名人演讲稿

Myfellowcitizens:

Atthislastpresidentialinaugurationofthe20thcentury,letusliftoureyestowardthechallengesthatawaitusinthenextcentury.Itisourgreatgoodfortunethattimeandchancehaveputusnotonlyattheedgeofanewcentury,inanewmillennium,butontheedgeofabrightnewprospectinhumanaffairs--amomentthatwilldefineourcourse,andourcharacter,fordecadestocome.Wemustkeepourolddemocracyforeveryoung.Guidedbytheancientvisionofapromisedland,letussetoursightsuponalandofnewpromise.

ThepromiseofAmericawasborninthe18thcenturyoutoftheboldconvictionthatweareallcreatedequal.Itwasextendedandpreservedinthe19thcentury,whenournationspreadacrossthecontinent,savedtheunion,andabolishedtheawfulscourgeofslavery.

Then,inturmoilandtriumph,thatpromiseexplodedontotheworldstagetomakethistheAmericanCentury.Andwhatacenturyithasbeen.Americabecametheworld''''smightiestindustrialpower;savedtheworldfromtyrannyintwoworldwarsandalongcoldwar;andtimeandagain,reachedoutacrosstheglobetomillionswho,likeus,longedfortheblessingsofliberty.

Alongtheway,Americansproducedagreatmiddleclassandsecurityinoldage;builtunrivaledcentersoflearningandopenedpublicschoolstoall;splittheatomandexploredtheheavens;inventedthecomputerandthemicrochip;anddeepenedthewellspringofjusticebymakingarevolutionincivilrightsforAfricanAmericansandallminorities,andextendingthecircleofcitizenship,opportunityanddignitytowomen.

Now,forthethirdtime,anewcenturyisuponus,andanothertimetochoose.Webeganthe19thcenturywithachoice,tospreadournationfromcoasttocoast.Webeganthe20thcenturywithachoice,toharnesstheIndustrialRevolutiontoourvaluesoffreeenterprise,conservation,andhumandecency.Thosechoicesmadeallthedifference.Atthedawnofthe21stcenturyafreepeoplemustnowchoosetoshapetheforcesoftheInformationAgeandtheglobalsociety,tounleashthelimitlesspotentialofallourpeople,and,yes,toformamoreperfectunion.

Whenlastwegathered,ourmarchtothisnewfutureseemedlesscertainthanitdoestoday.Wevowedthentosetaclearcoursetorenewournation.

Inthesefouryears,wehavebeentouchedbytragedy,exhilaratedbychallenge,strengthenedbyachievement.America

standsaloneastheworld''''sindispensablenation.Onceagain,oureconomyisthestrongestonEarth.Onceagain,wearebuildingstrongerfamilies,thrivingcommunities,bettereducationalopportunities,acleanerenvironment.Problemsthatonceseemeddestinedtodeepennowbendtoourefforts:ourstreetsaresaferandrecordnumbersofourfellowcitizenshavemovedfromwelfaretowork.

Andonceagain,wehaveresolvedforourtimeagreatdebateovertheroleofgovernment.Todaywecandeclare:Governmentisnottheproblem,andgovernmentisnotthesolution.We--theAmericanpeople--wearethesolution.(Applause.)Ourfoundersunderstoodthatwellandgaveusademocracystrongenoughtoendureforcenturies,flexibleenoughtofaceourcommonchallengesandadvanceourcommondreamsineachnewday.

Astimeschange,sogovernmentmustchange.Weneedanewgovernmentforanewcentury--humbleenoughnottotrytosolveallourproblemsforus,butstrongenoughtogiveusthetoolstosolveourproblemsforourselves;agovernmentthatissmaller,liveswithinitsmeans,anddoesmorewithless.Yetwhereitcanstandupforourvaluesandinterestsintheworld,andwhereitcangiveAmericansthepowertomakearealdifferenceintheireverydaylives,governmentshoulddomore,notless.ThepreeminentmissionofournewgovernmentistogiveallAmericansanopportunity--notaguarantee,butarealopportunity--tobuildbetterlives.(Applause.)

