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President Bush gives a Presidential pardon to 'Flyer' the national Thanksgiving turkey Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006, in Washington. Holding the turkey is Lynn Nutt of Springfield, Mo.
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Flyer and Fryer Turkey are not aviancounterfeiters. Or international grain kingpins. The two white birds have committed no known crime against man or beast. Their only offense? Being turkeys the day before the Thanksgiving holiday when Americans traditionally eat turkey.
But unlike millions of other less fortunate birds, Flyer and Fryer were spared the chopping block and won pardons from President Bush.
"This morning I am granting a full presidential pardon so they can live out their lives as safe as can be," the president announced.
The birds, from the Midwest state of Missouri, are on their way to California where they will be the honorary Grand Marshals of the Thanksgiving Day parade at the Disneyland theme park.
This was the 59th presidential pardon of the National Thanksgiving Turkey in the Rose Garden.
In the Rose Garden ceremony, President Bush said the holiday is a time for all Americans to be grateful for their blessings.
"In our journey across the centuries, from a few tiny settlements to a prosperous and powerful nation, Americans have always been a grateful people," he noted. "And we are this year as well. We are grateful for our beautiful land. We are grateful for a harvest big enough to feed us all. We are grateful for our freedom. We are grateful for our families. And we are grateful for life itself."
Mr. Bush thanked members of the U.S. military who he says have set aside their own comfort and safety to defend the nation.
The president and Mrs. Bush will spend the Thanksgiving holiday at the presidentialretreatof Camp David in the mountains outside the nation's capital.
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(VOA)
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“飛鳥”和“火鳥”不是兩只“假冒火雞”，不是吃稻谷之王，也沒有犯下任何反人類罪或反動物罪。它們唯一的過錯就是，成了感恩節的火雞。美國人通常在感恩節這天都要吃火雞。
但和其它火雞不同的是，“飛鳥”和“火鳥”幸免于難，沒有成為今年感恩節餐桌上的盤中餐，而是得到了布什總統的赦免。
布什總統說：“今天上午，我將給予‘飛鳥’和‘火鳥’總統‘特赦'，它們從此可以安全的生活了?！?/font>
這兩只逃過“死劫”的火雞來自美國中西部的密蘇里州，它們將要作為最高名譽司儀參加在加州迪斯尼主題公園舉行的感恩節游行活動。
這是美國總統連續第59次在玫瑰園舉行“火雞赦免儀式”。
布什總統在赦免儀式上說，感恩節是美國人感謝上帝恩賜的節日。
布什說：“美國歷經幾個世紀，從幾個小殖民地發展成為一個繁榮強大的國家，美國人歷來懂得感恩。今年的感恩節也一樣。我們要感謝美麗的家園，感謝好收成；要感謝自由，感謝我們的家庭，感謝生命。”
布什總統還感謝了軍人，他說，軍人們為了保衛國家的安全而將個人的安危置之度外。
布什總統將和夫人在華盛頓郊外山區的總統度假地戴維營過感恩節假期。
（英語點津姍姍編輯）
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