09/17/2025
This week's quote is from a speech given by President Truman on September 17, 1952, the very first Constitution Day & Citizenship Day, 73 years ago today.
Said Truman:
I am very happy to join in this celebration of Citizenship Day. This is the day on which we celebrate both the signing of the Constitution and what it means to be a citizen of the United States of America. It was just this year that the Congress adopted legislation establishing Citizenship Day. This is the first time that we have observed it. I hope the ceremonies and the activities here today will launch an annual celebration that will increase in meaning and influence among our people as the years go by.
It pleases me very much to see here this group of men and women who will be admitted to United States citizenship this morning. I welcome them to the fellowship of the citizens who live under our Flag; and I want to say something to them about the step they are going to take here today. We are glad that you are about to join us. Millions of men and women before you, from all parts of the world, have taken the same path to become citizens of this great Republic.
Here you will be fellow citizens with people from other lands, some of them from countries which may have been hostile to your old homelands. But we expect our citizens to put aside those old nationalistic or racial feuds. They have no place here. We welcome you not to a narrow nationalism but to a great community based on universal ideals. Those universal ideals are the brotherhood of man and the welfare not only of our own country but the whole world besides.
We believe that all men have the same rights, and that these rights must be respected. We ask you to join with us in working to put into effect our basic ideals of tolerance, friendship, and equality. We ask you to help us defend this country against its enemies, and to join in our efforts to create a new day for the world--a day when there shall be real peace--peace based on the ideals of justice and human brotherhood...
For more: https://tinyurl.com/5775yscp