The day, observed on January 16, commemorates the anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.
“Religious freedom is a principle based not on shared ancestry, culture, ethnicity, or faith but on a shared commitment to liberty—and it lies at the very heart of who we are as Americans,” President Obama wrote.
He added:
America has changed a great deal since Thomas Jefferson first drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, but religious liberty is a right we must never stop striving to uphold. Today, let us work to protect that precious right and ensure all people are able to go about their day in safety and with dignity—without living in fear of violence or intimidation—in our time and for generations to come.References: