Wednesday, January 14, 2009

President Declares January 16 As Religious Freedom Day

Yesterday President Bush issued a Proclamation (full text) declaring January 16 as Religious Freedom Day. The day marks the anniversary of the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on that date in 1786. The Proclamation says in part:
The United States also stands with religious dissidents and believers from around the globe who practice their faith peacefully. Freedom is not a grant of government or a right for Americans alone; it is the birthright of every man, woman, and child throughout the world. No human freedom is more fundamental than the right to worship in accordance with one's conscience.