Proclamation 6661

by Bill Clinton

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

In this season of Easter and Passover, as we mark the twenty-sixth anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I call upon every American to reflect on the meaning of his teachings, to measure the progress we have made in achieving the dream he shared, and to rededicate ourselves to the end of violence and to the true spirit of community for which he lived and died. We must remain a Nation that is not too cynical to restore hope, not too frightened to face our problems, and not too intolerant to seek reconciliation.

Too many of our children hunger for lives with order and meaning. They are easy prey to anger and narrow-mindedness, to violence, and to impulses that debase their own lives and others. Too many, in their own struggle to survive, cannot imagine a world that is safe, secure and full of hope. We must do better than this.

Happily, most of our children still face the world with courage and hope. They want to grow up to be good parents and good citizens. They want to have good marriages, good friendships. They want to make the world a better place.

They remain our greatest hope. Let us resolve to teach them as Dr. King did, not so much by eloquent words as by meaningful actions.

Let us lead them by example, as we respect all people, draw strength from our diversity, and face our challenges with determination and goodwill so that Dr. Martin Luther King's dream of equality for our children will never be lost.

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 Monday, April 4, 1994, as a "National Day of Reconciliation." On this day, let us pause to reflect upon what our divisiveness, our intolerance and our insecurity teach our children. Let us remember and recognize that each of us bears the profound responsibility of bringing Dr. King's message of unity, compassion and equality to our schools and our playgrounds, our places of work and worship, our seats of governance, and into our homes and our hearts. And when we are judged, not by the rich or powerful, but by history and by our children, let it be said that we overcame our differences for the sake of our children. We shared a common dream for the future.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighteenth.

William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:42 a.m., April 5, 1994]