Beyondthat,myfellowcitizens,thefutureisuptous.Ourfounderstaughtusthatthepreservationofourlibertyandouruniondependsuponresponsiblecitizenship.Andweneedanewsenseofresponsibilityforanewcentury.Thereisworktodo,workthatgovernmentalonecannotdo:teachingchildrentoread;hiringpeopleoffwelfarerolls;comingoutfrombehindlockeddoorsandshutteredwindowstohelpreclaimourstreetsfromdrugsandgangsandcrime;takingtimeoutofourownlivestoserveothers.

Eachandeveryoneofus,inourownway,mustassumepersonalresponsibility--notonlyforourselvesandourfamilies,butforourneighborsandournation.(Applause.)Ourgreatestresponsibilityistoembraceanewspiritofcommunityforanewcentury.Foranyoneofustosucceed,wemustsucceedasone

America.

Thechallengeofourpastremainsthechallengeofourfuture--willwebeonenation,onepeople,withonecommondestiny,ornot?Willweallcometogether,orcomeapart?

ThedivideofracehasbeenAmerica''''sconstantcurse.Andeachnewwaveofimmigrantsgivesnewtargetstooldprejudices.Prejudiceandcontempt,cloakedinthepretenseofreligiousorpoliticalconvictionarenodifferent.(Applause.)Theseforceshavenearlydestroyedournationinthepast.Theyplagueusstill.Theyfuelthefanaticismofterror.Andtheytormentthelivesofmillionsinfracturednationsallaroundtheworld.

Theseobsessionscrippleboththosewhohateand,ofcourse,thosewhoarehated,robbingbothofwhattheymightbecome.Wecannot,wewillnot,succumbtothedarkimpulsesthatlurkinthefarregionsofthesouleverywhere.Weshallovercomethem.(Applause.)Andweshallreplacethemwiththegenerousspiritofapeoplewhofeelathomewithoneanother.Ourrichtextureofracial,religiousandpoliticaldiversitywillbeaGodsendinthe21stcentury.Greatrewardswillcometothosewhocanlivetogether,learntogether,worktogether,forgenewtiesthatbindtogether.

Asthisneweraapproacheswecanalreadyseeitsbroadoutlines.Tenyearsago,theInternetwasthemysticalprovinceofphysicists;today,itisacommonplaceencyclopediaformillionsofschoolchildren.Scientistsnowaredecodingtheblueprintofhumanlife.Curesforourmostfearedillnessesseemcloseathand.

Theworldisnolongerdividedintotwohostilecamps.Instead,nowwearebuildingbondswithnationsthatoncewereouradversaries.Growingconnectionsofcommerceandculturegiveusachancetoliftthefortunesandspiritsofpeopletheworldover.Andfortheveryfirsttimeinallofhistory,morepeopleonthisplanetliveunderdemocracythandictatorship.(Applause.)

MyfellowAmericans,aswelookbackatthisremarkablecentury,wemayask,canwehopenotjusttofollow,buteventosurpasstheachievementsofthe20thcenturyinAmericaandtoavoidtheawfulbloodshedthatstaineditslegacy?Tothatquestion,everyAmericanhereandeveryAmericaninourlandtodaymustansweraresounding"Yes."(Applause.)

Thisistheheartofourtask.Withanewvisionofgovernment,anewsenseofresponsibility,anewspiritofcommunity,wewillsustainAmerica''''sjourney.Thepromisewesoughtinanewlandwewillfindagaininalandofnewpromise.(Applause.)

Inthisnewland,educationwillbeeverycitizen''''smostprizedpossession.Ourschoolswillhavethehigheststandardsintheworld,ignitingthesparkofpossibilityintheeyesofeverygirlandeveryboy.Andthedoorsofhighereducationwillbeopentoall.TheknowledgeandpoweroftheInformationAgewillbewithinreachnotjustofthefew,butofeveryclassroom,everylibrary,everychild.Parentsandchildrenwillhavetimenotonlytowork,buttoreadandplaytogether.Andtheplanstheymakeattheirkitchentablewillbethoseofabetterhome,abetterjob,thecertainchancetogotocollege.

Ourstreetswillechoagainwiththelaughterofourchildren,becausenoonewilltrytoshootthemorsellthemdrugsanymore.Everyonewhocanwork,willwork,withtoday''''spermanentunderclasspartoftomorrow''''sgrowingmiddleclass.Newmiraclesofmedicineatlastwillreachnotonlythosewhocanclaimcarenow,butthechildrenandhardworkingfamiliestoolongdenied.

