123STA T . 3 68 8 PROCL A M AT I O N 8 4 1 0— S E PT. 3 , 200 9itage,w ewi l le nsur et h at f uture generati o ns inherit the uni q ue gift of k nowing nature ’ s p ea c e .NOW , THER E F ORE, I , BA RA CK OBA M A, P resi d ent of the U nited S tates of A m erica, byv irtue of the authority vested in me by the Con - stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sep- tember 20 0 9 as National Wilderness Month. I call upon all Americans to visit and en j oy our wilderness areas, learn more about our wilder- ness heritage, and e x plore what can be done to protect and preserve these precious national treasures. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of September, in the year of our L ord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth. BARACK OBAMA Proclam a ti o n8410 o fSep tem b er 3,2 00 9Nation a lD a ys o fPr ay e ran dR e m em b ran c e ,20 0 9BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation They were daughters and sons, sisters and brothers, mothers and fa- thers, spouses and partners, family and friends, colleagues and strang- ers. They hailed from cities and towns across our Nation and world. On September 1 1, 2001, thousands of innocent women and men were taken from us, and their loss leaves an emptiness in our hearts. Hundreds perished as planes struck the skyline of New Y ork City, the structure of the Pentagon, and the grass of Pennsylvania. In the imme- diate aftermath of these tragedies, many victims died as they sought safety. Selflessly placing themselves in danger, first responders, mem- bers of the Armed Forces, and private citi z ens made the ultimate sac- rifice working to assist others. D uring the National Days of Prayer and Remembrance, Americans across the country cherish the memory of all those who passed and honor and pray for their families and friends. Americans also remember and pray for the safety and success of the members of the United States Armed Forces, who work every day to keep our Nation safe from terrorism and other threats to our security. Military members assisted those in need on September 11, 2001, and serve now in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. They have left the safety of home so that our Nation might be more secure. They have endured great sacrifice so that we might enjoy the blessings of liberty. Our servicemembers represent the best of America, and they deserve our deepest respect and gratitude. The threat of terrorism has denied too many men, women, and chil- dren their right to live in peace and security. As the United States works to defeat terrorists and build a more hopeful future for our chil- dren and young people across the world, we seek humility and strength. We reflect upon the lessons drawn from our national tragedy, seek G od’s guidance and wisdom, and, never forgetting the lost, com-
