speechpaper哂囂處讐後.doc

speechpaper哂囂處讐後 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.Andthisismysolemn pledge: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,sothatanewcenturyisspare dnewhorrors. Theenemiesoflibertyandourcountryshouldmakenomistake:Americaremainsengagedintheworldbyhistoryandbychoice,shapingabalanceofpowerthatfavorsfreedom.Wewilldefendouralliesandourinterests.Wewillshowpurposewithoutarrogance.Wewillmeetaggressionandbadfaithwithresolveandstrength.Andtoallnations,wewillspeakforthevaluesthatgaveournationbirth. America,atitsbest,ispassionate.InthequietofAmericanconscience,weknowthatdeep,persistentpovertyisunworthyofournationspromise. Andwhateverourviewsofitscause,wecanagreethatchildrenatriskarenotatfault.AbandonmentandabusearenotactsofGod,theyarefailuresoflove. Andtheproliferationofprisons,howevernecessary,isnosubstituteforhopeandorderinoursouls. Wherethereissuffering,thereisduty.Americansinneedarenotstrangers,theyarecitizens,notproblems,butpriorities.Andallofusarediminishedwhenanyarehopeless. * hasgreatresponsibilitiesforpublicsafetyandpublichealth,forcivilrightsandmonschools.Yetpassionistheworkofanation,notjustagovernment. Andsomeneedsandhurtsaresodeeptheywillonlyrespondtoamentorstouchorapastorsprayer.Churchandcharity,synagogueandmosquelendourmunitiestheirhumanity,andtheywillhaveanhonoredplaceinourplansandinourlaws. Manyinourcountrydonotknowthepainofpoverty,butwecanlistentothosewhodo. AndIcanpledgeournationtoagoal:Whenweseethatwoundedtraveleron theroadtoJericho,wewillnotpasstotheotherside. America,atitsbest,isaplacewherepersonalresponsibilityisvaluedand expected. Encouragingresponsibilityisnotasearchforscapegoats,itisacalltoconscience.Andthoughitrequiressacrifice,itbringsadeeperfulfillment.Wefindthefullnessoflifenotonlyinoptions,butinmitments.Andwefindthatchildrenandmunityarethemitmentsthatsetusfree. Ourpublicinterestdependsonprivatecharacter,oncivicdutyandfamilybondsandbasicfairness,onuncounted,unhonoredactsofdecencywhichgivedirectiontoourfreedom. Sometimesinlifewearecalledtodogreatthings.Butasasaintofourtimeshassaid,everydaywearecalledtodosmallthingswithgreatlove.Themostimportanttasksofademocracyaredonebyeveryone. Iwillliveandleadbytheseprinciples:toadvancemyconvictionswithcivility,topursuethepublicinterestwithcourage,tospeakforgreaterjusticeandpassion,tocallforresponsibilityandtrytoliveitaswell. Inalltheseways,Iwillbringthevaluesofourhistorytothecareofour times. Whatyoudoisasimportantasanythinggovernmentdoes.Iaskyoutoseekamongoodbeyondyourfort;todefendneededreformsagainsteasyattacks;toserveyournation,beginningwithyourneighbor.Iaskyoutobecitizens:citizens,notspectators;citizens,notsubjects;responsiblecitizens,buildingmunitiesofserviceandanationofcharacter. Americansaregenerousandstronganddecent,notbecausewebelieveinourselves,butbecauseweholdbeliefsbeyondourselves.Whenthisspiritofcitizenshipismissing,nogovernmentprogramcanreplaceit.Whenthisspiritispresent,nowrongcanstandagainstit. AftertheDeclarationofIndependencewassigned,V