Wewillstandmightyforpeaceandfreedom,andmaintainastrongdefenseagainstterroranddestruction.Ourchildrenwillsleepfreefromthethreatofnuclear,chemicalorbiologicalweapons.Portsandairports,farmsandfactorieswillthrivewithtradeandinnovationandideas.Andtheworld''''sgreatestdemocracywillleadawholeworldofdemocracies.

Ourlandofnewpromisewillbeanationthatmeetsitsobligations--anationthatbalancesitsbudget,butneverlosesthebalanceofitsvalues.(Applause.)Anationwhereourgrandparentshavesecureretirementandhealthcare,andtheirgrandchildrenknowwehavemadethereformsnecessarytosustainthosebenefitsfortheirtime.(Applause.)Anationthatfortifiestheworld''''smostproductiveeconomyevenasitprotectsthegreatnaturalbountyofourwater,air,andmajesticland.世界秘书网版权所有

Andinthislandofnewpromise,wewillhavereformedourpoliticssothatthevoiceofthepeoplewillalwaysspeaklouderthanthedinofnarrowinterests--regainingtheparticipationanddeservingthetrustofallAmericans.(Applause.)

Fellowcitizens,letusbuildthatAmerica,anationevermovingforwardtowardrealizingthefullpotentialofallitscitizens.Prosperityandpower--yes,theyareimportant,andwemustmaintainthem.Butletusneverforget:Thegreatestprogresswehavemade,andthegreatestprogresswehaveyettomake,isinthehumanheart.Intheend,alltheworld''''swealthandathousandarmiesarenomatchforthestrengthanddecencyofthehumanspirit.(Applause.)

Thirty-fouryearsago,themanwhoselifewecelebratetodayspoketousdownthere,attheotherendofthisMall,inwordsthatmovedtheconscienceofanation.Likeaprophetofold,hetoldofhisdreamthatonedayAmericawouldriseupandtreatallitscitizensasequalsbeforethelawandintheheart.MartinLutherKing''''sdreamwastheAmericanDream.Hisquestisourquest:theceaselessstrivingtoliveoutourtruecreed.Ourhistoryhasbeenbuiltonsuchdreamsandlabors.Andbyourdreamsandlabors

wewillredeemthepromiseofAmericainthe21stcentury.

TothateffortIpledgeallmystrengthandeverypowerofmyoffice.IaskthemembersofCongressheretojoininthatpledge.TheAmericanpeoplereturnedtoofficeaPresidentofonepartyandaCongressofanother.Surely,theydidnotdothistoadvancethepoliticsofpettybickeringandextremepartisanshiptheyplainlydeplore.(Applause.)No,theycallonusinsteadtoberepairersofthebreach,andtomoveonwithAmerica''''smission.

Americademandsanddeservesbigthingsfromus--andnothingbigevercamefrombeingsmall.(Applause.)LetusrememberthetimelesswisdomofCardinalBernardin,whenfacingtheendofhisownlife.Hesaid:"Itiswrongtowastethepreciousgiftoftime,onacrimonyanddivision."

Fellowcitizens,wemustnotwastethepreciousgiftofthistime.Forallofusareonthatsamejourneyofourlives,andourjourney,too,willcometoanend.ButthejourneyofourAmericamustgoon.

Andso,myfellowAmericans,wemustbestrong,forthereismuchtodare.Thedemandsofourtimearegreatandtheyaredifferent.Letusmeetthemwithfaithandcourage,withpatienceandagratefulandhappyheart.Letusshapethehopeofthisdayintothenoblestchapterinourhistory.Yes,letusbuildourbridge.(Applause.)AbridgewideenoughandstrongenoughforeveryAmericantocrossovertoablessedlandofnewpromise.

Maythosegenerationswhosefaceswecannotyetsee,whosenameswemayneverknow,sayofusherethatweledourbelovedlandintoanewcenturywiththeAmericanDreamaliveforallherchildren;withtheAmericanpromiseofamoreperfectunionarealityforallherpeople;withAmerica''''sbrightflameoffreedomspreadingthroughoutalltheworld.

Fromtheheightofthisplaceandthesummitofthiscentury,letusgoforth.MayGodstrengthenourhandsforthegoodworkahead--andalways,alwaysblessourAmerica.(Applause.)世界秘书网版权所有

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