美国第一夫人米歇尔奥巴马著名演讲.doc

美国第一夫人米歇尔奥巴马著名演讲演讲稿英文版一Thankyousomuch,Elaine.wearesogratefulforyourfamilysserviceandsacrifice.andwewillalwayshaveyourback.OverthepastfewyearsasFirstLady,Ihavehadtheextraordinaryprivilegeoftravelingallacrossthiscountry.AndeverywhereIvegone,inthepeopleIvemet,andthestoriesIveheard,IhaveseentheverybestoftheAmericanspirit.Ihaveseenitintheincrediblekindnessandwarmththatpeoplehaveshownmeandmyfamily,especiallyourgirls.Iveseenitinteachersinanear-bankruptschooldistrictwhovowedtokeepteachingwithoutpay.Yousee,eventhoughbackthenBarackwasaSenatorandapresidentialcandidate.tome,hewasstilltheguywhodpickedmeupforourdatesinacarthatwassorustedout,Icouldactuallyseethepavementgoingbythroughaholeinthepassengersidedoor.hewastheguywhoseproudestpossessionwasacoffeetablehedfoundinadumpster,andwhoseonlypairofdecentshoeswashalfasizetoosmall.ButwhenBarackstartedtellingmeabouthisfamilythatswhenIknewIhadfoundakindredspirit,someonewhosevaluesandupbringingweresomuchlikemine.Yousee,BarackandIwerebothraisedbyfamilieswhodidnthavemuchinthewayofmoneyormaterialpossessionsbutwhohadgivenussomethingfarmorevaluabletheirunconditionallove,theirunflinchingsacrifice,andthechancetogoplacestheyhadneverimaginedforthemselves.Myfatherwasapumpoperatoratthecitywaterplant,andhewasdiagnosedwithMultipleSclerosiswhenmybrotherandIwereyoung.Andevenasakid,Iknewtherewereplentyofdayswhenhewasinpain.Iknewtherewereplentyofmorningswhenitwasastruggleforhimtosimplygetoutofbed.Buteverymorning,Iwatchedmyfatherwakeupwithasmile,grabhiswalker,prophimselfupagainstthebathroomsink,andslowlyshaveandbuttonhisuniform.Andwhenhereturnedhomeafteralongdayswork,mybrotherandIwouldstandatthetopofthestairstoourlittleapartment,patientlywaitingtogreethim.watchingashereacheddowntoliftoneleg,andthentheother,toslowlyclimbhiswayintoourarms.Butdespitethesechallenges,mydadhardlyevermissedadayofwork.heandmymomweredeterminedtogivemeandmybrotherthekindofeducationtheycouldonlydreamof.AndwhenmybrotherandIfinallymadeittocollege,nearlyallofourtuitioncamefromstudentloansandgrants.Butmydadstillhadtopayatinyportionofthattuitionhimself.Andeverysemester,hewasdeterminedtopaythatbillrightontime,eventakingoutloanswhenhefellshort.Hewassoproudtobesendinghiskidstocollege.andhemadesurewenevermissedaregistrationdeadlinebecausehischeckwaslate.Yousee,formydad,thatswhatitmeanttobeaman.Likesomanyofus,thatwasthemeasureofhissuccessinlifebeingabletoearnadecentlivingthatallowedhimtosupporthisfamily.AndasIgottoknowBarack,Irealizedthateventhoughhedgrownupallthewayacrossthecountry,hedbeenbroughtupjustlikeme.Barackwasraisedbyasinglemotherwhostruggledtopaythebills,andbygrandparentswhosteppedinwhensheneededhelp.Baracksgrandmotherstartedoutasasecretaryatacommunitybank.andshemovedquicklyuptheranks.butlikesomanywomen,shehitaglassceiling.Andforyears,mennomorequalifiedthanshewasmenshehadactuallytrainedwerepromoteduptheladderaheadofher,earningmoreandmoremoneywhileBaracksfamilycontinuedtoscrapeby.Butdayafterday,shekeptonwakingupatdawntocatchthebus.arrivingatworkbeforeanyoneelse.givingherbestwithoutcomplaintorregret.AndshewouldoftentellBarack,Solongasyoukidsdowell,Bar,thatsallthatreallymatters.LikesomanyAmericanfamilies,ourfamilieswerentaskingformuch.Theydidntbegrudgeanyoneelsessuccessorcarethatothershadmuchmorethantheydid.infact,theyadmiredit.TheysimplybelievedinthatfundamentalAmericanpromisethat,evenifyoudontstartoutwithmuch,ifyouworkhardanddowhatyouresupposedtodo,thenyoushouldbeabletobuildadecentlifeforyourselfandanevenbetterlifeforyourkidsandgrandkids.Thatshowtheyraisedus.thatswhatwelearnedfromtheirexample.Welearnedaboutdignityanddecencythathowhardyouworkmattersmorethanhowmuchyoumake.thathelpingothersmeansmorethanjustgettingaheadyourself.Welearnedabouthonestyandintegritythatthetruthmatters.thatyoudonttakeshortcutsorplaybyyourownsetofrules.andsuccessdoesntcountunlessyouearnitfairandsquare.Welearnedaboutgratitudeandhumilitythatsomanypeoplehadahandinoursuccess,fromtheteacherswhoinspiredustothejanitorswhokeptourschoolclean.andweweretaughttovalueeveryonescontributionandtreateveryonewithrespect.ThosearethevaluesBarackandIandsomanyofyouaretryingtopassontoourownchildren.Thatswhoweare.Andstandingbeforeyoufouryearsago,IknewthatIdidntwantanyofthattochangeifBarackbecamePresident.Well,today,aftersomanystrugglesandtriumphsandmomentsthathavetestedmyhusbandinwaysInevercouldhaveimagined,Ihaveseenfirsthandthatbeingpresidentdoesntchangewhoyouareitrevealswhoyouare.Yousee,Ivegottentoseeupcloseandpersonalwhatbeingpresidentreallylookslike.AndIveseenhowtheissuesthatcomeacrossaPresidentsdeskarealwaysthehardonestheproblemswherenoamountofdataornumberswillgetyoutotherightanswer.thejudgmentcallswherethestakesaresohigh,andthereisnomarginforerror.AndasPresident,youcangetallkindsofadvicefromallkindsofpeople.Butattheendoftheday,whenitcomestimetomakethatdecision,asPresident,allyouhavetoguideyouareyourvalues,andyourvision,andthelifeexperiencesthatmakeyouwhoyouare.Sowhenitcomestorebuildingoureconomy,Barackisthinkingaboutfolkslikemydadandlikehisgrandmother.Hesthinkingaboutthepridethatcomesfromaharddayswork.ThatswhyhesignedtheLillyLedbetterFairPayActtohelpwomengetequalpayforequalwork.Thatswhyhecuttaxesforworkingfamiliesandsmallbusinessesandfoughttogettheautoindustrybackonitsfeet.Thatshowhebroughtoureconomyfromthebrinkofcollapsetocreatingjobsagainjobsyoucanraiseafamilyon,goodjobsrighthereintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Whenitcomestothehealthofourfamilies,Barackrefusedtolistentoallthosefolkswhotoldhimtoleavehealthreformforanotherday,anotherpresident.Hedidntcarewhetheritwastheeasythingtodopoliticallythatsnothowhewasraisedhecaredthatitwastherightthingtodo.HediditbecausehebelievesthathereinAmerica,ourgrandparentsshouldbeabletoaffordtheirmedicine.ourkidsshouldbeabletoseeadoctorwhentheyresick.andnooneinthiscountryshouldevergobrokebecauseofanaccidentorillness.Andhebelievesthatwomenaremorethancapableofmakingourownchoicesaboutourbodiesandourhealthcare.thatswhatmyhusbandstandsfor.Whenitcomestogivingourkidstheeducationtheydeserve,Barackknowsthatlikemeandlikesomanyofyou,henevercouldveattendedcollegewithoutfinancialaid.Andbelieveitornot,whenwewerefirstmarried,ourcombinedmonthlystudentloanbillswereactuallyhigherthanourmortgage.Weweresoyoung,soinlove,andsoindebt.ThatswhyBarackhasfoughtsohardtoincreasestudentaidandkeepinterestratesdown,becausehewantseveryyoungpersontofulfilltheirpromiseandbeabletoattendcollegewithoutamountainofdebt.Sointheend,forBarack,theseissuesarentpoliticaltheyrepersonal.BecauseBarackknowswhatitmeanswhenafamilystruggles.Heknowswhatitmeanstowantsomethingmoreforyourkidsandgrandkids.BarackknowstheAmericanDreambecauseheslivedit.andhewantseveryoneinthiscountrytohavethatsameopportunity,nomatterwhoweare,orwherewerefrom,orwhatwelooklike,orwhowelove.Andhebelievesthatwhenyouveworkedhard,anddonewell,andwalkedthroughthatdoorwayofopportunity.youdonotslamitshutbehindyou.youreachback,andyougiveotherfolksthesamechancesthathelpedyousucceed.SowhenpeopleaskmewhetherbeingintheWhiteHousehaschangedmyhusband,Icanhonestlysaythatwhenitcomestohischaracter,andhisconvictions,andhisheart,BarackObamaisstillthesamemanIfellinlovewithallthoseyearsago.Hesthesamemanwhostartedhiscareerbyturningdownhighpayingjobsandinsteadworkinginstrugglingneighborhoodswhereasteelplanthadshutdown,fightingtorebuildthosecommunitiesandgetfolksbacktowork.becauseforBarack,successisntabouthowmuchmoneyyoumake,itsaboutthedifferenceyoumakeinpeopleslives.Hesthesamemanwho,whenourgirlswerefirstborn,wouldanxiouslychecktheircribseveryfewminutestoensuretheywerestillbreathing,proudlyshowingthemofftoeveryoneweknew.Thatsthemanwhositsdownwithmeandourgirlsfordinnernearlyeverynight,patientlyansweringtheirquestionsaboutissuesinthenews,andstrategizingaboutmiddleschoolfriendships.ThatsthemanIseeinthosequietmomentslateatnight,hunchedoverhisdesk,poringovertheletterspeoplehavesenthim.Theletterfromthefatherstrugglingtopayhisbills.fromthewomandyingofcancerwhoseinsurancecompanywontcoverhercare.fromtheyoungpersonwithsomuchpromisebutsofewopportunities.Iseetheconcerninhiseyes.andIhearthedeterminationinhisvoiceashetellsme,Youwontbelievewhatthesefolksaregoingthrough,Michelle.itsnotright.Wevegottokeepworkingtofixthis.Wevegotsomuchmoretodo.IseehowthosestoriesourcollectionofstrugglesandhopesanddreamsIseehowthatswhatdrivesBarackObamaeverysingleday.AndIdidntthinkitwaspossible,buttoday,IlovemyhusbandevenmorethanIdidfouryearsago.evenmorethanIdid23yearsago,whenwefirstmet.Ilovethathesneverforgottenhowhestarted.IlovethatwecantrustBaracktodowhathesayshesgoingtodo,evenwhenitshardespeciallywhenitshard.IlovethatforBarack,thereisnosuchthingasusandthemhedoesntcarewhetheryoureaDemocrat,aRepublican,ornoneoftheabove.heknowsthatweallloveourcountry.andhesalwaysreadytolistentogoodideas.hesalwayslookingfortheverybestineveryonehemeets.AndIlovethateveninthetoughestmoments,whenwereallsweatingitwhenwereworriedthatthebillwontpass,anditseemslikeallislostBarackneverletshimselfgetdistractedbythechatterandthenoise.Justlikehisgrandmother,hejustkeepsgettingupandmovingforward.withpatienceandwisdom,andcourageandgrace.Andheremindsmethatweareplayingalonggamehere.andthatchangeishard,andchangeisslow,anditneverhappensallatonce.Buteventuallywegetthere,wealwaysdo.WegettherebecauseoffolkslikemyDad.folkslikeBaracksgrandmother.menandwomenwhosaidtothemselves,Imaynothaveachancetofulfillmydreams,butmaybemychildrenwill.maybemygrandchildrenwill.Somanyofusstandheretonightbecauseoftheirsacrifice,andlonging,andsteadfastlove.becausetimeandagain,theyswallowedtheirfearsanddoubtsanddidwhatwashard.Sotoday,whenthechallengeswefacestarttoseemoverwhelmingorevenimpossibleletusneverforgetthatdoingtheimpossibleisthehistoryofthisnation.itswhoweareasAmericans.itshowthiscountrywasbuilt.Andifourparentsandgrandparentscouldtoilandstruggleforus.iftheycouldraisebeamsofsteeltothesky,sendamantothemoon,andconnecttheworldwiththetouchofabutton.thensurelywecankeeponsacrificingandbuildingforourownkidsandgrandkids.Andifsomanybravemenandwomencouldwearourcountrysuniformandsacrificetheirlivesforourmostfundamentalrights.thensurelywecandoourpartascitizensofthisgreatdemocracytoexercisethoserights.surely,wecangettothepollsandmakeourvoicesheardonElectionDay.Iffarmersandblacksmithscouldwinindependencefromanempire.ifimmigrantscouldleavebehindeverythingtheyknewforabetterlifeonourshores.ifwomencouldbedraggedtojailforseekingthevote.ifagenerationcoulddefeatadepression,anddefinegreatnessforalltime.ifayoungpreachercouldliftustothemountaintopwithhisrighteousdream.andifproudAmericanscanbewhoth