Citys state fair arena. This 30 minute portion includes remarks by president bill clinton and the reverend billy graham. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States of america, bill clinton. [applause] president clinton thank you very much, governor keating and rs. Keating, reverend graham. To the families of those who have been lost and wounded, to the people of Oklahoma City who have endured so much, and the eople of this wonderful state, to all of you who are here as our fellow americans, i am honored to be here today to represent the american people. But i have to tell you that hillary and i also come as parents, as husband and wife, as people who were your neighbors for some of the best years of our lives. Today our nation joins with you in grief. We mourn with you, we share your hope against hope that some may still survive. We thank all of those who have worked heroically to save lives and solve this crime, those here in oklahoma and those who are across this great land, and many who left their own lives to come here to work handinhand with you. We pledge to do all we can to help you heal the injured, to rebuild this city, and to bring to justice those who did this this evil. This terrible sin took the lives of our american family, innocent children in that building only because their parents were trying to be good parents as well as good workers, citizens in the building, going about their daily business, and many there who served the rest of us, who worked to help the elderly, the disabled, worked to support our farmers and veterans, who worked to enforce our laws and to protect us. Let us say clearly, they serve us well and we are grateful. [applause] but for so many of you, they were also neighbors and friends. You saw them at church or the pta meeting, the civic club or the ballpark, you know them in ways that all the rest of america could not. And to all the members of the families here who have suffered loss, though we share your grief, your pain is unmanageable and we know that. We cannot undo it, that is gods work. Our words seem small beside the loss you have endured, but i have found a few i wanted to share today. I received a lot of letters in these last terrible days. One stood out, because it came from a young widow and a mother of three whose own husband was murdered with over 200 other americans when pan am 103 was shot down. Heres what that woman said i should say to you today. The anger you feel is valid, but you must not allow yourselves to be consumed by it. The hurt you feel must not be allowed to turn into hate, but instead into the search for justice. The loss you feel must not paralyze your own lives. Instead, you must try to pay tribute to your loved ones by continuing to do all the things they left undone, thus ensuring hey did not die in vain. Wise words from one who also knows. Ou have lost too much, but you have not lost everything, and you have certainly not lost america, for we will stand with you for as many tomorrows as it takes. [applause] if ever we needed evidence of that, i can only recall the words of governor and misses keating. Ans are mostly mean and selfish, they ought to come to oklahoma. [applause] if anybody thinks americans have lost the capacity for love and ridge ridge, caring theyring and courage, ought to come to oklahoma. [applause] for my fellow americans, i say, whoone thing we owe those have sacrificed is the duty to purge ourselves of the dark forces that gave rise to this evil. [applause] they are forces that threaten our common peace, our freedom, our way of life. Let us teach our children that the god of comfort is also the god of righteousness. Those who trouble their own house will inherit the wind. Justice will prevail. [applause] let us let our own children know that we will stand against the forces of fear. When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against children know that weit. When there is talk of violence, let us stand up and talk against it. Let usface of death, honor life. As st. Paul admonished us, let us not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [applause] yesterday hilary and i had the privilege of speaking with some children of other federal employees, children like those who were lost here. And one little girl said something we will never forget. She said we should all plant a tree in memory of the children. Before we gotg, on the plane to come here, at the white house we planted that tree in honor of the children of oklahoma. [applause] it was a dogwood, with its wonderful spring flower and its deep, enduring roots. It embodies the lesson of the psalm that the life of a good person is like a tree that does not wither. My fellow americans, a tree ands a long time to grow, grief takes a long time to heal, but we must begin. Those who are lost now belong to god. Someday, we will be with them, but until that happens, there legacy must be their legacy must be our lives. Thank you, all. God bless you. [applause] reverend graham president governormrs. Clinton, keating, misses keating, mayor, our visiting governor from texas, governor and misses bush, and so many people who have come here from all over the country to join in this prayer service. And for all that has been said, i dont know what i am going to say because we have had several messages brought here, one from the president that could be a sermon from a pulpit anywhere. Maybe that is what he will do someday. [applause] 10 over 20 years from now. [laughter] but most important of all, all those people that have been named from the fire department, though Police Department at the Police Department the Police Department, those people that were in