As America marks its semiquincentennial, President Bush reflects on what unites us and how we can help ensure the next 250 years are America’s strongest yet.
Below is the transcript of President George W. Bush’s reflection on America at 250
Q: What does July 4th mean to you this year?
President Bush: July 4th is a chance to celebrate our independence and our freedoms. We’ve celebrated a lot of July 4ths in our nation’s history, and yet the values that unite us are still as strong as ever.
Q: What are your memories of the 1976 bicentennial, and what it meant to our country?
President Bush: Well, I remember the bicentennial in 1976. Gerald Ford was the president. It was a grand occasion during a difficult time in America, and it’s a time where Americans put aside their differences and united in realizing how fortunate we are to live in a country that heralds the freedoms that we uphold.
Q: What unites our country as we celebrate 250 years?
President Bush: I view the freedoms that we cherish, the freedom to worship the way you want to worship, the freedom for the press to hold the powerful to account, the freedom to vote, the freedom to realize dreams as values that can unite us as we head for the next 250 years.
Q: What gives you hope for our next 250 years?
President Bush: One of the facets of our society that is overlooked too often is the fact that there are many people, particularly the young, who are willing to help a neighbor in need, who man homeless shelters or help with soup kitchens without the government telling them to do so. They’re motivated by love of their fellow citizens. It is what I call the “armies of compassion.” I’m pleased to report the “armies of compassion” remain strong today, and so long as they do remain strong, I’m very optimistic about the future of the next generation.
Q: What will our future success require?
President Bush: The next 250 years require Americans to be citizens, not spectators. [It] requires Americans to take an active interest in the health and welfare of our country and the communities in which they live, the schools, and the churches. It requires Americans to vote to be involved in the democratic process. You may not like the outcomes of the elections, but one should focus on the fact that the capacity to vote to determine our country’s future is a powerful freedom, which we should honor.
