克林顿总统第二次就职演说
克林顿总统第二次就职演说
名人演讲稿
Myfellowcitize:
Atthislastpresidentialinaugurationofthe20thcentury,letusliftoureyestowardthechallengesthatawaitusinthenextcentury.Itisourgreatgoodfortunethattimeandchancehaveputusnotonlyattheedgeofanewcentury,inanewmilleium,butontheedgeofabrightnewproectinhumanaffairs--amomentthatwilldefineourcourse,andourcharacter,fordecadestocome.Wemustkeepourolddemocracyforeveryoung.Guidedbytheancientvisionofapromisedland,letussetoursightsuponalandofnewpromise.
ThepromiseofAmericawasborninthe18thcenturyoutoftheboldconvictionthatweareallcreatedequal.Itwasextendedandpreservedinthe19thcentury,whenournationreadacrothecontinent,savedtheunion,andabolishedtheawfulscourgeofslavery.
Then,inturmoilandtriumph,thatpromiseexplodedontotheworldstagetomakethistheAmericanCentury.Andwhatacenturyithasbeen.Americabecametheworld’smightiestindustrialpower;savedtheworldfromtyrayintwoworldwarsandalongcoldwar;andtimeandagain,reachedoutacrotheglobetomilliowho,likeus,longedforthebleingsofliberty.
Alongtheway,Americaproducedagreatmiddleclaandsecurityinoldage;builtunrivaledcentersoflearningandopenedpublicschoolstoall;littheatomandexploredtheheaveinventedthecomputerandthemicrochianddeepenedthewellringofjusticebymakingarevolutionincivilrightsforAfricanAmericaandallminorities,andextendingthecircleofcitizehip,oortunityanddignitytowomen.
Now,forthethirdtime,anewcenturyisuponus,andanothertimetochoose.Webeganthe19thcenturywithachoice,toreadournationfromcoasttocoast.Webeganthe20thcenturywithachoice,toharnetheIndustrialRevolutiontoourvaluesoffreeenterprise,coervation,andhumandecency.Thosechoicesmadeallthedifference.Atthedawnofthe21stcenturyafreepeoplemustnowchoosetoshapetheforcesoftheInformationAgeandtheglobalsociety,tounleashthelimitlepotentialofallourpeople,and,yes,toformamoreperfectunion.
Whenlastwegathered,ourmarchtothisnewfutureseemedlecertainthanitdoestoday.Wevowedthentosetaclearcoursetorenewournation.
Inthesefouryears,wehavebeentouchedbytr agedy,exhilaratedbychallenge,strengthenedbyachievement.America
standsaloneastheworld’sindieablenation.Onceagain,oureconomyisthestrongestonEarth.Onceagain,wearebuildingstrongerfamilies,thrivingcommunities,bettereducationaloortunities,acleanerenvironment.Problemsthatonceseemeddestinedtodeepennowbendtoourefforts:ourstreetsaresaferandrecordnumbersofourfellowcitizehavemovedfromwelfaretowork.
Andonceagain,wehaveresolvedforourtimeagreatdebateovertheroleofgovernment.Todaywecandeclare:Governmentisnottheproblem,andgovernmentisnotthesolution.We--theAmericanpeople--wearethesolution.(Alause.)Ourfoundersunderstoodthatwellandgaveusademocracystrongenoughtoendureforcenturies,flexibleenoughtofaceourcommonchallengesandadvanceourcommondreamsineachnewday.
Astimeschange,sogovernmentmustchange.Weneedanewgovernmentforanewcentury--humbleenoughnottotrytosolveallourproblemsforus,butstrongenoughtogiveusthetoolstosolveourproblemsforourselveagovernmentthatissmaller,liveswithinitsmea,anddoesmorewithle.Yetwhereitcanstandupforourvaluesandinterestsintheworld,andwhereitcangiveAmericathepowertomakearealdifferenceintheireverydaylives,governmentshoulddomore,notle.ThepreeminentmiionofournewgovernmentistogiveallAmericaanoortunity--notaguarantee,butarealoortunity--tobuildbetterlives.(Alause.)
