Remarks at southwest Missouri state university in Springfield, Missouri

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 21, 2002

Today we've got Erin Bryant, who goes right here--to school here. She's an active member of the Student Community Action Team at Southwest Missouri State. She spends time volunteering to make somebody's life better. She's involved with people who want to feed those who are hungry and house those who are homeless.

Be a Boy Scout leader. Be a Girl Scout leader. Do something. And it's the gathering momentum of the millions of acts of kindness and decency which will allow this great land to stand squarely in the face of evil. No, the enemy hit us. They didn't know who they were hitting. They hit the greatest nation on the face of the Earth. And we will show the world why.

There's no question in my mind that even though there's hurdles ahead of us, we can achieve a lot. We can achieve peace, and we can make sure the light shines brightly, the light of hope, in every corner on this great land. I say that with confidence because this is the greatest nation, full of the finest people, on the face of the Earth.

May God bless you all, and may God bless America.

NOTE: The President spoke at 9:48 a.m. in the Hammons Student Center. In his remarks, he referred to Brenda Talent, wife of candidate Jim Talent; entertainers Larry, Steve, and Rudy Gatlin; Carl A. Fellers, president, Fellers Fixtures, Inc.; President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and Ramzi bin al-Shihh, an Al Qaida operative suspected of helping to plan the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, who was captured in Karachi, Pakistan.