Bush urges volunteerism as a way to fight evil

Bush arrives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Wednesday.

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (CNN) -- A day after he outlined his vision for America in his State of the Union address, President Bush took his message on the road Wednesday and urged Americans to get involved in their communities and perform acts of kindness as a way of fighting terrorism.

On the first leg of a two-day trip including stops in North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, Bush promoted the new USA Freedom Corps volunteer organization that he first announced in his address to Congress in his address Tuesday night. He also repeated his call for Americans to commit to volunteering at least 4,000 hours of community service during their lifetimes.

In North Carolina, Bush said the September 11 terrorist attacks have ushered in a new spirit of responsibility, a part of which is to perform community service.

"What the terrorists have done has caused us to take an assessment of what's important," Bush told an audience gathered in a local arena. "I have been concerned for too long about a culture that says if it feels good just go ahead and do it. I believe that this nation is strong enough, and focused enough, and dedicated enough to usher in a culture that says each of us is responsible for the decisions we make in life."

In his State of the Union speech, Bush not only announced the creation of USA Freedom Corps, which will include encouraging Americans to get involved in community service programs that help with homeland defense, but he also announced a goal of expanding existing volunteer programs, such as AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps.

"I truly view this as a conflict between good and evil," Bush said Wednesday of the ongoing war on terrorism. In addition to the military battle abroad, he said, "at home you fight evil with acts of kindness."

STATE OF THE UNION  VIDEO   •  Speech highlights   •  President Bush's address: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5   •  Democratic response   •  A new vision of President Bush  MORE STORIES   •  Manila: Bush stance 'arrogant'   •  Iran rejects 'axis of evil' barb   •  Transcript of Bush's address   •  Democratic response to address   •  What CNN pundits heard   •  'Continuity plans' keep some out of Capitol   •  Time.com: State of the Union  EXTRA INFORMATION   •  Map: Bush's three state tour   •  Fact sheet   •  Key Themes   •  Gallery   •  History of the State of the Union   •  Historic wartime State of the Union addresses

"If people want to fight terror, do something kind for a neighbor, join the USA Freedom Corps, love somebody, mentor a child, stand up to evil with acts of goodness and kindness," he said. "Not only will our country be better, but we will show the world that values -- universal values -- must be respected and must be adhered to. And as a result we will be more peaceful.

"History has called us to action, and action we will take," he said. He said those who want to get involved can get more information at www.usafreedomcorps.gov, or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

Bush is expected to promote education, security, health and volunteerism on his two-day trip to the Southeast. On Wednesday evening, he was heading to Florida and planned a stop in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday.

'Never been stronger'

In his first State of the Union address, Bush urged Americans to be patient with the war on terrorism, to be steadfast in the protection of the United States and to know that creating new jobs is the best cure for the U.S. economy wounded by September 11.

Despite the nation being at war and struggling in a recession, "the state of our union has never been stronger," Bush told a joint session of Congress.

The president also warned that "our war against terror is only beginning." And he emphasized that homeland security must be strengthened because thousands of terrorists remain at large.

"Most of the 19 men who hijacked planes on September 11 were trained in Afghanistan's camps, and so were tens of thousands of others," Bush said.

"Thousands of dangerous killers, schooled in the methods of murder, often supported by outlaw regimes, are now spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs -- set to go off without warning," he said.

The president saluted Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai, who was present in the House of Representatives gallery, saying Afghanistan and the United States are now "allies against terror."

Bush also acknowledged the widow of CIA operative Mike Spann, the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan. Shannon Spann was sitting with first lady Laura Bush.

"Shannon, I assure you and all who have lost a loved one that our cause is just, and our country will never forget the debt we owe Micheal and all who gave their lives for freedom," he said.

The president pledged America would continue to be "steadfast, patient and persistent" in completing two objectives of the war on terror:

-- Shutting down terrorists' camps, disrupting their activities and bringing them to justice.

-- Preventing terrorists and regimes "who seek chemical, biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and the world."

The president singled out North Korea, Iran and Iraq for seeking weapons of mass destruction.

"States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world," he said, adding the civilized world must act because the "price of indifference would be catastrophic."

Increase in military, homeland security spending

Vice President Dick Cheney, who often has not appeared with the president since the terrorist attacks for security concerns, took his traditional seat behind the president.

House Republican Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, was not in the Capitol for the address as a matter of "continuity in government" -- in case something "untoward" happened during the speech, DeLay press secretary Stuart Roy said.

Roy said DeLay was flown by helicopter to a "secure location" more than an hour away.

Saying his first priority was the security of the nation, Bush said he would ask for the "largest increase in defense spending in two decades."

He said the money would buy more precision weapons, replace aging aircraft and make the military more mobile.

To prevent a future terrorist attack in the United States, the president called for doubling funding for a "sustained strategy of homeland security" focusing on bioterrorism, emergency response, improved intelligence, and border and airport security.

Bush praised the actions of two flight attendants who spotted and subdued alleged shoe bomber Richard Reid during a trans-Atlantic flight this month. The president said American security depended on the "eyes and ears of alert citizens."

Promise to 'defeat this recession'

Bush vowed to "defeat this recession" and provide "economic security for the American people."

"When America works, America prospers, so my economic security plan can be summed up in one word: jobs," he said.

He noted, however, that it would be up to Congress to make sure "reliable and affordable energy" was available, to approve legislation for expanded trade and make his tax cuts permanent.

Bush warned that because the war on terrorism and homeland security would cause a budget deficit, Congress would have to "act in a fiscally responsible way" to ensure the deficit would be small and temporary.

He said health and retirement security were important components of economic security and said he would call for "the same spirit of cooperation we have applied to our war on terrorism" to the work on domestic issues.

The president avoided mentioning Enron Corp.'s collapse, but he said Congress needed to pass legislation to make corporate America "more accountable to employees and shareholders and held to the highest standards of conduct," so that workers who saved all their lives will not risk losing everything if their employer fails.

Bush challenged Americans to volunteer to help their neighbors and country, suggesting everyone commit to two years or 4,000 hours of voluntary service over their lifetime.

He invited people to join the USA Freedom Corps, which would focus on three areas: responding to crises in the United States, rebuilding communities and extending compassionate aid in other countries.

In helping others, Bush said, "We can overcome evil with greater good."

"Our enemies send other people's children on missions of suicide and murder. They embrace tyranny and death as a cause and a creed," Bush said. "We stand for a different choice. We choose freedom and the dignity of every life."

Dozens of time applause interrupted Bush's 48-minute speech in the packed House chamber.