布什就职演说英文版.docx

布什就职演说英文版.docx

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布什就职演说英文版

布什就职演说（英文版）

ChiefJusticeRehnquist,PresidentCarter,PresidentBush,President

Clinton,distinguishedguestsandmyfellowcitizens,thepeaceful

transferofauthorityisrareinhistory,yetcommoninourcountry.With

asimpleoath,weaffirmoldtraditionsandmakenewbeginnings.

AsIbegin,IthankPresidentClintonforhisservicetoournation.

AndIthankVicePresidentGoreforacontestconductedwithspiritand

endedwithgrace.

Iamhonoredandhumbledtostandhere,wheresomanyofAmerica'sleaders

havecomebeforeme,andsomanywillfollow.

Wehaveaplace,allofus,inalongstory--astorywecontinue,but

whoseendwewillnotsee.Itisthestoryofanewworldthatbecamea

friendandliberatoroftheold,astoryofaslave-holdingsocietythat

becameaservantoffreedom,thestoryofapowerthatwentintotheworld

toprotectbutnotpossess,todefendbutnottoconquer.

ItistheAmericanstory--astoryofflawedandfalliblepeople,united

acrossthegenerationsbygrandandenduringideals.

ThegrandestoftheseidealsisanunfoldingAmericanpromisethat

everyonebe

longs,thateveryonedeservesachance,thatnoinsignificantpersonwas

ever

born.

Americansarecalledtoenactthispromiseinourlivesandinourlaws.

Andt

houghournationhassometimeshalted,andsometimesdelayed,wemust

follown

oothercourse.

Throughmuchofthelastcentury,America'sfaithinfreedomanddemocracy

was

arockinaragingsea.Nowitisaseeduponthewind,takingrootin

manynations.

Ourdemocraticfaithismorethanthecreedofourcountry,itisthe

inbornh

opeofourhumanity,anidealwecarrybutdonotown,atrustwebearand

passalong.Andevenafternearly225years,wehavealongwayyetto

travel.

Whilemanyofourcitizensprosper,othersdoubtthepromise,eventhe

justice,ofourowncountry.TheambitionsofsomeAmericansarelimited

byfailingschoolsandhiddenprejudiceandthecircumstancesoftheir

birth.Andsometimesourdifferencesrunsodeep,itseemswesharea

continent,butnotacountry.

Wedonotacceptthis,andwewillnotallowit.Ourunity,ourunion,is

theseriousworkofleadersandcitizensineverygeneration.Andthisis

mysolemnpledge:

Iwillworktobuildasinglenationofjusticeand

opportunity.

Iknowthisisinourreachbecauseweareguidedbyapowerlargerthan

ourselveswhocreatesusequalinHisimage.

Andweareconfidentinprinciplesthatuniteandleadusonward.

Americahasneverbeenunitedbybloodorbirthorsoil.Weareboundby

idealsthatmoveusbeyondourbackgrounds,liftusaboveourinterests

andteachuswhatitmeanstobecitizens.Everychildmustbetaught

theseprinciples.E

verycitizenmustupholdthem.Andeveryimmigrant,byembracingthese

ideals,makesourcountrymore,notless,American.

Today,weaffirmanewcommitmenttoliveoutournation'spromisethrough

civility,courage,compassionandcharacter.

America,atitsbest,matchesacommitmenttoprinciplewithaconcernfor

civility.Acivilsocietydemandsfromeachofusgoodwillandrespect,

fairdealingandforgiveness.

Someseemtobelievethatourpoliticscanaffordtobepettybecause,in

atimeofpeace,thestakesofourdebatesappearsmall.

ButthestakesforAmericaareneversmall.Ifourcountrydoesnotlead

thecauseoffreedom,itwillnotbeled.Ifwedonotturntheheartsof

childrentowardknowledgeandcharacter,wewilllosetheirgiftsand

underminetheiridealism.Ifwepermitoureconomytodriftanddecline,

thevulnerablewillsu

ffermost.

Wemustliveuptothecallingweshare.Civilityisnotatacticora

sentiment.Itisthedeterminedchoiceoftrustovercynicism,of

communityoverchaos.Andthiscommitment,ifwekeepit,isawayto

sharedaccomplishment.

America,atitsbest,isalsocourageous.

Ournationalcouragehasbeenclearintimesofdepressionandwar,when

defendingcommondangersdefinedourcommongood.Nowwemustchooseif

theexampleofourfathersandmotherswillinspireusorcondemnus.We

mustshowcourageinatimeofblessingbyconfrontingproblemsinsteadof

passingthemonto

futuregenerations.

Together,wewillreclaimAmerica'sschools,beforeignoranceandapathy

claimmoreyounglives.

WewillreformSocialSecurityandMedicare,sparingourchildrenfrom

struggleswehavethepowertoprevent.Andwewillreducetaxes,to

recoverthemomentumofoureconomyandrewardtheeffortandenterprise

ofworkingAmericans.

