英语演讲稿

ChiefJusticeRehnquist,PresidentCarter,PresidentBush，PresidentClinton,distinguishedguestsandmyfellowcitizens,thepeacefultransferofauthorityisrareinhistory,yetcommoninourcountry.Withasimpleoath,weaffirmoldtraditionsandmakenewbeginnings.

AsIbegin,IthankPresidentClintonforhisservicetoournation.

AndIthankVicePresidentGoreforacontestconductedwithspiritandendedwithgrace.

Iamhonoredandhumbledtostandhere,wheresomanyofAmerica''''sleadershavecomebeforeme,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.TheambitionsofsomeAmericansarelimitedbyfailingschoolsandhiddenprejudiceandthecircumstancesoftheirbirth.Andsometimesourdifferencesrunsodeep,itseemsweshareacontinent,butnotacountry.

Wedonotacceptthis,andwewillnotallowit.Ourunity,ourunion,istheseriousworkofleadersandcitizensineverygeneration.Andthisismysolemn

pledge:Iwillworktobuildasinglenationofjusticeandopportunity.

IknowthisisinourreachbecauseweareguidedbyapowerlargerthanourselveswhocreatesusequalinHisimage.

Andweareconfidentinprinciplesthatuniteandleadusonward.

Americahasneverbeenunitedbybloodorbirthorsoil.Weareboundbyidealsthatmoveusbeyondourbackgrounds,liftusaboveourinterestsandteachuswhatitmeanstobecitizens.Everychildmustbetaughttheseprinciples.Everycitizenmustupholdthem.Andeveryimmigrant,byembracingtheseideals,makesourcountrymore,notless,American.

Today,weaffirmanewcommitmenttoliveoutournation''''spromisethroughcivility,courage,compassionandcharacter.

America,atitsbest,matchesacommitmenttoprinciplewithaconcernforcivility.Acivilsocietydemandsfromeachofusgoodwillandrespect,fairdealingandforgiveness.

Someseemtobelievethatourpoliticscanaffordtobepettybecause,inatimeofpeace,thestakesofourdebatesappearsmall.

ButthestakesforAmericaareneversmall.Ifourcountrydoesnotleadthecauseoffreedom,itwillnotbeled.Ifwedonotturntheheartsofchildrentowardknowledgeandcharacter,wewilllosetheirgiftsandunderminetheiridealism.Ifwepermitoureconomytodriftanddecline,thevulnerablewillsuffermost.

Wemustliveuptothecallingweshare.Civilityisnotatacticorasentiment.Itisthedeterminedchoiceoftrustovercynicism,ofcommunityoverchaos.Andthiscommitment,ifwekeepit,isawaytosharedaccomplishment.

America,atitsbest,isalsocourageous.

Ournationalcouragehasbeenclearintimesofdepressionandwar,whendefendingcommondangersdefinedourcommongood.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,iscompassionate.InthequietofAmericanconscience,weknowthatdeep,persistentpovertyisunworthyofournation''''spromise.

Andwhateverourviewsofitscause,wecanagreethatchildrenatriskarenotatfault.AbandonmentandabusearenotactsofGod,theyarefailuresoflove.

Andtheproliferationofprisons,howevernecessary,isnosubstituteforhopeandorderinoursouls.

Wherethereissuffering,thereisduty.Americansinneedarenotstrangers,theyarecitizens,notproblems,butpriorities.Andallofusarediminishedwhenanyarehopeless.

Governmenthasgreatresponsibilitiesforpublicsafetyandpublichealth,forcivilrightsandcommonschools.Yetcompassionistheworkofanation,notjustagovernment.

Andsomeneedsandhurtsaresodeeptheywillonlyrespondtoamentor''''stouchorapastor''''sprayer.Churchandcharity,synagogueandmosquelendourcommunitiestheirhumanity,andtheywillhaveanhonoredplaceinourplansandinourlaws.

Manyinourcountrydonotknowthepainofpoverty,butwecanlistentothosewhodo.

AndIcanpledgeournationtoagoal:Whenweseethatwoundedtraveleron

theroadtoJericho,wewillnotpasstotheotherside.

America,atitsbest,isaplacewherepersonalresponsibilityisvaluedand

expected.

Encouragingresponsibilityisnotasearchforscapegoats,itisacalltoconscience.Andthoughitrequiressacrifice,itbringsadeeperfulfillment.Wefindthefullnessoflifenotonlyinoptions,butincommitments.Andwefindthatchildrenandcommunityarethecommitmentsthatsetusfree.

Ourpublicinterestdependsonprivatecharacter,oncivicdutyandfamilybondsandbasicfairness,onuncounted,unhonoredactsofdecencywhichgivedirectiontoourfreedom.

Sometimesinlifewearecalledtodogreatthings.Butasasaintofourtimeshassaid,everydaywearecalledtodosmallthingswithgreatlove.Themostimportanttasksofademocracyaredonebyeveryone.

Iwillliveandleadbytheseprinciples:toadvancemyconvictionswithcivility,topursuethepublicinterestwithcourage,tospeakforgreaterjusticeandcompassion,tocallforresponsibilityandtrytoliveitaswell.

Inalltheseways,Iwillbringthevaluesofourhistorytothecareofour

times.

Whatyoudoisasimportantasanythinggovernmentdoes.Iaskyoutoseekacommongoodbeyondyourcomfort;todefendneededreformsagainsteasyattacks;toserveyournation,beginningwithyourneighbor.Iaskyoutobecitizens:citizens,notspectators;citizens,notsubjects;responsiblecitizens,buildingcommunitiesofserviceandanationofcharacter.

Americansaregenerousandstronganddecent,notbecausewebelieveinourselves,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.

Thankyou!