recognize the ties of friendship and respect
that bind us together. And we renew our pledge to uphold the timeless
principles of freedom, equality, and opportunity that have made our
country into a great Nation. By working together, we will continue to
build mutual trust, peace, and hope for all across this land and around
the world.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 Thursday, November
28, 2002, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage Americans to
gather in their homes, places of worship, and community centers to
share the spirit of understanding and unity, and of prayer, as we
express our thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. I also encourage
Americans to reach out in friendship to the larger family of
humankind.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first
day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-seventh.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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