From: glevy@PRATT.EDU
Date: Sun May 01 2005 - 19:24:30 EDT
"Loyalty Day", it seems, was known as "Law Day" in 1988 during the Reagan years. See below. It is unclear to me why Reagan would have wanted to re-name Loyalty Day. btw, I just returned from a fun May Day celebration at Tompkins Square Park. A good anarchist friend of mine, another Jerry, was the promoter for the event. May Day has quite a history in Tompkins Square Park! This year it was mostly a Techno concert produced by another Lower East Side squatter and activist. As the last song was being played (and as the permit had just expired) we were joined by a small demonstration which had marched from Union Square -- another place with a long history of May Day events! A minute or two afterwards we were joined by a group of about 40 street performers and vegetarians who were playing (non-electric) musical instruments and who were dancing. They loooked a lot like Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band! Then a lot of the crowd started dancing. I had a good May Day. What about you? In solidarity, Jerry > Subject: Happy Law Day, USA > > http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1988/042088b.htm > Proclamation 5799 -- Law Day, U.S.A., 1988 > > April 20, 1988 > By the President of the United States of America > A Proclamation > > For more than three decades our country has observed May 1 as Law Day, > U.S.A., in grateful recognition that our free Republic is a government of > laws, not men. On Law Day, U.S.A., we join in proud commemoration of > America's legacy of liberty, justice, and self-government, and we pause to > salute those past and present who have served and sacrificed to win and > protect our freedom and to preserve law and tranquility in our > communities -- including the men and women of law enforcement whose daily > courage and dedication make our laws and liberties a living reality. > Because ours is a government by consent of the people, we are our own > lawgivers; hence, the virtuousness of our laws depends on our individual > and > civic virtues. That is truly something to remember on any Law Day, U.S.A., > but especially in a national election year, when we recall how important > it > is that each of us be familiar with our rights and liberties and with the > legal and political guarantees of our freedoms. Only through knowledge, > awareness, and love of country can we take full part in the > self-government > that is ours as Americans to perpetuate. > This is why all Americans of legal voting age should make up their minds, > this year and each year, to vote in every election for which they are > eligible and to observe all election laws faithfully. By voting, we have > our > say in who our representatives are and thereby in the shaping of laws that > affect us, our communities, our States, and our Nation. We should always > remember that those who vote not only demonstrate their voice in public > affairs but also exercise one of the precious rights for which brave > people > around the globe today fight and die just as did our ancestors. Let us > understand that our voting is a way to keep faith with them, with our > fellow > citizens, with the brave Americans who defend us at home and abroad, and > with all who cherish our American heritage of liberty, justice, and > equality > before the law. > Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of > America, > in accordance with Public Law 87 - 20 of April 7, 1961, do hereby proclaim > Sunday, May 1, 1988, as Law Day, U.S.A. I urge the people of the United > States to use this occasion to reflect on our birthright of freedom, to > express gratitude to those who protect our country and our communities, to > familiarize themselves with the need to vote, and to encourage and assist > others to vote. I ask the legal profession, schools, public bodies, > libraries, courts, the communications media, businesses, the clergy, > civic, > service, and fraternal organizations, and all interested individuals and > organizations to join in efforts to focus attention on voting. I also call > upon all public officials to display the flag of the United States on all > government buildings on Law Day, U.S.A. > In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of April, in > the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the > Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twelfth. > > Ronald Reagan > [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:40 p.m., April 20, 1988]
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon May 02 2005 - 00:00:01 EDT