哂囂處讐後！！speechpaper.doc

哂囂處讐後！speechpaper thankyou chiefjusticerehnquist,presidentcarter,presidentbush?presidentclinton,distinguishedguestsandmyfellowcitizens,thepeacefultransferofauthorityisrareinhistory,yetmoninourcountry.withasimpleoath,weaffirmoldtraditionsandmakenewbeginnings. asibegin,ithankpresidentclintonforhisservicetoournation. andithankvicepresidentgoreforacontestconductedwithspiritandendedwithgrace. iamhonoredandhumbledtostandhere,wheresomanyofamericasleadershaveebeforeme,andsomanywillfollow. wehaveaplace,allofus,inalongstoryastorywecontinue,butwhoseendwewillnotsee.itisthestoryofanewworldthatbecameafriendandliberatoroftheold,astoryofaslaveholdingsocietythatbecameaservantoffreedom,thestoryofapowerthatwentintotheworldtoprotectbutnotpossess,todefendbutnottoconquer. itistheamericanstoryastoryofflawedandfalliblepeople,unitedacrossthegenerationsbygrandandenduringideals. thegrandestoftheseidealsisanunfoldingamericanpromisethateveryonebelongs,thateveryonedeservesachance,thatnoinsignificantpersonwaseverborn. americansarecalledtoenactthispromiseinourlivesandinourlaws.andthoughournationhassometimeshalted,andsometimesdelayed,wemustfollownoothercourse. throughmuchofthelastcentury,americasfaithinfreedomanddemocracywasarockinaragingsea.nowitisaseeduponthewind,takingrootinmanynations. ourdemocraticfaithismorethanthecreedofourcountry,itistheinbornhopeofourhumanity,anidealwecarrybutdonotown,atrustwebearandpassalong.andevenafternearly225years,wehavealongwayyettotravel. whilemanyofourcitizensprosper,othersdoubtthepromise,eventhejustice,ofourowncountry.theambitionsofsomeamericansarelimitedbyfailingschoolsandhiddenprejudiceandthecircumstancesoftheirbirth.andsometimesourdifferencesrunsodeep,itseemsweshareacontinent,butnotacountry. wedonotacceptthis,andwewillnotallowit.ourunity,ourunion,istheseriousworkofleadersandcitizensineverygeneration.andthisismysolemnpledge:iwillworktobuildasinglenationofjusticeandopportunity. iknowthisisinourreachbecauseweareguidedbyapowerlargerthanourselveswhocreatesusequalinhisimage. andweareconfidentinprinciplesthatuniteandleadusonward. americahasneverbeenunitedbybloodorbirthorsoil.weareboundbyidealsthatmoveusbeyondourbackgrounds,liftusaboveourinterestsandteachuswhatitmeanstobecitizens.everychildmustbetaughttheseprinciples.everycitizenmustupholdthem.andeveryimmigrant,byembracingtheseideals,makesourcountrymore,notless,american. today,weaffirmanewmitmenttoliveoutournationspromisethroughcivility,courage,passionandcharacter. america,atitsbest,matchesamitmenttoprinciplewithaconcernforcivility.acivilsocietydemandsfromeachofusgoodwillandrespect,fairdealingandforgiveness. someseemtobelievethatourpoliticscanaffordtobepettybecause,inatimeofpeace,thestakesofourdebatesappearsmall. butthestakesforamericaareneversmall.ifourcountrydoesnotleadthecauseoffreedom,itwillnotbeled.ifwedonotturntheheartsofchildrentowardknowledgeandcharacter,wewilllosetheirgiftsandunderminetheiridealism.ifwepermitoureconomytodriftanddecline,thevulnerablewillsuffermost. wemustliveuptothecallingweshare.civilityisnotatacticorasentiment.itisthedeterminedchoiceoftrustovercynicism,ofmunityoverchaos.andthismitment,ifwekeepit,isawaytosharedacplishment. america,atitsbest,isalsocourageous. ournationalcouragehasbeenclearintimesofdepressionandwar,whendefendingmondangersdefinedourmongood.nowwemustchooseiftheexampleofourfathersandmotherswillinspireusorcondemnus.wemustshowcourageinatimeofblessingbyconfrontingproblemsinsteadofpassingthemontofuturegenerations. together,wewillreclaimamericasschools,beforeignoranceandapathyclaimmoreyounglives. wewillreformsocialsecurityandmedicare,sparingourchildrenfromstruggleswehavethepowertoprevent.andwewillreducetaxes,torecoverthemomentumofoureconomyandrewardtheeffortandenterpriseofworkingamericans. wewillbuildourdefensesbeyondchallenge,lestweaknessinvitechallenge. wewillconfrontweaponsofmassdestruction,sothatanewcenturyissparednewhorrors. theenemiesoflibertyandourcountryshouldmakenomistake:americaremainsengagedintheworldbyhistoryandbychoice,shapingabalanceofpowerthatfavorsfreedom.wewilldefendouralliesandourinterests.wewillshowpurposewithoutarrogance.wewillmeetaggressionandbadfaithwithresolveandstrength.andtoallnations,wewillspeakforthevaluesthatgaveournationbirth. america,atitsbest,hequietofamericanconscience,weknowthatdeep,persistentpovertyisunworthyofournationspromise. andwhateverourviewsofitscause,wecanagreethatchildrenatriskarenotatfault.abandonmentandabusearenotactsofgod,theyarefailuresoflove. andtheproliferationofprisons,howevernecessary,isnosubstituteforhopeandorderinoursouls. wherethereissuffering,thereisduty.americansinneedarenotstrangers,theyarecitizens,notproblems,butpriorities.andallofusarediminishedwhenanyarehopeless. governmenthasgreatresponsibilitiesforpublicsafetyandpublichealth,forcivilrightsandmonschools.yetpassionistheworkofanation,notjustagovernment. andsomeneedsandhurtsaresodeeptheywillonlyrespondtoamentorstouchorapastorsprayer.churchandcharity,synagogueandmosquelendourmunitiestheirhumanity,andtheywillhaveanhonoredplaceinourplansandinourlaws. manyinourcountrydonotknowthepainofpoverty,butwecanlistentothosewhodo. andicanpledgeournationtoagoal:whenweseethatwoundedtravelerontheroadtojericho,wewillnotpasstotheotherside. america,atitsbest,isaplacewherepersonalresponsibilityisvaluedandexpected. encouragingresponsibilityisnotasearchforscapegoats,itisacalltoconscience.andthoughitrequiressacrifice,itbringsadeeperfulfillment.wefindthefullnessoflifenotonlyinoptions,butinmitments.andwefindthatchildrenandmunityarethemitmentsthatsetusfree. ourpublicinterestdependsonprivatecharacter,oncivicdutyandfamilybondsandbasicfairness,onuncounted,unhonoredactsofdecencywhichgivedirectiontoourfreedom. sometimesinlifewearecalledtodogreatthings.butasasaintofourtimeshassaid,everydaywearecalledtodosmallthingswithgreatlove.themostimportanttasksofademocracyaredonebyeveryone. iwillliveandleadbytheseprinciples:toadvancemyconvictionswithcivility,topursuethepublicinterestwithcourage,tospeakforgreaterjusticeandpassion,tocallforresponsibilityandtrytoliveitaswell. inalltheseways,iwillbringthevaluesofourhistorytothecareofourtimes. whatyoudoisasimportantasanythinggovernmentdoes.iaskyoutoseekamongoodbeyondyourfort;todefendneededreformsagainsteasyattacks;toserveyournation,beginningwithyourneighbor.iaskyoutobecitizens:citizens,notspectators;citizens,notsubjects;responsiblecitizens,buildingmunitiesofserviceandanationofcharacter. americansaregenerousandstronganddecent,notbecausewebelieveinourselves,butbecauseweholdbeliefsbeyondourselves.whenthisspiritofcitizenshipismissing,nogovernmentprogramcanreplaceit.whenthisspiritispresent,nowrongcanstandagainstit. afterthedeclarationofindependencewassigned,v