巴拉克·奥巴马-第11章
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ut 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 can't learn； that those kids who don't look like us are somebody else's 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 don't 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 doesn't look like you might take your job； it's 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 should've been authorized and never should've been waged； and we want to talk about how we'll 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 didn't 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 I'd like to leave you with today … a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr。 King's 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 that's 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 mother's problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work； or Hispanics who were ing into the country illegally。 But she didn't。 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 they're 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 who's been sitting there quietly the entire time。 And Ashley asks him why he's 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。〃
〃I'm 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 ；
我衷心感谢艾奥瓦的公民们。
众所周知，有人说这一天永远不会到来。
有人说我们好高骛远。
有人说人民异见纷呈，悲观失望，不可能再为了一个共同的目标而众志成城。
但在这个一月的夜晚，在这个书写历史的时刻，你们做到了那些愤世嫉俗的人断言我们做不到的事。五天后新罕布什尔州的选民也将完成你们的壮举。在刚刚来到的2008年，美国人民也会完成同样的壮举。在学校和教堂，在小市镇和大城市，你们——民主党人、共和党人、无党派人士——熙熙攘攘地走到一起，自豪地宣称：我们是一个国家，我们是一个民族；变革的时刻已经到来。你们还说，华盛顿被冷酷、萎缩和愤怒所淹没，现在是超越这种政治手段、以相加替代分割的时刻，是在红州和蓝州建立变革联盟的时刻。这是因为我们将以此在11月取胜，我们也将以此面对我们国家面临的挑战。 。。
更完善的联邦（14）
我们选择希望，抛弃恐惧；我们选择联合，拒绝分裂；我们向美利坚高声宣布变革就在眼前。
你们宣布，政治说客自以为他们的财富和影响力比公众舆论的威力更大，但是他们并不拥有这个政府。政府是我们的，我们正在把它收回。
人民此刻需要这样一位总统：他能诚实面对机遇和挑战；即使跟人民见解不同也会倾听和了解他们的想法；他不仅要说人民愿意听到的话，更要提供人民需要知道的信息。如果新罕布什尔也给我今晚艾奥瓦给我的机会，我将会是这样一位总统。
感谢你们。
我会是这样一位总统：让每个人都能看上病和看得起病。我在伊利诺伊州就通过民主党人和共和党人的携手合作实现了这一目标。
我会是这样一位总统：终止所有把工作运往海外的公司的税收优惠政策，并给美国最值得享受减税的中产阶级减税。
我会是这样一位总统：让农场主、科学家和企业家发挥他们的创造力，使我们国家一劳永逸地摆脱石油的主宰。
最后，我会是这样一位总统：我要结束伊拉克战争并让我们的士兵回家；我要恢复我们的道德地位；我知道“9？11”不是骗取选票的借口，而是使美国和世界联合起来应对21世纪这个世界面临的共同威胁：恐怖主义和核扩散，全球变暖和贫困，种族屠杀和疾病。
今晚，因为艾奥瓦公民的选择，我们距离那样的美国蓝图又近了一步。在此，我特别想感谢选举的组织者和各个投票站的站长、志愿者和我的竞选团队的工作人员。没有你们就没有今晚的胜利。
当我站在这里表达谢意时，我想有必要感谢我的至爱，奥巴马家庭的坚实后盾，竞选旅途的殿后者，米歇尔？奥巴马。
我明白你们不是为了我才这样做的。你们这样做，你们这样做，是因为你们坚信一个美国信念，那就是，无论条件多么艰难困苦，相信这个国家的人是可以改变它的。
我明白这一点，我明白这一点，是因为虽然我此刻站在这里，我永远也不会忘记我的行程从芝加哥的街头开始。我曾经做过你们为我的竞选和艾奥瓦所有的竞选做过的一切：组织，工作，为了让人民的生活能够得到一点点改善而奋斗。
我知道这样的工作的艰辛，睡眠不足，薪酬低微，大量的自我牺牲，失望常常伴随着我们。但是偶尔，仅仅是偶尔，也会有像今晚这样的时刻，在这样一个夜晚，这样一个我们数年后想起来会自豪地说那个更好的美国就是从那个时刻开始的夜晚。在这样的美国，我们实现了我们坚信不移的变革：更多的家庭看得起病；我们的孩子，我的女儿玛利亚和萨沙和你们的孩子会生活在一个更干净和更安全的星球上；世界将以不同的眼光来看待美国，而美国将把自己看作一个更少歧见、更多团结的国家。
这一刻是勇往直前的人击败了华盛顿总是说战无不胜的人的时刻。
这一刻是我们拆除长久分裂我们的藩篱，让不同党派和不同年龄的人们为了一个共同的目的联合起来，并给那些从不过问政治的人们一个关心政治的理由的一刻。
这一刻是我们终于击退恐惧、疑虑和犬儒主义政治的一刻，是我们用国家携手向上替代政客相互践踏的政治的一刻。这是我们期待的那一刻。
数年后，遥想往事，你们也许会说，就是这一刻，在这个地方——美国人民记起希望究竟意味着什么。
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