the building, those people that lost loved ones, all that have been injured in the mingle with tears yours. As we walked through the room and moment to go, we shook hands and had a prayer with several of you. And those from the various agencies, fire, medical, police, hundreds of volunteers we have heard about. No matter how hard we try, words simply cannot express the horror and shock and revulsion we all feel over what took place in this city last wednesday. That terrible and senseless tragedy runs against the grain of every standard, every belief and every custom we hold as a hold as asociety in the Civilized Society in the united date. United states. In the images of devastation on human suffering we have seen here will be indelibly printed on each one of our minds and hearts as long as we live. That last was like a violent explosion ripping at the very was like that blast a violent explosion ripping at the heart of america. The scars will remain. Together today not only to pray and forgive and to say that those who masterminded this cruel plot into those who carried it out, that the spirit of this city and this nation will not be defeated. [applause] some day the wounds will heal, and someday those who thought and discordew chaos will be brought to justice, as president clinton so eloquently promised. [applause] the wounds of this tragedy are deep, but the courage and faith and determination of the people of Oklahoma City are even deeper. [applause] a part of my family lives in oklahoma. Older brother,n a giant of a man, and he came to oklahoma. Founded a business in moscow. Muscogee. I held crusades here in oklahoma, one of them at the fairgrounds many years ago. Some of you may have been children at the time. I know something of the strength and the courage and the character of people that live in oklahoma [applause]. Psalme bible says in 147. 3, he heals the broken heart, he finds up the wounds. The wounds. Up so with this service today, we stand together to say, let the healing begin. [applause] since i have been here, i have been asked many times, why does god allow it . Why does a god of love and mercy that we read about and hear about allow such a terrible thing to happen . Over 3000 years ago, there was a man named job who struggled with the same question. He asked why, because he was a good man at disaster struck him suddenly. He lost seven sons, three daughters, he lost all his possessions, he even lost his health. His wife and his friends turned against him. His wife said, cursed god and die. And in the midst of his suffering, he asked this question, why . Job didnt know. Why did i not perish, he cried . Perhaps this is the way you feel, and i want to assure you that god understands those feelings. Isaiah 43 ays in two, when you pass through the waters i will be with you, and when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. And here job found there were lessons to be learned from his suffering, even if he didnt fully understand it. And that is true for all of us as well. What are some lessons we can learn from what has happened . It. T, there is a mystery to i have been asked why god allows it. I dont know, i cant give a direct answer. I have to confess that i never fully understand, even to my own satisfaction. I have two accept by faith that god is a god of love and mercy and compassion, even in the midst of suffering. I can remember many years ago, lying on a dirt floor in a Field Hospital in korea, looking up into the face of a soldier who was horribly wounded, and the doctor said he will never walk again. I asked myself why. I recall standing at the bedside of children and i asked myself lord, why . Through walking devastation left by hurricanes in florida and south carolina, and typhoons in india and earthquakes in guatemala and california, and i have asked myself why . The bible says god is not the author of evil, and it speaks of people as a mystery. There is something about tbill we will never fully understand this side of eternity, but the bible says to other things we are sometimes tempted to forget. There is a devil, that satan is very real, and he has great power. It also tells us that peoples people that the real, and that the human heart is capable of evil if it from the law. That is one reason we each need god in our lives, for only he can change our hearts and give us the desire and power to do what is right and keep us from wrong. Times like this will do one of two things. It will either make us hard and bitter and angry at odd, usry at god, or it will make tender and open and help us reach out in trust and faith. I think that is what the people of oklahoma have been doing that i have met since i have been here these past two days. I pray you will not let bitterness creep into your souls, but that you will turn in ifth and trust in god, even we cannot understand. It is better to face Something Like this with god than without him, but the lesson of this event has not only been about a. Ystery it is a lesson of a Community Coming together. [applause] what an example Oklahoma City and the people of oklahoma have given to the world. Has been carrying it as much as any event i can remember like this, and the cooperation between fit between officials every level officials of every level from government and the community, no matter what political affiliations or religious view we have, none of us will ever forget those pictures on television. A picture of hundreds of people standing in line to give blood, the work of the red cross, the salvation army, and a host of other humanitarian organizations , and the work of the emergency workers and doctors and nurses have inspired us and humbled