英语演讲原文We Shall Overcome.docx

英语演讲原文We Shall Overcome.docx

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英语演讲原文WeShallOvercome

WeShallOvercome

Inthisveryeloquent1speechtothefullCongress,PresidentLyndonB.Johnsonusedthephrase"weshallovercome,"borrowedfromAfrican-Americanleadersstrugglingforequalrights.

ThespeechwasmadeonMarch15,1965,aweekafterdeadlyracialviolenceeruptedinSelma,Alabama,asAfrican-AmericanswereattackedbypolicewhilepreparingtomarchtoMontgomerytoprotestvotingrightsdiscrimination.

Discriminationtooktheformofliteracy,knowledgeorcharactertestsadministeredsolely2toAfrican-Americanstokeepthemfromregisteringtovote.

CivilrightsleaderRev3.MartinLutherKingandover500supportersplannedtomarchfromSelmatoMontgomerytoregisterAfrican-Americanstovote.ThepoliceviolencethateruptedresultedinthedeathofaKingsupporter,awhiteUnitarianMinisterfromBostonnamedJamesJ.Reeb.

AsecondattempttomarchtoMontgomerywasalsoblockedbypolice.IttookFederalintervention4withthe'federalizing'oftheAlabamanationalguardandtheadditionofover2000otherguardstoensureprotectionandallowthemarchtobegin.

OnMarch21,1965themarchtoMontgomeryfinallybeganwithover3000participants,undertheglareofworldwidenewspublicity5.

IspeaktonightforthedignityofmanandthedestinyofDemocracy.Iurgeeverymemberofbothparties,Americansofallreligionsandofallcolors,fromeverysectionofthiscountry,tojoinmeinthatcause.

Attimes,historyandfatemeetatasingletimeinasingleplacetoshapeaturningpointinman'sunendingsearchforfreedom.SoitwasatLexingtonandConcord6.SoitwasacenturyagoatAppomattox.SoitwaslastweekinSelma,Alabama.There,longsufferingmenandwomenpeacefullyprotestedthedenialoftheirrightsasAmericans.Manyofthemwerebrutally8assaulted.Onegoodman--amanofGod--waskilled.

ThereisnocauseforprideinwhathashappenedinSelma.Thereisnocauseforself-satisfactioninthelongdenialofequalrightsofmillionsofAmericans.ButthereiscauseforhopeandforfaithinourDemocracyinwhatishappeningheretonight.Forthecriesofpainandthehymns9andprotestsofoppressedpeoplehavesummonedintoconvocationallthemajesty10ofthisgreatgovernment--thegovernmentofthegreatestnationonearth.Ourmissionisatoncetheoldestandthemostbasicofthiscountry--torightwrong,todojustice,toserveman.Inourtimewehavecometolivewiththemomentsofgreatcrises.Ourliveshavebeenmarkedwithdebateaboutgreatissues,issuesofwarandpeace,issuesofprosperityanddepression.

ButrarelyinanytimedoesanissuelaybarethesecretheartofAmericaitself.Rarelyarewemetwithachallenge,nottoourgrowthorabundance,orourwelfareoroursecurity,butrathertothevaluesandthepurposesandthemeaningofourbelovednation.TheissueofequalrightsforAmericanNegroesissuchanissue.Andshouldwedefeateveryenemy,andshouldwedoubleourwealthandconquerthestars,andstillbeunequaltothisissue,thenwewillhavefailedasapeopleandasanation.For,withacountryaswithaperson,"whatisamanprofitedifheshallgainthewholeworld,andlosehisownsoul?

"

ThereisnoNegroproblem.ThereisnoSouthernproblem.ThereisnoNorthernproblem.ThereisonlyanAmericanproblem.

AndwearemetheretonightasAmericans--notasDemocrats11orRepublicans;we'remethereasAmericanstosolvethatproblem.Thiswasthefirstnationinthehistoryoftheworldtobefoundedwithapurpose.

ThegreatphrasesofthatpurposestillsoundineveryAmericanheart,NorthandSouth:

"Allmenarecreatedequal.""Governmentbyconsentofthegoverned.""Givemelibertyorgivemedeath."Andthosearenotjustcleverwords,andthosearenotjustemptytheories.IntheirnameAmericanshavefoughtanddiedfortwocenturiesandtonightaroundtheworldtheystandthereasguardians12ofourlibertyriskingtheirlives.Thosewordsarepromisedtoeverycitizenthatheshallshareinthedignityofman.Thisdignitycannotbefoundinaman'spossessions.Itcannotbefoundinhispowerorinhisposition.Itreallyrestsonhisrighttobetreatedasamanequalinopportunitytoallothers.Itsaysthatheshallshareinfreedom.Heshallchoosehisleaders,educatehischildren,provideforhisfamilyaccordingtohisabilityandhismeritsasahumanbeing.

Toapplyanyothertest,todenyamanhishopesbecauseofhiscolororraceorhisreligionortheplaceofhisbirthisnotonlytodoinjustice14,itistodenyAmericansandtodishonorthedeadwhogavetheirlivesforAmericanfreedom.Ourfathersbelievedthatifthisnobleviewoftherightsofmanwastoflourishitmustberootedindemocracy.Thismostbasicrightofallwastherighttochooseyourownleaders.Thehistoryofthiscountryinlargemeasureisthehistoryofexpansionoftherighttoallofourpeople.

