[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 39 (Monday, October 2, 2000)]
[Page 2222]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following the Premiere of ``Remember the Titans''

September 26, 2000

    Folks, come on. Give them a hand. [Applause] I just want to say two 
things, besides thanks to Jerry and the director and the stars, for 
giving us a gift. First thing is, I've actually had the honor, as 
President, of going to T.C. Williams High School. And you might be 
interested to know that that school district is now the most racially, 
ethnically, religiously diverse school district in the whole United 
States of America. That high school now has students whose families come 
from more than 80 countries and speak more than 50 languages.
    And after some of the troubles at schools around America, I went out 
there because they are a model for the whole country and how different 
people relate to each other and work together and solve their problems. 
And it all started here with them, 30 years ago.
    The second thing is, I was watching this movie, and you know I grew 
up in the South, where football was next to religion, except for people 
who were really serious about football. And I was watching this, and I 
was thinking back over the last 8 years and all the times I spent trying 
to get people in other countries to quit fighting each other because 
they were different and trying to get people in America to get over 
their differences. And I was just thinking, if only we could learn over 
again every day the lesson these young men, when they were young--and 
they're still young to me--[laughter]--learned from each other.
    The reason that's so powerful is, they won a victory of the human 
heart. And I hope that all of us will remember the gift they gave us and 
keep on winning.
    Thank you, and God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 10 p.m. at the Uptown 
Theater. In his remarks, he referred to the film's producer, Jerry 
Bruckheimer, and director, Boaz Yakin. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of these remarks.