Barack Obama: “By the authority vested in me as President, I hereby direct the following:”

We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse…

We designed the center not to be some lifeless mausoleum.

People aren't looking for perpetual anger and division. They are looking for fairness and common sense and mutual respect, that deep in our gut, we want to find a way to turn towards each other again, not further away.

America is currently experiencing anger and vision but we are looking for fairness and common sense and mutual respect."