Backup Documents 12/09/2014 Item # 4B 4B
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, since 1993, the President of the United States has proclaimed January 16"' of each
year to be Religious Freedom Day; and
WHEREAS, President Barack Obama's 2014 Proclamation ended as follows:
WOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, do hereby proc/aim January 16, 2014, as Religious Freedom
Day, and I ask all Americans to commemorate this day with events and activities
that teach us about this critical foundation of our Nation's liberty, and show us how
we can protect it for future generations at home and around the world';• and
WHEREAS, the celebration of Religious Freedom Day commemorates the signing of the Virginia
Statute for Religious Freedom, penned by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the
Virginia House of Burgesses on January 16, 1786; and
WHEREAS, the Virginia Statute, declared religious liberty a natural right and any attempt to
subvert it "a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion, who being
Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either. "
The Statute inspired religious liberty protections in the First Amendment, which has
stood for nearly two and a quarter centuries; and
WHEREAS, the Liberty Bell on display at Freedom Hall in Philadelphia has the following
inscription on it, 'Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the people
thereof, "Leviticus 25:10; and,
WHEREAS, the citizens of Collier County desire that their elected representatives confirm the
principle of Religious Freedom.
NOW THEREFORE, be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County,
Florida, that January 16, 2015 be designated as
NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY
DONE AND ORDERED THIS 9th Day of December, 2014.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COLLIER COUNTY, j ORIDA
TOM HENNING, CHAIRMAN