...Their display of beauty and their fluorescent personality depict the eclectic composition of our nation’s culture; a culture distinguished for its openness and generosity, a culture that is marked by the sharing of different views and opinions in a cohesive framework, a culture that was, unfortunately, marred by a peculiar conflict that caused massive destruction to public and private property, the killing and maiming of many people, and the amputation of limbs. The nation did not succumb and the rest of the world came to support us and we triumphed."