Wewillbuildourdefensesbeyondchallenge,lestweaknessinvite

challenge.

Wewillconfrontweaponsofmassdestruction,sothatanewcenturyis

spared

newhorrors.

Theenemiesoflibertyandourcountryshouldmakenomistake:

America

remainsengagedintheworldbyhistoryandbychoice,shapingabalance

ofpowertha

tfavorsfreedom.Wewilldefendouralliesandourinterests.Wewill

showpurposewithoutarrogance.Wewillmeetaggressionandbadfaithwith

resolveandstrength.Andtoallnations,wewillspeakforthevalues

thatgaveournationbirth.

America,atitsbest,iscompassionate.InthequietofAmerican

conscience,weknowthatdeep,persistentpovertyisunworthyofour

nation'spromise.

Andwhateverourviewsofitscause,wecanagreethatchildrenatrisk

arenotatfault.AbandonmentandabusearenotactsofGod,theyare

failuresoflo

ve.

Andtheproliferationofprisons,howevernecessary,isnosubstitutefor

hopeandorderinoursouls.

Wherethereissuffering,thereisduty.Americansinneedarenot

strangers,theyarecitizens,notproblems,butpriorities.Andallofus

arediminishedwhenanyarehopeless.

Governmenthasgreatresponsibilitiesforpublicsafetyandpublichealth,

forcivilrightsandcommonschools.Yetcompassionistheworkofa

nation,notjustagovernment.

Andsomeneedsandhurtsaresodeeptheywillonlyrespondtoamentor's

touchorapastor'sprayer.Churchandcharity,synagogueandmosquelend

ourcommunitiestheirhumanity,andtheywillhaveanhonoredplaceinour

plansandinourlaws.

Manyinourcountrydonotknowthepainofpoverty,butwecanlistento

thosewhodo.

AndIcanpledgeournationtoagoal:

Whenweseethatwoundedtraveler

ontheroadtoJericho,wewillnotpasstotheotherside.

America,atitsbest,isaplacewherepersonalresponsibilityisvalued

andexpected.

Encouragingresponsibilityisnotasearchforscapegoats,itisacallto

concience.Andthoughitrequiressacrifice,itbringsadeeper

fulfillment.Wefindthefullnessoflifenotonlyinoptions,butin

commitments.Andwefindthatchildrenandcommunityarethecommitments

thatsetusfree.

Ourpublicinterestdependsonprivatecharacter,oncivicdutyandfamily

bondsandbasicfairness,onuncounted,unhonoredactsofdecencywhich

givedirectiontoourfreedom.

Sometimesinlifewearecalledtodogreatthings.Butasasaintofour

timeshassaid,everydaywearecalledtodosmallthingswithgreat

love.Themostimportanttasksofademocracyaredonebyeveryone.

Iwillliveandleadbytheseprinciples:

toadvancemyconvictionswith

civility,topursuethepublicinterestwithcourage,tospeakforgreater

justiceandcompassion,tocallforresponsibilityandtrytoliveitas

well.

Inalltheseways,Iwillbringthevaluesofourhistorytothecareof

ourtimes.

Whatyoudoisasimportantasanythinggovernmentdoes.Iaskyoutoseek

acommongoodbeyondyourcomfort;todefendneededreformsagainsteasy

attacks;

toserveyournation,beginningwithyourneighbor.Iaskyoutobe

citizens:

citizens,notspectators;citizens,notsubjects;responsiblecitizens,

buildingcommunitiesofserviceandanationofcharacter.

Americansaregenerousandstronganddecent,notbecausewebelievein

ourselves,butbecauseweholdbeliefsbeyondourselves.Whenthisspirit

ofcitizenshipismissing,nogovernmentprogramcanreplaceit.Whenthis

spiritispre

sent,nowrongcanstandagainstit.

AftertheDeclarationofIndependencewassigned,VirginiastatesmanJohn

PagewrotetoThomasJefferson:

"Weknowtheraceisnottotheswiftnor

thebatt

letothestrong.Doyounotthinkanangelridesinthewhirlwindand

directsthisstorm?

"

MuchtimehaspassedsinceJeffersonarrivedforhisinauguration.The

yearsandchangesaccumulate.Butthethemesofthisdayhewouldknow:

ournation'sgrandstoryofcourageanditssimpledreamofdignity.

Wearenotthisstory'sauthor,whofillstimeandeternitywithhis

purpose.

Yethispurposeisachievedinourduty,andourdutyisfulfilledin

servicetooneanother.

Nevertiring,neveryielding,neverfinishing,werenewthatpurpose

today,tomakeourcountrymorejustandgenerous,toaffirmthedignity

ofourlivesandeverylife.

Thisworkcontinues.Thisstorygoeson.Andanangelstillridesinthe

whirlwindanddirectsthisstorm.

Godblessyouall,andGodblessAmerica.