Gerald R. Ford

“ I call upon every man, woman, and child to celebrate the diversity of tradition, culture and heritage that reflects our people and our patrimony. Let each of us "resolve to cherish and protect what we have achieved in the United States of America and to build upon it in the years ahead, not by words alone, but by actions which bespeak a continuing commitment to a heritage of individual initiative, creativity, and liberty. ”

“ Now, two hundred years later, we have settled our continent and turned our vision to the limits of the universe. We are the richest nation in the world--rich in our resources, rich in our creativity, rich in our strength, and rich in our people--from our Native Americans to those who have come from every country on earth to share in the hope, the work, and the spirit of our Republic. ”

“ The year 1776 was a year of revolution, not merely in the refection of colonial rule, but in the thoughtful, eloquent, and enduring expression of a government to foster and perpetuate the development of a free and independent people. ”