Law Day, U.S.A., 2000

Proclamation 7298 of April 28, 2000

Law Day, U.S.A., 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 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.