Fool Me Once Shame on You a Fool Man Cant Get Fooled Again

Home > News & Policies > September 2002

Printer-Friendly Version   Email This Page

For Immediate Release
Office of the Printing Secretary
September 17, 2002

Remarks by the President on Teaching American History and Civic Education
East Literature Magnet School
Nashville, Tennessee

i:05 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. Cheers for that warm welcome -- really warm welcome. (Laughter.) Across America today, Americans are reciting 31 world -- words that assist define our country. In in one case sentence we affirm our form of regime, our belief in human being dignity, our unity as a people, and our reliance on Providence.

And this pledge takes on a special meaning in a time of war. Our enemies detest these words. That'southward what you've got to empathize. They hate the words, and they want to erase them. We're determined to stand for these words, and live them out in our lives. Our allegiance has never been stronger. We've never been more than determined. And we must piece of work to teach our children to love our nation every bit much as we practise.

I want to thank you all for coming today. I particularly want to thank our Secretary of Education for traveling with me -- Rod Paige. I picked Rod out of a lot of actually good candidates because I wanted somebody to be in Washington who had actually been on the front end lines of educating every kid. We didn't need any more theory in Washington. We needed people that actually washed. And when nosotros talk almost raising the bar and challenging the soft discrimination of depression expectations, so that every kid can learn, when we talk nigh having an accountability organization to make certain no child is left behind, our Secretary of Instruction has actually washed information technology. He ran one of the largest school districts in my state, our state, and he did so with form and nobility. And the children of Houston, Texas are improve off for it.

Mr. Secretary, thanks for coming. I'm too proud to exist sharing the stage with another superintendent -- Pedro Garcia. Mucho gusto, Pedro. (Applause.)

Pedro is a good leader. It's very interesting -- nosotros were talking before nosotros came out here and Pedro was a part of what they call Performance Pedro Pan -- Operation Peter Pan. So, by the fashion, was a member of my Chiffonier, Mel Martinez. When both Pedro and Mel were young men, their parents wanted their children to grow up in freedom. And then they put them on an airplane to a foreign country. They had great faith in America, faith -- so much faith in the ideals of our state that they were willing to trust their teenage children with a stranger in a foreign country. And they came and were loved. I don't know, Pedro, whether your mom and dad came, just Mel'southward mother and daddy came.

And I want you all to recall these stories about Pedro, who's at present your Superintendent of Schoolhouse, or Mel, who's in my Cabinet, that this country offered so much hope and so much promise, because we believe and then strongly in freedom that people, such every bit the Garcias and the Martinezes were willing to surrender their children so they could grow upwards in a complimentary society.

I beloved the story of Pedro Pan. I love the task you're doing, and I wish you lot all the all-time. And I'm as well so beholden for Kaye, Kaye Schneider, the principal of East Literature Magnet School, for opening up this school. She said information technology's been an amazing experience. I bet it has, with all these -- (laughter) -- all these advance people and all the entourage hither. But thanks for opening upwards this bully schoolhouse. I'm here because this is a center of excellence, a school that refuses to leave any kid behind, and it starts with having a skilful solid, sound primary. So, Kaye, give thanks yous very much. (Applause.)

I want to thank all the teachers who are here. Thank you for taking on a noble profession. (Adulation.) Erstwhile Sam Houston, he used to live in Tennessee. And at in one case he had been the governor of Texas and a senator from Texas. And he was a famous Tennessee guy, and he was President of the Republic of Texas. And they said, of all the jobs you've e'er had, Sam, what was the most important one? He said, without hesitation, instructor, because he had been a teacher. (Applause.)

I want to thank the mothers and dads who are hither. Thank you for coming. You, too, are teachers. The best teaching starts at abode, by loving your children with all your heart and all your soul. I want to thank the students who are here. Thanks for letting me come by and visit with you.

I appreciate very much elected officials who have come up today: Senator Fred Thompson, Senator Neb Frist, Congressman Zach Wamp, Congressman Van Hilleary, Congressman Bob Clement, Congressman Bart Gordon, Congressman Ed Bryant. I want to give thanks your Mayor, Bill Purcell, for coming likewise, the Mayor of Nashville. Thank my friend, Lamar Alexander, for existence here.

Just most of all, I want to thank you lot all for giving me a adventure to come and share some thoughts. It is very important for our youngsters to empathise history, the history of our country, the ideals that make our country strong. This morning at the Rose Garden I kicked off a national initiative, and I'grand going to draw some of what nosotros're going to do to make certain that nosotros teach more than history to our children.

Especially important in a fourth dimension of war that our children understand the context of why nosotros fight. You see, ours is a history of freedom. One of the most precious ideas we have is freedom for everybody. We love our freedoms. We love the idea of being a free lodge. And throughout our history, people have fought for freedom. Whether information technology'south been in the Revolutionary War, or the heroic struggle to cease slavery, or civil rights wars in the United States Congress, or whether it'southward World State of war 2 where nosotros fought to costless people from tyranny, the history of this nation has been a history of freedom and justice.

Our children are growing up in a difficult time for America, because they see on their TV screens the fact that America is at present a battlefield. When we were kids, a lot of us were kids, growing up, oceans separated u.s.a. from danger. We were confident in our ability to resist evil considering evil could never go far to our shore, unless information technology was created internally. But now we've entered a new period where nosotros're vulnerable. It's tough for our children to embrace that, I know.

