A Proclamation by the President of the United
States of America
Thanksgiving 2005
Thanksgiving Day is a time to remember our many
blessings and to celebrate the opportunities that freedom affords.
Explorers and settlers arriving in this land often gave thanks
for the extraordinary plenty they found. And today, we remain
grateful to live in a country of liberty and abundance. We give
thanks for the love of family and friends, and we ask God to continue
to watch over America.
This Thanksgiving, we pray and express thanks
for the men and women who work to keep America safe and secure.
Members of our Armed Forces, State and local law enforcement,
and first responders embody our Nation's highest ideals of courage
and devotion to duty. Our country is grateful for their service
and for the support and sacrifice of their families. We ask God's
special blessings on those who have lost loved ones in the line
of duty.
We also remember those affected by the destruction
of natural disasters. Their tremendous determination to recover
their lives exemplifies the American spirit, and we are grateful
for those across our Nation who answered the cries of their neighbors
in need and provided them with food, shelter, and a helping hand.
We ask for continued strength and perseverance as we work to rebuild
these communities and return hope to our citizens.
We give thanks to live in a country where freedom
reigns, justice prevails, and hope prospers. We recognize that
America is a better place when we answer the universal call to
love a neighbor and help those in need. May God bless and guide
the United States of America as we move forward.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 Thursday, November 24, 2005, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.
I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and
places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to reinforce
the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many
blessings we enjoy.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand
this eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand
five, and of the Independence of the United States of America
the two hundred and thirtieth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
