12 2 STA T .538 5 PROCL A M AT I O N 831 9— NO V .1 4, 2 0 08 TheB e rlinWa ll sto o d asa b arrier that isolated the v i c ti m so f im p erial C omm u nism and totalitarian po w er from the promise of the free world .S tandin g in the presence of the wall , with an unsha k able belief in the power of libert y , P resident R onald Reagan issued a resounding chal - lenge on behalf of the free and the unfree alike
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‘ M r. G orbachev, tear down this wall. ’ ’ O n N ovember 9 , 1 9 8 9, the citi z ens of E ast Germany finally triumphed over their Communist oppressors, and the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. A s the hope of freedom spread, the Soviet empire collapsed, the I ron Curtain was lifted, and Eastern and Central Europe were liberated from decades of cruel tyranny. The Cold War demonstrated once again that freedom is precious and cannot be taken for granted, that evil is real and must be confronted, and that if they are allowed to do so, harsh rulers will sub j ugate others in the name of hateful ideologies. H istory has also proven that the transformative power of liberty overcomes this oppression. Today, many former Communist countries are using their sovereignty to aid the rise of other young democracies and to shine the light of con- science on human rights abuses. Our belief in the universality of free- dom is challenged time and again, but we continue to go forward with confidence that free nations will always prevail over the enemies of liberty, peace, and justice. On World F reedom D ay, we are reminded that injustice overseas can threaten our way of life at home, and we renew our commitment to helping those who suffer under the weight of oppression. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. B U SH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 9, 20 08, as World Freedom Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, reaffirming our dedication to freedom and democracy. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our L ord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclam a ti o n8319 o fN o ve m b er1 4,20 08 AmericaR ec y c l e sD ay ,20 0 8BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation On America Recycles Day, we highlight the importance of recycling as a way to safeguard and protect the environment and preserve our pre- cious natural resources. We live in a country of splendor and beauty, and no matter which State each of us calls home, we all have a responsibility to practice good environmental stewardship. It is in our Nation’s best interest that government, businesses, community organizations, and individuals work together to conserve our natural resources. The Environmental
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