self…help also requires a belief that society can change。
The profound mistake of Reverend Wrights sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society。 Its that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country … a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian; rich and poor; young and old — is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past。 But what we know — what we have seen … is that America can change。 That is true genius of this nation。 What we have already achieved gives us hope … the audacity to hope … for what we can and must achieve tomorrow。
In the white munity; the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African…American munity does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination … and current incidents of discrimination; while less overt than in the past … are real and must be addressed。 Not just with words; but with deeds … by investing in our schools and our munities; by enforcing our civil rights laws and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system; by providing this generation with ladders of opportunity that were unavailable for previous generations。 It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to e at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health; welfare; and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper。 txt小说上传分享
更完善的联邦(12)
In the end; then; what is called for is nothing more; and nothing less; than what all the worlds great religions demand … that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us。 Let us be our brothers keeper; Scripture tells us。 Let us be our sisters keeper。 Let us find that mon stake we all have in one another; and let our politics reflect that spirit as well。
For we have a choice in this country。 We can accept a politics that breeds division; and conflict; and cynicism。 We can tackle race only as spectacle … as we did in the OJ trial … or in the wake of tragedy; as we did in the aftermath of Katrina … or as fodder for the nightly news。 We can play Reverend Wrights sermons on every channel; every day and talk about them from now until the election; and make the only question in this campaign whether or not the American people think that I somehow believe or sympathize with his most offensive words。 We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that shes playing the race card; or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies。
We can do that。
But if we do; I can tell you that in the next election; well be talking about some other distraction。 And then another one。 And then another one。 And nothing will change。
That is one option。 Or; at this moment; in this election; we can e together and say; 〃Not this time。〃 This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American children。 This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us that these kids cant learn; that those kids who dont look like us are somebody elses problem。 The children of America are not those kids; they are our kids; and we will not let them fall behind in a 21st century economy。 Not this time。
This time we want to talk about how the lines in the Emergency Room are filled with whites and blacks and Hispanics who do not have health care; who dont have the power on their own to overe the special interests in Washington; but who can take them on if we do it together。
This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race; and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion; every region; every walk of life。 This time we want to talk about the fact that the real problem is not that someone who doesnt look like you might take your job; its that the corporation you work for will ship it overseas for nothing more than a profit。
This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together; and fight together; and bleed together under the same proud flag。 We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never shouldve been authorized and never shouldve been waged; and we want to talk about how well show our patriotism by caring for them; and their families; and giving them the benefits they have earned。
I would not be running for President if I didnt believe with all my heart that this is what the vast majority of Americans want for this country。 This union may never be perfect; but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected。 And today; whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility; what gives me the most hope is the next generation … the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election。
更完善的联邦(13)
There is one story in particularly that Id like to leave you with today … a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr。 Kings birthday at his home church; Ebenezer Baptist; in Atlanta。
There is a young; twenty…three year old white woman named Ashley Baia who organized for our campaign in Florence; South Carolina。 She had been working to organize a mostly African…American munity since the beginning of this campaign; and one day she was at a roundtable discussion where everyone went around telling their story and why they were there。
And Ashley said that when she was nine years old; her mother got cancer。 And because she had to miss days of work; she was let go and lost her health care。 They had to file for bankruptcy; and thats when Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom。
She knew that food was one of their most expensive costs; and so Ashley convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches。 Because that was the cheapest way to eat。
She did this for a year until her mom got better; and she told everyone at the roundtable that the reason she joined our campaign was so that she could help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents too。
Now Ashley might have made a different choice。 Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mothers problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work; or Hispanics who were ing into the country illegally。 But she didnt。 She sought out allies in her fight against injustice。
Anyway; Ashley finishes her story and then goes around the room and asks everyone else why theyre supporting the campaign。 They all have different stories and reasons。 Many bring up a specific issue。 And finally they e to this elderly black man whos been sitting there quietly the entire time。 And Ashley asks him why hes there。 And he does not bring up a specific issue。 He does not say health care or the economy。 He does not say education or the war。 He does not say that he was there because of Barack Obama。 He simply says to everyone in the room; 〃I am here because of Ashley。〃
〃Im here because of Ashley。〃 By itself; that single moment of recognition between that young white girl and that old black man is not enough。 It is not enough to give health care to the sick; or jobs to the jobless; or education to our children。
But it is where we start。 It is where our union grows stronger。 And as so many generations have e to realize over the course of the two…hundred and twenty one years since a band of patriots signed that document in Philadelphia; that is where the perfection begins。
今晚,此刻,我们相信
——巴拉克?奥巴马在艾奥瓦党团会议选举获胜之夜的演讲 ;