Merely you've got to understand why nosotros're vulnerable, and that is because there are people in the earth that detest the fact that we dearest freedom. People cannot stand the fact that your great nation not just allows, simply encourages people to worship an almighty God in whatever manner they want to. We welcome that in America. (Applause.)

Nosotros speak our mind freely. All you've got to do is remember it's an election year. (Laughter.) We believe in a free printing. And nosotros're not going to alter. Nosotros love our freedoms. Our history has taught u.s. that. And today, we love them just every bit strongly as others in the by have.

The other matter the children are learning is the notion of people serving something greater than themselves in life. You know, I think one of the nigh defining moments of the recent American history was Flying 93. Flying 93 is an amazing lesson. Laura and I had the honour of going to the site at that place in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the other day to hug and cry and visit with and smiling with if they wanted to smile, with the family members of those brave souls who were on that aeroplane.

Merely it'due south a lesson of people loving liberty then much and loving their country and so much, that they're willing to drive a plane into the ground to save other people'due south lives. What a powerful message, that part of being an American is to serve something greater than yourself. Part of being a citizen in this bang-up country is to not only take from the country, but to give.

So today, when y'all realize in that location are armed services people looking in caves in Afghanistan, or moving around the globe to endeavor to fight tyranny and terrorism, they do so to serve something greater than themselves -- because of a stiff ideal, a strong sense of purpose, a strong sense of country.

Y'all've got to understand there are some in this earth that merely do not attach to the ideals we believe in. In Republic of iraq, they don't put their hand over their heart and say, "Freedom and justice for all." They don't believe in liberty. The dictator who runs Republic of iraq doesn't believe in justice. He only believes in liberty and justice for those who he decides get freedom and justice.

There's a lot of talk about Iraq on our Tv set screens, and there should be, because nosotros're trying to effigy out how all-time to brand the earth a peaceful place. There's an one-time saying in Tennessee -- I know it'south in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- yous can't go fooled over again. You lot've got to understand the nature of the authorities we're dealing with. This is a human who has delayed, denied, deceived the world. For the sake of freedom and justice for all, the United Nations Security Council must deed, must act in way to concur this authorities to account, must not exist fooled, must be relevant to continue the peace.

Office of the American history teaches us that we must lead toward a more peaceful world. Part of the history of the world shows that every bit threats develop, we must deal with them earlier they go too acute, unmanageable. Part of our history is, is that we're a peaceful people. We beloved and long for peace, that nosotros want peace for generations to come. Simply sometimes nosotros must act in order to achieve the peace.

And all our history says we believe in liberty and justice for all, that when we see oppression, nosotros cry; that when we found out that young girls in Afghanistan could not go to schoolhouse considering they were in the clutches of one of the most barbaric regimes in the history of mankind, we acted non only to uphold doctrine and to fight the war confronting terror, we acted to liberate people. Our history shows that we're not a nation which conquers; nosotros're a nation which liberates.

History is important for our children to empathize, to give them a better sense of how to sympathize what we do and a sense of what information technology means to exist an American; a sense of importance of serving something greater than yourself in life.

The first initiative that we're going to put out is called We the People, which will encourage American history and borough educational activity all around the country. At that place will be a grant plan to encourage the development of proficient curricula and a lecture series, and essays by high schoolhouse students on liberty and justice and freedom.

Nosotros've got a great store of documents here in America, and so nosotros're going to put out a programme called Our Documents, the National Archivist is going to work with u.s.a. to make sure all of the athenaeum of America are now on-line, then schools tin can easily tap in to find out how our history developed through the archives of the country. Information technology ought to be a actually interesting way for our students to learn more about America.

Nosotros're going to take a White Business firm forum there in Washington, D.C. -- plainly; that'due south where the White House is -- in January or February of adjacent yr, to call in experts every bit to how ameliorate teach our history, and at the aforementioned time, teach the ideals that make united states a great nation. We're going to practice our part at the federal level; it's very important that you lot all do your part here in Nashville, Tennessee, and insist upon skilful civics lessons, the true lessons of history, to brand sure our children understand the ideals that brand us great.

And one of the things our youngsters and those of us not quite so young tin do -- and this is important -- is to celebrate patriotism by loving your neighbor like you lot'd like to exist loved yourself. Yous see, information technology's important to realize that i person can't do everything to change America, but one person can do something. Every child who hurts, who receives your love, is role of irresolute America for the better, is part of fighting evil with acts of kindness and decency.

I met Harry Ingle, Jr., at Air Force One. He's an East Literature Magnet student. He'due south a junior. He was out there because he is involved with mentoring children. He'due south a soldier in the regular army of compassion hither in Nashville, Tennessee. He's a part of the true strength of America, which is neighbor loving neighbor. Those of u.s.a. who are on our feet, helping those who aren't on their feet. He's a office of the light that tin help shine into corners of darkness, where there may be despair and addiction and loneliness.

No, part of patriotism is not just to put a paw over our heart, only part of being a patriot is to serve the ideals of this state by serving something greater than yourself.

I want the students here to understand that this bully nation of ours longs for peace, merely we likewise want to do compassion. And you lot tin can be a part of the compassionate time to come by helping somebody in need.

It is an honor to be here at this fine school, in this fine city, in this great state, to celebrate with millions of students all beyond the country the Pledge of Allegiance, the Pledge across America. It is my honour to be here to remind people the groovy ideals of the greatest country on the face of the Earth.

May God bless you all and may God bless America.

Finish 1:25 P.Thou. CDT

westrickfeckeps.blogspot.com

Source: https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/09/20020917-7.html

Share this post