英语演讲speech paper.docx
《英语演讲speech paper.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《英语演讲speech paper.docx(3页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
英语演讲speechpaper
英语演讲:
speechpaper
ChiefJusticeRehnquist,PresidentCarter,PresidentBush,PresidentClinton,distinguishedguestsandmyfellowcitizens,thepeacefultransferofauthorityisrareinhistory,yetmoninourcountry.Withasimpleoath,weaffirmoldtraditionsandmakenewbeginnings.
AsIbegin,IthankPresidentClintonforhisservicetoournation.
AndIthankVicePresidentGoreforacontestconductedwithspiritandendedwithgrace.
Iamhonoredandhumbledtostandhere,wheresomanyofAmerica'sleadershaveebeforeme,andsomanywillfollow.
Wehaveaplace,allofus,inalongstory--astorywecontinue,butwhoseendwewillnotsee.Itisthestoryofanewworldthatbecameafriendandliberatoroftheold,astoryofaslave-holdingsocietythatbecameaservantoffreedom,thestoryofapowerthatwentintotheworldtoprotectbutnotpossess,todefendbutnottoconquer.
ItistheAmericanstory--astoryofflawedandfalliblepeople,unitedacrossthegenerationsbygrandandenduringideals.
ThegrandestoftheseidealsisanunfoldingAmericanpromisethateveryonebelongs,thateveryonedeservesachance,thatnoinsignificantpersonwaseverborn.
Americansarecalledtoenactthispromiseinourlivesandinourlaws.Andthoughournationhassometimeshalted,andsometimesdelayed,wemustfollownoothercourse.
Throughmuchofthelastcentury,America'sfaithinfreedomanddemocracywasarockinaragingsea.Nowitisaseeduponthewind,takingrootinmanynations.
Ourdemocraticfaithismorethanthecreedofourcountry,itistheinbornhopeofourhumanity,anidealwecarrybutdonotown,atrustwebearandpassalong.Andevenafternearly225years,wehavealongwayyettotravel.
Whilemanyofourcitizensprosper,othersdoubtthepromise,eventhejustice,ofourowncountry.TheambitionsofsomeAmericansarelimitedbyfailingschoolsandhiddenprejudiceandthecircumstancesof
ftheirbirth.Andsometimesourdifferencesrunsodeep,itseemsweshareacontinent,butnotacountry.
Wedonotacceptthis,andwewillnotallowit.Ourunity,ourunion,istheseriousworkofleadersandcitizensineverygeneration.Andthisismysolemn
pledge:
Iwillworktobuildasinglenationofjusticeandopportunity.
IknowthisisinourreachbecauseweareguidedbyapowerlargerthanourselveswhocreatesusequalinHisimage.
Andweareconfidentinprinciplesthatuniteandleadusonward.
Americahasneverbeenunitedbybloodorbirthorsoil.Weareboundbyidealsthatmoveusbeyondourbackgrounds,liftusaboveourinterestsandteachuswhatitmeanstobecitizens.Everychildmustbetaughttheseprinciples.Everycitizenmustupholdthem.Andeveryimmigrant,byembracingtheseideals,makesourcountrymore,notless,American.
Today,weaffirmanewmitmenttoliveoutournation'spromisethroughcivility,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.
Ournationalcouragehasbeenclearintimesofdepression
andwar,whendefendingmondangersdefinedourmongood.Nowwemustchooseiftheexampleofourfathersandmotherswillinspireusorcondemnus.Wemustshowcourageinatimeofblessingbyconfrontingproblemsinsteadofpassingthemontofuturegenerations.
Together,wewillreclaimAmerica'sschools,beforeignoranceandapathyclaimmoreyounglives.
WewillreformSocialSecurityandMedicare,sparingourchildrenfromstruggleswehavethepowertoprevent.Andwewillreducetaxes,torecoverthemomentumofoureconomyandrewardtheeffortandenterpriseofworkingAmericans.
Wewillbuildourdefensesbeyondchallenge,lestweaknessinvitechallenge.
Wewillconfrontweaponsofmassdestruction,sothatanewcenturyisspare
dnewhorrors.
Theenemiesoflibertyandourcountryshouldmakenomistake:
Americaremainsengagedintheworldbyhistoryandbychoice,shapingabalanceofpowerthatfavorsfreedom.Wewilldefendouralliesandourinterests.Wewillshowpurposewithoutarrogance.Wewillmeetaggressionandbadfaithwithresolveandstrength.Andtoallnations,wewillspeakforthevaluesthatgaveournationbirth.
America,atitsbest,ispassionate.InthequietofAmericanconscience,weknowthatdeep,persistentpovertyisunworthyofournation'spromise.
Andwhateverourviewsofitscause,wecanagreethatchildrenatriskarenotatfault.AbandonmentandabusearenotactsofGod,theyarefailuresoflove.
Andtheproliferationofprisons,howevernecessary,isnosubstituteforhopeandorderinoursouls.
Wherethereissuffering,thereisduty.Americansinneedarenotstrangers,theyarecitizens,notproblems,butpriorities.Andallofusarediminishedwhenanyarehopeless.
Governmenthasgreatresponsibilitiesforpublicsafetyandpublichealth,forcivilrightsandmonschools.Yetpassionistheworkofanation,notjustagovernment.
Andsomeneedsandh
urtsaresodeeptheywillonlyrespondtoamentor'stouchorapastor'sprayer.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,notbecausew
ebelieveinourselves,butbecauseweholdbeliefsbeyondourselves.Whenthisspiritofcitizenshipismissing,nogovernmentprogramcanreplaceit.Whenthisspiritispresent,nowrongcanstandagainstit.
AftertheDeclarationofIndependencewassigned,VirginiastatesmanJohnPagewrotetoThomasJefferson:
"Weknowtheraceisnottotheswiftnorthebattletothestrong.Doyounotthinkanangelridesinthewhirlwindanddirectsthisstorm?
"
MuchtimehaspassedsinceJeffersonarrivedforhisinauguration.Theyearsandchangesaccumulate.Butthethemesofthisdayhewouldknow:
ournation'sgrandstoryofcourageanditssimpledreamofdignity.
Wearenotthisstory'sauthor,whofillstimeandeternitywithhispurpose.Yethispurposeisachievedinourduty,andourdutyisfulfilledinservicetooneanother.
Nevertiring,neveryielding,neverfinishing,werenewthatpurposetoday,tomakeourcountrymorejustandgenerous,toaffirmthedignityofourlivesandeverylife.
Thisworkcontinues.Thisstorygoeson.Andanangelstillridesinthewhirlwindanddirectsthisstorm.
Godblessyouall,andGodblessAmerica.