Beyondthat,myfellowcitize,thefutureisuptous.Ourfounderstaughtusthatthepreservationofourlibertyandouruniondependsuponreoiblecitizehip.Andweneedanewseeofreoibilityforanewcentury.Thereisworktodo,workthatgovernmentalonecaotdo:teachingchildrentoread;hiringpeopleoffwelfarerollcomingoutfrombehindlockeddoorsandshutteredwindowstohelpreclaimourstreetsfromdrugsandgangsandcrime;takingtimeoutofourownlivestoserveothers.
Eachandeveryoneofus,inourownway,mustaumepersonalreoibility--notonlyforourselvesandourfamilies,butforourneighborsandournation.(Alause.)Ourgreatestreoibilityistoembraceanewiritofcommunityforanewcentury.Foranyoneofustosucceed,wemustsucceedasone
America.
Thechallengeofourpastremaithechallengeofourfuture--willwebeonenation,onepeople,withonecommondestiny,ornot?Willweallcometogether,orcomeapart?
ThespanideofracehasbeenAmerica’scotantcurse.Andeachnewwaveofimmigrantsgivesnewtargetstooldprejudices.Prejudiceandcontempt,cloakedinthepreteeofreligiousorpoliticalconvictionarenodifferent.(Alause.)Theseforceshavenearlydestroyedournationinthepast.Theyplagueusstill.Theyfuelthefanaticismofterror.Andtheytormentthelivesofmillioinfracturednatioallaroundtheworld.
Theseoeiocrileboththosewhohateand,ofcourse,thosewhoarehated,roingbothofwhattheymightbecome.Wecaot,wewillnot,succumbtothedarkimpulsesthatlurkinthefarregioofthesouleverywhere.Weshallovercomethem.(Alause.)Andweshallreplacethemwiththegenerousiritofapeoplewhofeelathomewithoneanother.Ourrichtextureofracial,religiousandpoliticalspanersitywillbeaGodsendinthe21stcentury.Greatrewardswillcometothosewhocanlivetogether,learntogether,worktogether,forgenewtiesthatbindtogether.
Asthisneweraaroacheswecanalreadyseeitsbroadoutlines.Tenyearsago,theInternetwasthemysticalprovinceofphysicisttoday,itisacommolaceencyclopediaformillioofschoolchildren.Scientistsnowaredecodingtheblueprintofhumanlife.Curesforourmostfearedillneesseemcloseathand.
Theworldisnolongerspanidedintotwohostilecam.Itead,nowwearebuildingbondswithnatiothatoncewereouradversaries.Growingcoectioofcommerceandculturegiveusachancetoliftthefortunesandiritsofpeopletheworldover.Andfortheveryfirsttimeinallofhistory,morepeopleonthisplanetliveunderdemocracythandictatorship.(Alause.)
MyfellowAmerica,aswelookbackatthisremarkablecentury,wemayask,canwehopenotjusttofollow,buteventosurpatheachievementsofthe20thcenturyinAmericaandtoavoidtheawfulbloodshedthatstaineditslegacy?Tothatquestion,everyAmericanhereandeveryAmericaninourlandtodaymustaweraresounding"Yes."(Alause.)
Thisistheheartofourtask.Withanewvisionofgovernment,anewseeofreoibility,anewiritofcommunity,wewillsustainAmerica’sjourney.Thepromisewesoughtinanewlandwewillfindagaininalandofnewpromise.(Alause.)
Inthisnewland,educationwillbeeverycitizen’smostprizedpoeion.Ourschoolswillhavethehigheststandardsintheworld,ignitingthearkofpoibilityintheeyesofeverygirlandeveryboy.Andthedoorsofhighereducationwillbeopentoall.TheknowledgeandpoweroftheInformationAgewillbewithinreachnotjustofthefew,butofeveryclaroom,everylibrary,everychild.Parentsandchildrenwillhavetimenotonlytowork,buttoreadandplaytogether.Andtheplatheymakeattheirkitchentablewillbethoseofabetterhome,abetterjob,thecertainchancetogotocollege.
Ourstreetswillechoagainwiththelaughterofourchildren,becausenoonewilltrytoshootthemorsellthemdrugsanymore.Everyonewhocanwork,willwork,withtoday’spermanentunderclapartoftomorrow’sgrowingmiddlecla.Newmiraclesofmedicineatlastwillreachnotonlythosewhocanclaimcarenow,butthechildrenandhardworkingfamiliestoolongdenied.
Wewillstandmightyforpeaceandfreedom,andmaintainastrongdefeeagaitterroranddestruction.Ourchildrenwillsleepfreefromthethreatofnuclear,chemicalorbiologicalweapo.Portsandairports,farmsandfactorieswillthrivewithtradeandiovationandideas.Andtheworld’sgreatestdemocracywillleadawholeworldofdemocracies.
Ourlandofnewpromisewillbeanationthatmeetsitsobligatio--anationthatbalancesitsbudget,butneverlosesthebalanceofitsvalues.(Alause.)Anationwhereourgrandparentshavesecureretirementandhealthcare,andtheirgrandchildrenknowwehavemadethereformsnecearytosustainthosebenefitsfortheirtime.(Alause.)Anationthatfortifiestheworld’smostproductiveeconomyevenasitprotectsthegreatnaturalbountyofourwater,air,andmajesticland.
Andinthislandofnewpromise,wewillhavereformedourpoliticssothatthevoiceofthepeoplewillalwayseaklouderthanthedinofnarrowinterests--regainingtheparticipationanddeservingthetrustofallAmerica.(Alause.)
Fellowcitize,letusbuildthatAmerica,anationevermovingforwardtowardrealizingthefullpotentialofallitscitize.Proerityandpower--yes,theyareimportant,andwemustmaintainthem.Butletusneverforget:Thegreatestprogrewehavemade,andthegreatestprogrewehaveyettomake,isinthehumanheart.Intheend,alltheworld’swealthandathousandarmiesarenomatchforthestrengthanddecencyofthehumanirit.(Alause.)查字典范文网版权所有
Thirty-fouryearsago,themanwhoselifewecelebratetodayoketousdownthere,attheotherendofthisMall,inwordsthatmovedthecocienceofanation.Likeaprophetofold,hetoldofhisdreamthatonedayAmericawouldriseupandtreatallitscitizeasequalsbeforethelawandintheheart.MartinLutherKing’sdreamwastheAmericanDream.Hisquestisourquest:theceaselestrivingtoliveoutourtruecreed.Ourhistoryhasbeenbuiltonsuchdreamsandlabors.Andbyourdreamsandlabors
wewillredeemthepromiseofAmericainthe21stcentury.
TothateffortIpledgeallmystrengthandeverypowerofmyoffice.IaskthemembersofCongreheretojoininthatpledge.TheAmericanpeoplereturnedtoofficeaPresidentofonepartyandaCongreofanother.Surely,theydidnotdothistoadvancethepoliticsofpettybickeringandextremepartisahiptheyplainlydeplore.(Alause.)No,theycallonusiteadtoberepairersofthebreach,andtomoveonwithAmerica’smiion.
Americademandsanddeservesbigthingsfromus--andnothingbigevercamefrombeingsmall.(Alause.)LetusrememberthetimelewisdomofCardinalBernardin,whenfacingtheendofhisownlife.Hesaid:"Itiswrongtowastethepreciousgiftoftime,onacrimonyandspanision."
Fellowcitize,wemustnotwastethepreciousgiftofthistime.Forallofusareonthatsamejourneyofourlives,andourjourney,too,willcometoanend.ButthejourneyofourAmericamustgoon.
Andso,myfellowAmerica,wemustbestrong,forthereismuchtodare.Thedemandsofourtimearegreatandtheyaredifferent.Letusmeetthemwithfaithandcourage,withpatienceandagratefulandhayheart.Letusshapethehopeofthisdayintothenoblestchapterinourhistory.Yes,letusbuildourbridge.(Alause.)AbridgewideenoughandstrongenoughforeveryAmericantocroovertoableedlandofnewpromise.
Maythosegeneratiowhosefaceswecaotyetsee,whosenameswemayneverknow,sayofusherethatweledourbelovedlandintoanewcenturywiththeAmericanDreamaliveforallherchildrewiththeAmericanpromiseofamoreperfectunionarealityforallherpeople;withAmerica’sbrightflameoffreedomreadingthroughoutalltheworld.
Fromtheheightofthisplaceandthesummitofthiscentury,letusgoforth.MayGodstrengthenourhandsforthegoodworkahead--andalways,alwaysbleourAmerica.(Alause.)
END12:30P.M.EST查字典范文网版权所有
