    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [July 9, 2001]
    [Pages 835-836]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Videotaped Remarks to the NAACP Convention
     July 9, 2001

        Thank you very much. I'm honored to be able to send my greetings to
    you for the 92d annual convention of the NAACP.
        Last year I joined you in person at your convention in Baltimore. I
    said that there is no denying the truth that racism, despite all our
    progress, still exists and that there's no escaping the reality that the
    party of Lincoln has not always carried the mantle of Lincoln. I said
    that recognizing and confronting our history is important but
    transcending our history is essential. A year has passed since I gave
    that speech, and nearly 6 months have passed since I became the
    President. We must continue our work to ensure that my party keeps faith
    with the

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    memory of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
        I started by selecting a diverse, well-qualified Cabinet and senior
    staff. People like Colin Powell, Rod
    Paige, Condoleezza Rice, and Larry Thompson
    are tearing down barriers and setting new standards for excellence.
    Appointments are important, but so is the agenda.
        I've made reform of our public schools my number one priority. I
    have worked closely with Democrats and Republicans in Congress to craft
    a bill that gives our schools more money but asks our schools for more
    in return. High standards, accountability, and a culture of excellence
    is the hallmark of school reform. Every child can learn, and no child
    should be left behind. I believe my education package is an important
    step in ensuring that our schools are worthy of our children's dreams.
        And my agenda also includes moving forward on my Faith-Based and
    Community Initiatives. All across the country, private religious and
    community organizations are serving and uplifting the Nation's poor
    through a variety of services, from feeding the hungry to providing drug
    treatment to educating children with disabilities. Our Faith-Based and
    Community Initiative reflects my belief that Government must be active
    enough to support these charitable groups but humble enough to let good
    people in local communities provide such services.
        Finally, my agenda is based on the principle of equal opportunity
    and equal justice. Yet, for too long, too many African Americans have
    been subjected to the unfairness of racial profiling. That's why,
    earlier this year, I asked Attorney General John Ashcroft to develop specific recommendations to end racial
    profiling. It's wrong, and it must be ended in America.
        There are other ways my agenda will help ensure that the American
    Dream touches every willing heart, from creating opportunities for
    affordable housing and health care to encouraging savings and reducing
    taxes on working people. But throughout, my agenda is laced with some
    common themes: trusting the people, empowering communities and
    charities, and creating one nation of justice and equality.
        It matters what Presidents do. It also matters what Presidents say
    and how they say it. I've tried to speak in a tone that brings us
    together and unites us in purpose. I believe that even when
    disagreements arise, we should treat each other with civility and with
    respect. That is a basic requirement of democracy.
        When he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, the Reverend Martin
    Luther King, Jr., said that whenever he was on an airplane, he was
    always reminded of how dependent we all are on each other. He said, ``A
    flight is successful only because of the hard work and devotion of the
    known pilots and unknown ground crew.'' His point was that we all have a
    role to play, and we cannot succeed as a group unless each one of us
    succeeds as an individual.
        As the President of one of the most diverse nations in the world, I
    carry the responsibility of making sure that every voice is heard and
    every person is respected. This is the legacy and the unfinished work of
    Lincoln, King, and so many others, in ways large and small, have brought
    us to where we are today. They dreamt of a unified America. Now we must
    continue to work to convert that dream into a reality.
        I hope you have a productive and successful convention. And I look
    forward to working with you on matters that are vital to America.
        God bless you all, and God bless America.

    Note: The President's remarks were videotaped at approximately 3 p.m. on
    July 2 in the Library at the White House for later transmission to the
    convention in New Orleans, LA. The transcript was released by the Office
    of the Press Secretary on July 9.