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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING MAY 1, 2014 AS NATIONAL LAW DAY
WHEREAS, Law Day is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day underscores how law and the legal process contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share. Law Day also provides an opportunity to recognize the role of courts in this democracy and the importance of jury service to maintaining the integrity of the courts; and
WHEREAS, Law Day has its origin in 1957, when American Bar Association (ABA) President Charles S. Rhyne envisioned a special day for celebrating our legal system; and
WHEREAS, on February 3, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by issuing a Proclamation proclaiming it "fitting that the people of this Nation should remember with pride and vigilantly guard the great heritage of liberty, justice, and equality under law which our forefathers bequeathed to us." Every President, since President Eisenhower, has issued an annual Law Day Proclamation; and
WHEREAS, on April 7, 1961, Congress passed a Joint Resolution, designating May 1 as Law Day. The theme of the 2014 Law Day is "American Democracy and the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters"; and
WHEREAS, the right to vote is the very foundation of government by the people. For this reason, striving to establish and protect every citizen's right to vote has been a central theme of American legal and civic history. Much of the struggle for voting rights began decades ago, but the work is far from complete, and citizen's right to cast a ballot remains at risk today; and
WHEREAS, this Law Day occurs on the eve of the 50th anniversaries of two landmark pieces of legislation - the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Speaking on the Voting Rights Act, President Lyndon B. Johnson observed, "Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason which can excuse the denial of that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right;" and
WHEREAS, Law Day, May 1, 2014, will provide an opportunity to reflect on the importance of a citizen's right to vote and the challenges we still face in ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to participate in our democracy.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby recognize May 1, 2014 as National Law Day and its theme of "American Democracy and the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Cook County Law Library will be celebrating Law Day with outreach focused on democracy and the rule of law.
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