On of the major challenges for all of us in this new Millennium is to learn to live together on this one planet we all share. Hopefully we will all discover that by living and working together we will all benefit.

I believe America is a great example of this. Guess what has made America powerful? The blending of many ethnic streams that have come to America over the last 200 years.  No country has been such a depository of the gifts of the world like America. For over 200 years, people have come from all over the world to America, bringing with them their recipes and their food.  Their music and their dance and their artistic ability. The gift of law and the gift of government.  The gift of medicine and the gift of healing.  The gift of religion and the gift of the work ethic.

All of this did not start here. All of it came here from all the countries of the world. In fact it is an incredible list - how many people outside their native countries live in America. The most Japanese outside of Japan live in America, the most Italians outside of Italy live in America, the most Koreans outside of Korea live in America, the most Puerto Ricans outside of Puerto Rico live in America. You can go right down the list, country after country. The list is so long it's unbelievable, but that is what has made America so unbelievably powerful.  The contribution of all the ethnic streams that have been coming here for over 200 years is incredible.

We must all now recognize what an incredible opportunity we all have before us, as this giant planet seems to get smaller all around us. And remember that it is our diversity that when mixed together can create genius. It is the combination of the soft sound of the flute and the crash of the symbols that make up the brilliant sounds of the symphony orchestra. In our challenges to learn better how to live together, let us also find new opportunities to create future genius and miracles in our world and with each other.