SPRING 2005 NEWSLETTER
GEORGIA FOI ACCESS
GEORGIA FIRST AMENDMENT FOUNDATION

Gov. Perdue proclaims March 13-19 'Sunshine Week' in state of Georgia

WHEREAS: Shortly after the founding of our nation, our earliest leaders took it upon themselves to establish The Bill of Rights to protect the citizens of the United States from the abuses of governmental power. Among the civil liberties they ensured were freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to bear arms, freedom to worship and the right to due process; and

WHEREAS: Beginning the week of March 13, 2005, journalism

organizations across the nation along with thousands of concerned citizens celebrate "Sunshine Week" to educate all Americans about the importance of preserving our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press; and

WHEREAS: In addition to the constitutionally protected freedom of the press, the State of Georgia also provides its citizens access to government documents through the Open Records Act; and

WHEREAS: Our nationís forefathers believed, as we do, that access to public information and the right to share that information with others without fear of reprisal is essential for a free society to prosper; and

WHEREAS: Even today, brave men and women of our Armed Forces are putting themselves in harms way to protect this freedom and others; and

WHEREAS: As the terror ridden and despotic regimes around the world have shown, democracy cannot thrive when the publicís ìright to knowî is compromised, eliminated or unduly regulated; now

THEREFORE: I, SONNY PERDUE, Governor of the State of Georgia, do hereby proclaim March 13-19, 2005, as SUNSHINE WEEK in Georgia.

In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the Executive Department to be affixed this 14th day of March in the year of our Lord two thousand five.

Source: Governor's press office.