[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 39 (Monday, October 1, 2001)]
[Pages 1378-1379]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Sikh Community Leaders

September 26, 2001

    It's my honor to welcome citizens from all across our country here 
to the Roosevelt Room and the White House to discuss our common 
commitment to make sure that every American is treated with respect and 
dignity during this period of--during any period, for that matter, of 
American history, but particularly during this time.
    An American Sikh has been killed, unjustly so. These citizens bring 
their hearts with them, and I can assure them that our Government will 
do everything we can to not only bring those people to justice but also 
to treat every human life as dear and to respect the values that made 
our country so different and so unique. We're all Americans, bound 
together by common ideals and common values.
    So I want to welcome you all here. We're honored that you're here in 
the White House, and I look forward to a good, frank discussion.
    Thank you for coming.

[[Page 1379]]

Note: The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Balbir Singh Sodhi, an 
Indian immigrant who was killed September 15 in Mesa, AZ, in a suspected 
hate crime.