开罗演讲.docx

开罗演讲.docx

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开罗演讲

REMARKSBYTHEPRESIDENT

ONANEWBEGINNING

CairoUniversity

Cairo,Egypt

1:

10P.M.（Local）

PRESIDENTOBAMA:

 Thankyouverymuch. Goodafternoon. IamhonoredtobeinthetimelesscityofCairo,andtobehostedbytworemarkableinstitutions. Foroverathousandyears,Al-AzharhasstoodasabeaconofIslamiclearning;andforoveracentury,CairoUniversityhasbeenasourceofEgypt'sadvancement. Andtogether,yourepresenttheharmonybetweentraditionandprogress. I'mgratefulforyourhospitality,andthehospitalityofthepeopleofEgypt. AndI'malsoproudtocarrywithmethegoodwilloftheAmericanpeople,andagreetingofpeacefromMuslimcommunitiesinmycountry:

 Assalaamualaykum.（Applause.）

WemeetatatimeofgreattensionbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld--tensionrootedinhistoricalforcesthatgobeyondanycurrentpolicydebate. TherelationshipbetweenIslamandtheWestincludescenturiesofcoexistenceandcooperation,butalsoconflictandreligiouswars. Morerecently,tensionhasbeenfedbycolonialismthatdeniedrightsandopportunitiestomanyMuslims,andaColdWarinwhichMuslim-majoritycountriesweretoooftentreatedasproxieswithoutregardtotheirownaspirations. Moreover,thesweepingchangebroughtbymodernityandglobalizationledmanyMuslimstoviewtheWestashostiletothetraditionsofIslam.

ViolentextremistshaveexploitedthesetensionsinasmallbutpotentminorityofMuslims. TheattacksofSeptember11,2001andthecontinuedeffortsoftheseextremiststoengageinviolenceagainstcivilianshasledsomeinmycountrytoviewIslamasinevitablyhostilenotonlytoAmericaandWesterncountries,butalsotohumanrights. Allthishasbredmorefearandmoremistrust.

Solongasourrelationshipisdefinedbyourdifferences,wewillempowerthosewhosowhatredratherthanpeace,thosewhopromoteconflictratherthanthecooperationthatcanhelpallofourpeopleachievejusticeandprosperity. Andthiscycleofsuspicionanddiscordmustend.

I'vecomeheretoCairotoseekanewbeginningbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld,onebasedonmutualinterestandmutualrespect,andonebaseduponthetruththatAmericaandIslamarenotexclusiveandneednotbeincompetition. Instead,theyoverlap,andsharecommonprinciples--principlesofjusticeandprogress;toleranceandthedignityofallhumanbeings.

Idosorecognizingthatchangecannothappenovernight. Iknowthere'sbeenalotofpublicityaboutthisspeech,butnosinglespeechcaneradicateyearsofmistrust,norcanIanswerinthetimethatIhavethisafternoonallthecomplexquestionsthatbroughtustothispoint. ButIamconvincedthatinordertomoveforward,wemustsayopenlytoeachotherthethingsweholdinourheartsandthattoooftenaresaidonlybehindcloseddoors. Theremustbeasustainedefforttolistentoeachother;tolearnfromeachother;torespectoneanother;andtoseekcommonground. AstheHolyKorantellsus,"BeconsciousofGodandspeakalwaysthetruth." （Applause.） ThatiswhatIwilltrytodotoday--tospeakthetruthasbestIcan,humbledbythetaskbeforeus,andfirminmybeliefthattheinterestsweshareashumanbeingsarefarmorepowerfulthantheforcesthatdriveusapart.

Nowpartofthisconvictionisrootedinmyownexperience.I'maChristian,butmyfathercamefromaKenyanfamilythatincludesgenerationsofMuslims. Asaboy,IspentseveralyearsinIndonesiaandheardthecalloftheazaanatthebreakofdawnandatthefallofdusk. Asayoungman,IworkedinChicagocommunitieswheremanyfounddignityandpeaceintheirMuslimfaith.

Asastudentofhistory,Ialsoknowcivilization'sdebttoIslam. ItwasIslam--atplaceslikeAl-Azhar--thatcarriedthelightoflearningthroughsomanycenturies,pavingthewayforEurope'sRenaissanceandEnlightenment. ItwasinnovationinMuslimcommunities--（applause）--itwasinnovationinMuslimcommunitiesthatdevelopedtheorderofalgebra;ourmagneticcompassandtoolsofnavigation;ourmasteryofpensandprinting;ourunderstandingofhowdiseasespreadsandhowitcanbehealed. Islamicculturehasgivenusmajesticarchesandsoaringspires;timelesspoetryandcherishedmusic;elegantcalligraphyandplacesofpeacefulcontemplation. Andthroughouthistory,Islamhasdemonstratedthroughwordsanddeedsthepossibilitiesofreligioustoleranceandracialequality. （Applause.）

