Presidential Proclamation
PATRIOT DAY AND NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE AND REMEMBRANCE,
2012
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
On September 11, 2001, a bright autumn day was darkened by the worst attack
on the American people in our history. Thousands of innocent men, women, and
children perished when mighty towers collapsed in the heart of New York City and
wreckage burned in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. They were family and
friends, service members and first responders -- and the tragedy of their loss
left pain that will never fade and scars our country will never forget.
More than a decade later, the world we live in is forever changed. But as we
mark the anniversary of September 11, we remember what remains the same: our
character as a Nation, our faith in one another, and our legacy as a country
strengthened by service and selflessness. In the spirit that moved rescue
workers and firefighters to charge into darkness and danger that September
morning, we see the same sense of moral responsibility that drove countless
Americans to give of themselves in the months that followed. We offered our
neighbors a hand and lined up to give blood. Many helped our Nation rebuild and
recover long after the dust had settled, donating and volunteering and helping
survivors who had borne so much. We were united, and the outpouring of
generosity reminded us that, through challenges that have spanned from acts of
terrorism to natural disasters, we go forward together as one people.
Today, as we remember the victims, their families, and the heroes who stood
up during one of our country's darkest moments, I invite all Americans to
reclaim that abiding spirit of compassion by serving their communities in the
days and weeks ahead. From volunteering with a faith-based organization, to
collecting food and clothing for those in need, to preparing care packages for
our men and women in uniform, there are many ways to bring service into our
everyday lives -- and each of us can do something. To get involved and find a
local service opportunity, visit www.Serve.gov, or www.Servir.gov for Spanish speakers.
Even the simplest act of kindness can be a way to honor those we have lost,
and to help build stronger communities and a more resilient Nation. By joining
together on this solemn anniversary, let us show that America's sense of common
purpose need not be a fleeting moment, but a lasting virtue -- not just on one
day, but every day.
By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the
Congress has designated September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day," and by
Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, the Congress has requested the
observance of September 11 as an annually recognized "National Day of Service
and Remembrance."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America,
do hereby proclaim September 11, 2012, as Patriot Day and National Day of
Service and Remembrance. I call upon all departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities of the United States to display the flag of the United States
at half-staff on Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance in
honor of the individuals who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I invite
the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and
interested organizations and individuals to join in this observance. I call upon
the people of the United States to participate in community service in honor of
those our Nation lost, to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and
activities, including remembrance services, and to observe a moment of silence
beginning at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to honor the innocent victims who
perished as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
BARACK OBAMA
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