[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 44 (Monday, November 5, 2001)]
[Pages 1573-1575]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Announcing the Lessons of Liberty Initiative in Rockville, 
Maryland

October 30, 2001

    Thank you all very much. Sit down. Behave yourself. [Laughter] Thank 
you for the warm welcome. [Laughter] I'm honored to be here to announce 
a national effort to bring together veterans and students all across 
America during the week of Veterans Day, to give our young examples of 
duty and courage at a time when both are sorely needed.
    I want to thank Senator Dole for being here. I appreciate his 
eloquence and his service to the country. He is a--[applause] I want to 
thank the two members of my Cabinet who traveled with me today, 
Secretary Principi and Secretary Paige, both of whom represent the best 
of public service. I want to thank Congresswoman Connie Morella for 
being here, as well.
    Rebecca, thank you for opening up your beautiful school. I want to 
thank you. And I want to thank the teachers who are here. Teaching is 
such a noble profession. And if some of you students are wondering what 
you might want to do when you get older, think about teaching.
    I also want to thank the students and the veterans and my fellow 
Americans. I can assure you it makes some of us old guys feel warm in 
our hearts when we see the enthusiasm you have for your school and the 
love you have for your country. I am proud to be standing with the 
Patriots.
    We're a nation of patriots. The attacks of September the 11th and 
the attacks that have followed were designed to break our spirit. But 
instead, they've created a new spirit in America. We have a renewed 
spirit of patriotism. We see it in the countless flags that are flying 
everywhere in America. We hear it in familiar phrases that move us more 
deeply than ever before. We all know that this is one Nation, under God. 
And we pray that God will bless America, the land that we all love, 
regardless of our race, regardless of our religion, regardless of where 
we live.
    We have a renewed appreciation of the character of America. We are a 
generous people, a thoughtful people who hurt and share the sadness when 
people lose their life or when people are hurt. We've helped each other 
in every way we know, in donations, in acts of kindness, in public 
memorials, in private prayer. We have shown in difficult times that 
we're not just a world power, that we're a good and kind and courageous 
people.
    As we pursue the enemy in Afghanistan, we feed the innocents. As we 
try to bring justice to those who have harmed us, we find those who need 
help. The events of these 7 weeks have shown something else. They have 
shown a new generation, your generation, that America and the cause of 
freedom have determined enemies, that there are people in this world who 
hate what America stands for. They hate our success; they hate our 
liberty. We have learned all too suddenly that there are evil people who 
have no regard for human life and will do whatever it takes to try to 
bring this mighty Nation to its knees.
    On the Korean War Memorial in Washington are these words: ``Freedom 
is not free.'' Our commitment to freedom has always made us a target of 
tyranny and intolerance. Anyone who sets out to destroy freedom must 
eventually attack America, because we're freedom's home. And we must 
always be freedom's home and freedom's defender. We must never flinch in 
the face of adversity, and we won't.
    You've been learning this by studying your history--at least some of 
you by studying your history. [Laughter] Now you're learning the price 
of freedom by following the news. You're learning that to be an American 
citizen in a time of war is to have duties. You're learning how a strong 
country responds to a crisis by being alert and calm, resolute and 
patient.
    And you're the first students who ever learned the--who have had to 
learn the reality that we're having to fight a war on our

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own land. You're the first generation of students who has ever witnessed 
a war fought in America. This is a two-front war we fight. On one front 
is the homefront. Our Government is doing everything we possibly can to 
disrupt and deny and destroy anyone who would harm America again. And 
the truth of the matter is, the best way to fight for the homeland is to 
find the terrorists wherever they hide, wherever they run, and to bring 
them to justice.
    I also want to make it clear that the doctrine I laid out to the 
United States Congress is a doctrine this Nation will enforce. It says 
clearly that if you harbor a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, if you 
provide sanctuary to a terrorist, if you fund a terrorist, you are just 
as guilty as the terrorist that inflicted the harm on the American 
people.
    Our Nation gave those who harbor the Al Qaida organization ample 
opportunity to respond to reasonable demands. Our demands were just, and 
they were fair. We said very simply, ``Turn over Al Qaida. Send the 
terrorists out of your land. Release the innocent Americans and other 
foreigners you hold hostage in Afghanistan, and destroy Al Qaida 
terrorist camps and training activity camps.'' And we gave them ample 
opportunity to respond, and they chose the wrong course. And then--they 
will now pay a price for choosing the wrong course.
    This is a nation that is resolved to win. And win we must, not only 
for your generation but for generations to come.
    This country has always been able to count on men and women of great 
courage. From the day America was founded, 48 million have worn the 
uniform of the United States. More than 25 million veterans are living 
today, some of whom are with us at Wootton High, and you may know some 
of them in your families. I know one such veteran. He fought in World 
War II, like Senator Dole--my dad.
    We must remember that many who served in our military never lived to 
be called veterans. We must remember many had their lives changed 
forever by experiences or the injuries of combat. All veterans are 
examples of service and citizenship for every American to remember and 
to follow.
    In 12 days, on Veterans Day, we will honor them. We will remember 
the Bob Doles of the world. We will remember a generation that liberated 
Europe and Asia and put an end to concentration camps. We will remember 
generations that fought in the cold mountains of Korea and manned the 
outposts of the cold war. We will remember those who served in the 
jungles of Vietnam and on the sands of the Persian Gulf. In each of 
these conflicts, Americans answered danger with incredible courage. We 
were equal to every challenge. And now a great mission has been given a 
new generation, our generation, and we vow not to let America down.
    Today I have a special mission for our veterans and a special 
request of our schools. I ask all public, private, and home schools to 
join our Lessons for Liberty initiative by inviting a veteran to speak 
to your students during the week of Veterans Day. I'm particularly 
pleased to announce that Wootton High has already put out the call, and 
Ron Ten Eyck has answered. Ron's a veteran of World War II. You need to 
listen to what he has to say.
    Lessons of Liberty is supported by veterans groups all across 
America: American Legion, VFW, Military Order of the World Wars, as well 
as education groups all across our country. Anyone interested in 
participating in this important event should go to this Web page: 
www.va.gov, and then click on Veterans Day.
    In addition to launching Lessons of Liberty, I will sign a 
proclamation in a minute asking all Americans to observe the week of 
November 11th as National Veterans Awareness Week. In these difficult 
days here in America, I ask all of us, children and adults, to remember 
the valor and sacrifice of our veterans. American veterans have 
extraordinary stories. We should listen to them. American veterans 
preserved our world and freedom, and we should honor them. American 
veterans show us the meaning of sacrifice and citizenship, and we should 
learn from them.
    Americans should always honor our veterans. At this moment, we 
especially need the example of their character. And we need a new 
generation to set examples of its own,

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examples in service and sacrifice and courage. These veterans have 
shaped our history, and with their values, your generation will help 
guide our future.
    God bless. May God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 1:52 p.m. in the auditorium at Thomas S. 
Wootton High School. In his remarks, he referred to former Senator Bob 
Dole; Rebecca Newman, principal, Thomas S. Wootton High School; and Ron 
Ten Eyck, commander, American Legion Post 86, Rockville, MD.