巴拉克·奥巴马-第3章

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　　But　my　grandfather　had　larger　dreams　for　his　son。　Through　hard　work　and　perseverance　my　father　got　a　scholarship　to　study　in　a　magical　place：　America；　which　stood　as　a　beacon　of　freedom　and　opportunity　to　so　many　who　had　e　before。　While　studying　here；　my　father　met　my　mother。　She　was　born　in　a　town　on　the　other　side　of　the　world；　in　Kansas。　Her　father　worked　on　oil　rigs　and　farms　through　most　of　the　Depression。　The　day　after　Pearl　Harbor　he　signed　up　for　duty；　joined　Patton's　army　and　marched　across　Europe。　Back　home；　my　grandmother　raised　their　baby　and　went　to　work　on　a　bomber　assembly　line。　After　the　war；　they　studied　on　the　GI　Bill；　bought　a　house　through　FHA；　and　moved　west　in　search　of　opportunity。
　　And　they；　too；　had　big　dreams　for　their　daughter；　a　mon　dream；　born　of　two　continents。　My　parents　shared　not　only　an　improbable　love；　they　shared　an　abiding　faith　in　the　possibilities　of　this　nation。　They　would　give　me　an　African　name；　Barack；　or　〃blessed；〃　believing　that　in　a　tolerant　America　your　name　is　no　barrier　to　success。　They　imagined　me　going　to　the　best　schools　in　the　land；　even　though　they　weren't　rich；　because　in　a　generous　America　you　don't　have　to　be　rich　to　achieve　your　potential。　They　are　both　passed　away　now。　Yet；　I　know　that；　on　this　night；　they　look　down　on　me　with　pride。
　　I　stand　here　today；　grateful　for　the　diversity　of　my　heritage；　aware　that　my　parents'　dreams　live　on　in　my　precious　daughters。　I　stand　here　knowing　that　my　story　is　part　of　the　larger　American　story；　that　I　owe　a　debt　to　all　of　those　who　came　before　me；　and　that；　in　no　other　country　on　earth；　is　my　story　even　possible。　Tonight；　we　gather　to　affirm　the　greatness　of　our　nation；　not　because　of　the　height　of　our　skyscrapers；　or　the　power　of　our　military；　or　the　size　of　our　economy。　Our　pride　is　based　on　a　very　simple　premise；　summed　up　in　a　declaration　made　over　two　hundred　years　ago；　〃We　hold　these　truths　to　he　self…evident；　that　all　men　are　created　equal。　That　they　are　endowed　by　their　Creator　with　certain　inalienable　rights。　That　among　these　are　life；　liberty　and　the　pursuit　of　happiness。〃书包　网　。　想看书来

基调演讲（4）
That　is　the　true　genius　of　America；　a　faith　in　the　simple　dreams　of　its　people；　the　insistence　on　small　miracles。　That　we　can　tuck　in　our　children　at　night　and　know　they　are　fed　and　clothed　and　safe　from　harm。　That　we　can　say　what　we　think；　write　what　we　think；　without　hearing　a　sudden　knock　on　the　door。　That　we　can　have　an　idea　and　start　our　own　business　without　paying　a　bribe　or　hiring　somebody's　son。　That　we　can　participate　in　the　political　process　without　fear　of　retribution；　and　that　our　votes　will　he　counted　…　or　at　least；　most　of　the　time。
　　This　year；　in　this　election；　we　are　called　to　reaffirm　our　values　and　mitments；　to　hold　them　against　a　hard　reality　and　see　how　we　are　measuring　up；　to　the　legacy　of　our　forbearers；　and　the　promise　of　future　generations。　And　fellow　Americans　…　Democrats；　Republicans；　Independents　…　I　say　to　you　tonight：　we　have　more　work　to　do。　More　to　do　for　the　workers　I　met　in　Galesburg；　Illinois；　who　are　losing　their　union　jobs　at　the　Maytag　plant　that's　moving　to　Mexico；　and　now　are　having　to　pete　with　their　own　children　for　jobs　that　pay　seven　bucks　an　hour。　More　to　do　for　the　father　I　met　who　was　losing　his　job　and　choking　back　tears；　wondering　how　he　would　pay　4；500　a　month　for　the　drugs　his　son　needs　without　the　health　benefits　he　counted　on。　More　to　do　for　the　young　woman　in　East　St。　Louis；　and　thousands　more　like　her；　who　has　the　grades；　has　the　drive；　has　the　will；　but　doesn't　have　the　money　to　go　to　college。
　　Don't　get　me　wrong。　The　people　I　meet　in　small　towns　and　big　cities；　in　diners　and　office　parks；　they　don't　expect　government　to　solve　all　their　problems。　They　know　they　have　to　work　hard　to　get　ahead　and　they　want　to。　Go　into　the　collar　counties　around　Chicago；　and　people　will　tell　you　they　don't　want　their　tax　money　wasted　by　a　welfare　agency　or　the　Pentagon。　Go　into　any　inner　city　neighborhood；　and　folks　will　tell　you　that　government　alone　can't　teach　kids　to　learn。　They　know　that　parents　have　to　parent；　that　children　can't　achieve　unless　we　raise　their　expectations　and　turn　off　the　television　sets　and　eradicate　the　slander　that　says　a　black　youth　with　a　book　is　acting　white。　No；　people　don't　expect　government　to　solve　all　their　problems。　But　they　sense；　deep　in　their　bones；　that　with　just　a　change　in　priorities；　we　can　make　sure　that　every　child　in　America　has　a　decent　shot　at　life；　and　that　the　doors　of　opportunity　remain　open　to　all。　They　know　we　can　do　better。　And　they　want　that　choice。
　　In　this　election；　we　offer　that　choice。　Our　party　has　chosen　a　man　to　lead　us　who　embodies　the　best　this　country　has　to　offer。　That　man　is　John　Kerry。　John　Kerry　understands　the　ideals　of　munity；　faith；　and　sacrifice；　because　they've　defined　his　life。　From　his　heroic　service　in　Vietnam　to　his　years　as　prosecutor　and　lieutenant　governor；　through　two　decades　in　the　United　States　Senate；　he　has　devoted　himself　to　this　country。　Again　and　again；　we've　seen　him　make　tough　choices　when　easier　ones　were　available。　His　values　and　his　record　affirm　what　is　best　in　us。
　　John　Kerry　believes　in　an　America　where　hard　work　is　rewarded。　So　instead　of　offering　tax　breaks　to　panies　shipping　jobs　overseas；　he'll　offer　them　to　panies　creating　jobs　here　at　home。　John　Kerry　believes　in　an　America　where　all　Americans　can　afford　the　same　health　coverage　our　politicians　in　Washington　have　for　themselves。　John　Kerry　believes　in　energy　independence；　so　we　aren't　held　hostage　to　the　profits　of　oil　panies　or　the　sabotage　of　foreign　oil　fields。　John　Kerry　believes　in　the　constitutional　freedoms　that　have　made　our　country　the　envy　of　the　world；　and　he　will　never　sacrifice　our　basic　liberties　nor　use　faith　as　a　wedge　to　divide　us。　And　John　Kerry　believes　that　in　a　dangerous　world；　war　must　be　an　option；　but　it　should　never　he　the　first　option。

