Inaugural Address of George Bush.docx

Inaugural Address of George Bush.docx

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InauguralAddressofGeorgeBush

InauguralAddressofGeorgeBush

FRIDAY,JANUARY20,1989

Mr.ChiefJustice,Mr.President,VicePresidentQuayle,SenatorMitchell,SpeakerWright,SenatorDole,CongressmanMichel,andfellowcitizens,neighbors,andfriends:

Thereisamanherewhohasearnedalastingplaceinourheartsandinourhistory.PresidentReagan,onbehalfofourNation,IthankyouforthewonderfulthingsthatyouhavedoneforAmerica.

IhavejustrepeatedwordforwordtheoathtakenbyGeorgeWashington200yearsago,andtheBibleonwhichIplacedmyhandistheBibleonwhichheplacedhis.ItisrightthatthememoryofWashingtonbewithustoday,notonlybecausethisisourBicentennialInauguration,butbecauseWashingtonremainstheFatherofourCountry.Andhewould,Ithink,begladdenedbythisday;fortodayistheconcreteexpressionofastunningfact:

ourcontinuitythese200yearssinceourgovernmentbegan.

Wemeetondemocracy'sfrontporch,agoodplacetotalkasneighborsandasfriends.Forthisisadaywhenournationismadewhole,whenourdifferences,foramoment,aresuspended.

AndmyfirstactasPresidentisaprayer.Iaskyoutobowyourheads:

HeavenlyFather,webowourheadsandthankYouforYourlove.Acceptourthanksforthepeacethatyieldsthisdayandthesharedfaiththatmakesitscontinuancelikely.MakeusstrongtodoYourwork,willingtoheedandhearYourwill,andwriteonourheartsthesewords:

"Usepowertohelppeople."Forwearegivenpowernottoadvanceourownpurposes,nortomakeagreatshowintheworld,noraname.Thereisbutonejustuseofpower,anditistoservepeople.Helpustorememberit,Lord.Amen.

IcomebeforeyouandassumethePresidencyatamomentrichwithpromise.Weliveinapeaceful,prosperoustime,butwecanmakeitbetter.Foranewbreezeisblowing,andaworldrefreshedbyfreedomseemsreborn;forinman'sheart,ifnotinfact,thedayofthedictatorisover.Thetotalitarianeraispassing,itsoldideasblownawaylikeleavesfromanancient,lifelesstree.Anewbreezeisblowing,andanationrefreshedbyfreedomstandsreadytopushon.Thereisnewgroundtobebroken,andnewactiontobetaken.Therearetimeswhenthefutureseemsthickasafog;yousitandwait,hopingthemistswillliftandrevealtherightpath.Butthisisatimewhenthefutureseemsadooryoucanwalkrightthroughintoaroomcalledtomorrow.

Greatnationsoftheworldaremovingtowarddemocracythroughthedoortofreedom.Menandwomenoftheworldmovetowardfreemarketsthroughthedoortoprosperity.Thepeopleoftheworldagitateforfreeexpressionandfreethoughtthroughthedoortothemoralandintellectualsatisfactionsthatonlylibertyallows.

Weknowwhatworks:

Freedomworks.Weknowwhat'sright:

Freedomisright.WeknowhowtosecureamorejustandprosperouslifeformanonEarth:

throughfreemarkets,freespeech,freeelections,andtheexerciseoffreewillunhamperedbythestate.

Forthefirsttimeinthiscentury,forthefirsttimeinperhapsallhistory,mandoesnothavetoinventasystembywhichtolive.Wedon'thavetotalklateintothenightaboutwhichformofgovernmentisbetter.Wedon'thavetowrestjusticefromthekings.Weonlyhavetosummonitfromwithinourselves.Wemustactonwhatweknow.Itakeasmyguidethehopeofasaint:

Incrucialthings,unity;inimportantthings,diversity;inallthings,generosity.

Americatodayisaproud,freenation,decentandcivil,aplacewecannothelpbutlove.Weknowinourhearts,notloudlyandproudly,butasasimplefact,thatthiscountryhasmeaningbeyondwhatwesee,andthatourstrengthisaforceforgood.Buthavewechangedasanationeveninourtime?

Areweenthralledwithmaterialthings,lessappreciativeofthenobilityofworkandsacrifice?

Myfriends,wearenotthesumofourpossessions.Theyarenotthemeasureofourlives.Inourheartsweknowwhatmatters.Wecannothopeonlytoleaveourchildrenabiggercar,abiggerbankaccount.Wemusthopetogivethemasenseofwhatitmeanstobealoyalfriend,alovingparent,acitizenwholeaveshishome,hisneighborhoodandtownbetterthanhefoundit.Whatdowewantthemenandwomenwhoworkwithustosaywhenwearenolongerthere?

Thatweweremoredriventosucceedthananyonearoundus?

Orthatwestoppedtoaskifasickchildhadgottenbetter,andstayedamomenttheretotradeawordoffriendship?

NoPresident,nogovernment,canteachustorememberwhatisbestinwhatweare.Butifthemanyouhavechosentoleadthisgovernmentcanhelpmakeadifference;ifhecancelebratethequieter,deepersuccessesthataremadenotofgoldandsilk,butofbetterheartsandfinersouls;ifhecandothesethings,thenhemust.

Americaisneverwhollyherself