Bill Clinton

“ And so we must look into our hearts as America approaches the new century, pledging to devote our energies to reinvigorating the shared values that will enable us to embrace the future together. We must never go back to the terrible days of racial and ethnic division, nor can we afford to dismiss our problems by ascribing them to isolated groups or areas of the country. Instead, let us join hands to lighten our burdens and build bridges among people and communities so that we can be one America-a Nation of extraordinary possibility with opportunity, freedom, and respect for all. ”

“ I ask all Americans to join these efforts by working together to mend divisions and promote understanding; by reaching out to friends and neighbors of all races and faiths in a spirit of fellowship; and by seeking to strengthen, through words and actions, the ideals of equality and community cherished by generations of Americans. In this birth month of our Nation, let us set an example for the world we welcome to Atlanta for the Centennial Olympic Games by rededicating ourselves to America's fundamental truth: E pluribus unum-from many, one. ”

“ It is hard to think of a more heinous act than the destruction of a sacred structure. The violence that charred and defaced these buildings challenges our fundamental right to worship in safety, and has left us grim emblems of the hatred and alienation that too often darken our daily experience. ”