IalsoknowthatIslamhasalwaysbeenapartofAmerica'sstory. ThefirstnationtorecognizemycountrywasMorocco. InsigningtheTreatyofTripoliin1796,oursecondPresident,JohnAdams,wrote,"TheUnitedStateshasinitselfnocharacterofenmityagainstthelaws,religionortranquilityofMuslims." Andsinceourfounding,AmericanMuslimshaveenrichedtheUnitedStates. Theyhavefoughtinourwars,theyhaveservedinourgovernment,theyhavestoodforcivilrights,theyhavestartedbusinesses,theyhavetaughtatouruniversities,they'veexcelledinoursportsarenas,they'vewonNobelPrizes,builtourtallestbuilding,andlittheOlympicTorch. AndwhenthefirstMuslimAmericanwasrecentlyelectedtoCongress,hetooktheoathtodefendourConstitutionusingthesameHolyKoranthatoneofourFoundingFathers--ThomasJefferson--keptinhispersonallibrary. （Applause.）

SoIhaveknownIslamonthreecontinentsbeforecomingtotheregionwhereitwasfirstrevealed. ThatexperienceguidesmyconvictionthatpartnershipbetweenAmericaandIslammustbebasedonwhatIslamis,notwhatitisn't. AndIconsideritpartofmyresponsibilityasPresidentoftheUnitedStatestofightagainstnegativestereotypesofIslamwherevertheyappear.（Applause.）

ButthatsameprinciplemustapplytoMuslimperceptionsofAmerica. （Applause.） JustasMuslimsdonotfitacrudestereotype,Americaisnotthecrudestereotypeofaself-interestedempire. TheUnitedStateshasbeenoneofthegreatestsourcesofprogressthattheworldhaseverknown. Wewerebornoutofrevolutionagainstanempire. Wewerefoundedupontheidealthatallarecreatedequal,andwehaveshedbloodandstruggledforcenturiestogivemeaningtothosewords--withinourborders,andaroundtheworld. Weareshapedbyeveryculture,drawnfromeveryendoftheEarth,anddedicatedtoasimpleconcept:

 Epluribusunum--"Outofmany,one."  

Now,muchhasbeenmadeofthefactthatanAfricanAmericanwiththenameBarackHusseinObamacouldbeelectedPresident. （Applause.） Butmypersonalstoryisnotsounique. ThedreamofopportunityforallpeoplehasnotcometrueforeveryoneinAmerica,butitspromiseexistsforallwhocometoourshores--andthatincludesnearly7millionAmericanMuslimsinourcountrytodaywho,bytheway,enjoyincomesandeducationallevelsthatarehigherthantheAmericanaverage. （Applause.）

Moreover,freedominAmericaisindivisiblefromthefreedomtopracticeone'sreligion. Thatiswhythereisamosqueineverystateinourunion,andover1,200mosqueswithinourborders. That'swhytheUnitedStatesgovernmenthasgonetocourttoprotecttherightofwomenandgirlstowearthehijabandtopunishthosewhowoulddenyit. （Applause.）

Solettherebenodoubt:

 IslamisapartofAmerica. AndIbelievethatAmericaholdswithinherthetruththatregardlessofrace,religion,orstationinlife,allofussharecommonaspirations--toliveinpeaceandsecurity;togetaneducationandtoworkwithdignity;toloveourfamilies,ourcommunities,andourGod. Thesethingsweshare. Thisisthehopeofallhumanity.

Ofcourse,recognizingourcommonhumanityisonlythebeginningofourtask. Wordsalonecannotmeettheneedsofourpeople. Theseneedswillbemetonlyifweactboldlyintheyearsahead;andifweunderstandthatthechallengeswefaceareshared,andourfailuretomeetthemwillhurtusall.

Forwehavelearnedfromrecentexperiencethatwhenafinancialsystemweakensinonecountry,prosperityishurteverywhere. Whenanewfluinfectsonehumanbeing,allareatrisk. Whenonenationpursuesanuclearweapon,theriskofnuclearattackrisesforallnations. Whenviolentextremistsoperateinonestretchofmountains,peopleareendangeredacrossanocean. WheninnocentsinBosniaandDarfurareslaughtered,thatisastainonourcollectiveconscience. （Applause.） Thatiswhatitmeanstosharethisworldinthe21stcentury. Thatistheresponsibilitywehavetooneanotherashumanbeings.

Andthisisadifficultresponsibilitytoembrace. Forhumanhistoryhasoftenbeenarecordofnationsandtribes--and,yes,religions--subjugatingoneanotherinpursuitoftheirowninterests. Yetinthisnewage,suchattitudesareself-defeating. Givenourinterdependence,anyworldorderthatelevatesonenationorgroupofpeopleoveranotherwillinevitablyfail. Sowhateverwethinkofthepast,wemustnotbeprisonerstoit. Ourproblemsmustbedealtwiththroughpartnership;ourprogressmustbeshared. （Applause.）

Now,thatdoesnotmeanweshouldignoresourcesoftension.Indeed,itsuggeststheopposite:

 Wemustfacethesetensionssquarely. Andsointhatspirit,letmespeakasclearlyandasplainlyasIcanaboutsomespecificissuesthatIbelievewemustfinallyconfronttogether. 

Thefirstissuethatwehavetoconfrontisviolentextremisminallofitsforms.

InAnkara,ImadeclearthatAmericaisnot--andneverwillbe--atwarwithIslam. （Applause.） Wewill,however,relentlesslyconfrontviolentextremistswhoposeagravethreattooursecurity--becausewerejectthesamethingthatpeopleofallfaithsreject:

 thekillingof