基调演讲（5）
A　while　back；　I　met　a　young　man　named　Shamus　at　the　VFW　Hall　in　East　Moline；　Illinois。　He　was　a　good…looking　kid；　six…two　or　six…three；　clear…eyed；　with　an　easy　smile。　He　told　me　he'd　joined　the　Marines　and　was　heading　to　Iraq　the　following　week。　As　I　listened　to　him　explain　why　he'd　enlisted；　his　absolute　faith　in　our　country　and　its　leaders；　his　devotion　to　duty　and　service；　I　thought　this　young　man　was　all　any　of　us　might　hope　for　in　a　child。　But　then　I　asked　myself：　Are　we　serving　Shamus　as　well　as　he　was　serving　us？　I　thought　of　more　than　900　service　men　and　women；　sons　and　daughters；　husbands　and　wives；　friends　and　neighbors；　who　will　not　be　returning　to　their　hometowns。　I　thought　of　families　I　had　met　who　were　struggling　to　get　by　without　a　loved　one's　full　ine；　or　whose　loved　ones　had　returned　with　a　limb　missing　or　with　nerves　shattered；　but　who　still　lacked　long…term　health　benefits　because　they　were　reservists。　When　we　send　our　young　men　and　women　into　harm's　way；　we　have　a　solemn　obligation　not　to　fudge　the　numbers　or　shade　the　truth　about　why　they're　going；　to　care　for　their　families　while　they're　gone；　to　tend　to　the　soldiers　upon　their　return；　and　to　never　ever　go　to　war　without　enough　troops　to　win　the　war；　secure　the　peace；　and　earn　the　respect　of　the　world。
　　Now　let　me　be　clear。　We　have　real　enemies　in　the　world。　These　enemies　must　be　found。　They　must　be　pursued　and　they　must　be　defeated。　John　Kerry　knows　this。　And　just　as　Lieutenant　Kerry　did　not　hesitate　to　risk　his　life　to　protect　the　men　who　served　with　him　in　Vietnam；　President　Kerry　will　not　hesitate　one　moment　to　use　our　military　might　to　keep　America　safe　and　secure。　John　Kerry　believes　in　America。　And　he　knows　it's　not　enough　for　just　some　of　us　to　prosper。　For　alongside　our　famous　individualism；　there's　another　ingredient　in　the　American　saga。
　　A　belief　that　we　are　connected　as　one　people。　If　there's　a　child　on　the　south　side　of　Chicago　who　can't　read；　that　matters　to　me；　even　if　it's　not　my　child。　If　there's　a　senior　citizen　somewhere　who　can't　pay　for　her　prescription　and　has　to　choose　between　medicine　and　the　rent；　that　makes　my　life　poorer；　even　if　it's　not　my　grandmother。　If　there's　an　Arab　American　family　being　rounded　up　without　benefit　of　an　att