us. A tragedy like this could have torn this city apart, but instead united you in a way you have never been united before. [applause] hundreds if not thousands of prayer groups around the world ive been praying for you, and have been told you since their prayers and their support. And violence must not be allowed to gain their victory, not just in our society, but in our hearts. Hate withe bond to more hate. This is a time of coming together, and we have seen that already. This tragedy also gives us a lesson in comfort and compassion. We have seen an outpouring of sympathy and health, that and help, not only in oklahoma, but throughout the United States and throughout the world. We have been reminded that a cruel event like this that so vividly demonstrates the depths also brings out the best of the human spirit and human compassion and sympathy and sacrifice, but this can also teach us about gods comfort and compassion. Some of you today are going soough heartache and grief intense that you wonder if it will ever go away. I have had the privilege of meeting some of you and talking youou, but i want to tell that our god cares for you and for your family and for your city. [applause] the bible says that the god of in comfort who comforts us our troubles, jesus said blesses blessed those who mourn, for they will be comforted. During these days as you turn to him, god loves you and shares in asr suffering, as difficult it may be for us to see right now. Us, as we haves heard from the archbishop, a message of hope. Yes, there is hope, hope for the present because i believe the set the stage is already been set for the renewal of this city. And you will never give up. [applause] today it is my prayer that all will rededicate ourselves to a new spirit of brotherhood and compassion, working together to solve the problems and barriers that would tear us apart. But there is also hope for the future because of gods promises. I have hope not just for this life, but for the life to come. Someday, there will be a glorious reunion with those who have died and gone to heaven before us, and that includes all that areocent children lost. They are not lost from god, because any child that young is automatically in heaven and in gods arms. [applause] [laughter] [applause] but this event also reminds us of the brevity and uncertainty of life. It reminds us we never know when we are going to be taken. I doubt at i doubt that even one of those who went to that go tong to work, or to the childrens place ever dreamed that was their last day on earth. To facewhy we each need our own spiritual need and commit ourselves to god. It is ironic that this terrible event took place just three days after the churches of this city were filled with people celebrating easter. Just one week ago today. And today throughout the world, eastern orthodox churches celebrate easter on this day, and easter always brings hope to all of us. The crossristian, tells us god understands our suffering, or he took upon himself at the cross all our sins and all our failures and all of our sufferings. And our lord on that cross asked the question why . God, my god, why have you forsaken me . And he received his answer. In you. He knew. To redeem the world, to save you and me from our sins, to give us the assurance that if we died, we are going to heaven. He was saying from the cross, i love you, and i know the heart accent the sorrows and the pain that you feel. Beyond thets us tragedy of the cross to the hope of the empty tomb, and tells us there is no for eternal life, for christ has conquered death. And it also tells us god has triumphed over evil and death and hell. This is our hope and can be your help as well. I was deeply moved friday night while watching larry king talk to ed smith, who lost her two little boys in that explosion. Her brother, a 28yearold police officer, was dispatched to the crime scene to help and in searching the rubble, he found one of his nephews. The boys grandfather is an evangelist who said conducting the funeral was the hardest thing he faced, and that his faith had been crucial in helping him through the tragedy. That we knowomans, in all things god works for the good of those who love him, and said that if that were the only person the whole bible, it would work through his problems, if we only believe it. Misses clinton will remember at the National Prayer breakfast in washington earlier this year, ambassador andrew young, who had gone through the terrible agony of losing his beloved wife whom he loved so much to cancer, he closed his talk at our Prayer Breakfast with a quote from an ymm, how firm our foundation. Soulourth verse says the on whom jesus had leaned for repose, i will not desert to i will never,oul, no never, no never forsake. Prayer for you today is that you will feel the loving arms of god wrapped around you, and will know when your heart that he will never forsake you, and you can trust him. God bless oklahoma. [applause] in thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Years later, in june 2001, president bush made a brief statement that the white house following the execution of Timothy Mcveigh for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing. It marked the First Federal execution since 1963. Execution since 1963. President president bush this morning, the United States of america carried out the severest sentence for the gravest of crimes. The victims of the Oklahoma City bombings have been given not vengeance but justice. One young man met the fate he chose for himself six years ago. For the survivors of the crime, and for the families of the dead, the pain goes on. The pai. Final punishment of the