George W. Bush photo

The President's Radio Address

March 30, 2002

Good morning. Almost 7 months have passed since the attack on our country, and the shock and sadness of that day are still with us. For many, the grief and sense of loss will never fully pass, and they are in our thoughts, especially in this holy season.

The entire world is reminded again this week of the hope that lives and endures forever. For Jews and Christians, this is a time of joy and renewal. Passover celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from oppression, by the hand of a faithful God. And tomorrow, Easter Sunday, many Christians will celebrate a hope that overcomes even death.

These holy days represent some of the most profound hopes of humanity, which are shared in many traditions. We feel our reliance on the Creator who made us. We place our sorrows and cares before Him, seeking God's mercy. We ask forgiveness for our failures, seeking the renewal He can bring.

Americans practice different faiths in churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples. And many good people practice no faith at all. For those who observe Easter and Passover, faith brings confidence that failure is never final, and suffering is temporary, and the pains of the Earth will be overcome. We can be confident, too, that evil may be present and it may be strong, but it will not prevail.

On September the 11th, a terrible evil was done to our country. America and the civilized world are now joined together in a great struggle against enemies who have no regard for innocent life. Grave challenges and dangers face us in this war. We cannot predict every turn ahead of us, yet in this season, we are assured that history is of moral design. Justice and cruelty have always been at war, and God is not neutral between them. His purposes are often defied but never defeated.

I hope that this holy season will bring renewal of faith to those who seek it and comfort to those who need it. And to all who observe these special days, I wish you a joyful Easter and a blessed Passover.

Thank you for listening.

NOTE: The address was recorded at 9:37 a.m. on March 26 in the Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on March 30. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on March 29 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this address.

George W. Bush, The President's Radio Address Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/215872

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