Manyoftheissuesofcivilrightsareverycomplexandmostdifficult.Butaboutthistherecanandshouldbenoargument:

everyAmericancitizenmusthaveanequalrighttovote.Thereisnoreasonwhichcanexcusethedenialofthatright.Thereisnodutywhichweighsmoreheavilyonusthanthedutywehavetoinsurethatright.YettheharshfactisthatinmanyplacesinthiscountrymenandwomenarekeptfromvotingsimplybecausetheyareNegroes.

Everydeviceofwhichhumaningenuity15iscapable,hasbeenusedtodenythisright.TheNegrocitizenmaygotoregisteronlytobetoldthatthedayiswrong,orthehourislate,ortheofficialinchargeisabsent.Andifhepersistsand,ifhemanagestopresenthimselftotheregistrar16,hemaybedisqualifiedbecausehedidnotspellouthismiddlename,orbecauseheabbreviated17awordontheapplication.Andifhemanagestofilloutanapplication,heisgivenatest.Theregistraristhesolejudgeofwhetherhepassesthistest.HemaybeaskedtorecitetheentireConstitution,orexplainthemostcomplexprovisionsofstatelaw.

Andevenacollegedegreecannotbeusedtoprovethathecanreadandwrite.Forthefactisthattheonlywaytopassthesebarriersistoshowawhiteskin.Experiencehasclearlyshownthattheexistingprocessoflawcannotovercomesystematic18andingeniousdiscrimination.Nolawthatwenowhaveonthebooks,andIhavehelpedtoputthreeofthemthere,caninsuretherighttovotewhenlocalofficialsaredetermined19todenyit.Insuchacase,ourdutymustbecleartoallofus.TheConstitutionsaysthatnopersonshallbekeptfromvotingbecauseofhisraceorhiscolor.

WehaveallswornanoathbeforeGodtosupportandtodefendthatConstitution.Wemustnowactinobedience20tothatoath.Wednesday,IwillsendtoCongressalawdesignedtoeliminateillegalbarrierstotherighttovote.ThebroadprinciplesofthatbillwillbeinthehandsoftheDemocraticandRepublicanleaderstomorrow.Aftertheyhavereviewedit,itwillcomehereformallyasabill.Iamgratefulforthisopportunitytocomeheretonightattheinvitationoftheleadershiptoreasonwithmyfriends,togivethemmyviewsandtovisitwithmyformercolleagues.

IhavehadpreparedamorecomprehensiveanalysisofthelegislationwhichIhadintendedtotransmittotheclerktomorrow,butwhichIwillsubmittotheclerkstonight.ButIwanttoreallydiscussthemainproposalsofthislegislation.Thisbillwillstrikedownrestrictions21tovotinginallelections,federal,stateandlocal,whichhavebeenusedtodenyNegroestherighttovote.

Thisbillwillestablishasimple,uniformstandardwhichcannotbeused,howeveringenioustheeffort,toflout22ourConstitution.ItwillprovideforcitizenstoberegisteredbyofficialsoftheUnitedStatesGovernment,ifthestateofficialsrefusetoregisterthem.Itwilleliminatetedious,unnecessarylawsuits23whichdelaytherighttovote.Finally,thislegislationwillinsurethatproperlyregisteredindividualsarenotprohibitedfromvoting.IwillwelcomethesuggestionsfromallthemembersofCongress--IhavenodoubtthatIwillgetsome--onwaysandmeanstostrengthenthislawandtomakeiteffective.

ButexperiencehasplainlyshownthatthisistheonlypathtocarryoutthecommandoftheConstitution.Tothosewhoseektoavoidactionbytheirnationalgovernmentintheirhomecommunities,whowanttoandwhoseektomaintainpurely24localcontroloverelections,theanswerissimple:

openyourpollingplacestoallyourpeople.Allowmenandwomentoregisterandvotewhateverthecoloroftheirskin.Extendtherightsofcitizenship25toeverycitizenofthisland.ThereisnoConstitutionalissuehere.ThecommandoftheConstitutionisplain.Thereisnomoralissue.Itiswrong--deadlywrong--todenyanyofyourfellowAmericanstherighttovoteinthiscountry.

Thereisnoissueofstate'srightsornationalrights.Thereisonlythestruggleforhumanrights.Ihavenottheslightestdoubtwhatwillbeyouranswer.ButthelasttimeaPresidentsentacivilrightsbilltotheCongressitcontainedaprovisiontoprotectvotingrightsinFederalelections.Thatcivilrightsbillwaspassedaftereightlongmonthsofdebate.AndwhenthatbillcametomydeskfromtheCongressforsignature,theheartofthevotingprovisionhadbeeneliminated.

Thistime,onthisissue,theremustbenodelay,ornohesitation26,ornocompromisewithourpurpose.Wecannot,wemustnot,refusetoprotecttherightofeveryAmericantovoteineveryelectionthathemaydesiretoparticipatein.

Andweoughtnot,andwecannot,andwemustnotwaitanothereightmont