Ronald Reagan

“ Mankind's desire for liberty is universal. We are, as a country, linked with the Polish people in love for individual liberty, faith, and defense of the family. We share unstinting devotion to political and religious freedom, as expressed so courageously by Pope John Paul II and Lech Walesa. ”

“ Our Nation owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to the millions of freedom-loving Poles who have come to our shores to build a new land. Polish Americans can be justly proud of the vital contributions people of Polish descent have made to our Nation in the arts, the sciences, religion, scholarship, and every area of endeavor. ”

“ We have supported the aspirations of Poles in recent years for a greater voice in determining their nation's destiny. We welcome the recent general amnesty for political prisoners in Poland as a positive step. We reaffirm our solidarity with these brave Polish citizens who, at great risk to themselves, have sought to expand liberty and to promote justice in their homeland. ”