奥巴马的911演讲稿8篇

时间:2023-07-11 作者:lcbkmm

写一篇演讲稿,阐述你的观点与思考,演讲稿是增进自己与他人之间感情最有用的方式,下面是淘范文网小编为您分享的奥巴马的911演讲稿8篇,感谢您的参阅。

奥巴马的911演讲稿8篇

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇1

我读了奥巴马总统的信之后总结了一个道理,那就是要想实现你的梦想那你就必须坚持。

你可以想象坚持就是一把钥匙,而你需要打开梦想这扇走向光明的门,你试过了好多的钥匙,可是,都打不开梦想这扇门。而你有一次试到了坚持,这是唯一可以插进去的一把钥匙,你必须得珍惜这把钥匙,所以你要不断的坚持,心里想:“总有一天,我会打开这扇梦想之门。总有一天,我会看到光明。”

这扇梦想之门里有无数种选择,例如;医生、老师、科学家、企业家、军人……

而成功的人也有很多,例如; 像电灯发明者爱迪生,他用了成百上千次的实验,最终发明出了能持久照亮的电灯,因为以前他找不到可以持久耐高温的材料。想想,成百上千次的实验,成百上千次的失败,但爱迪生并没有放弃,而是坚持了下来,才造就了成功。

像飞机的发明者莱特兄弟,他们从小就有个飞行的梦想,他们经过不断地实验,失败,终于成功了,发明了世界上第一架飞机――飞行者1号,进行了第一次试飞,飞行了12秒,36.5米。

而他们都是经过无限的坚持,才打开了这扇光明之门。

这就是坚持的力量,只要你坚持认真努力。就一定可以成功、实现梦想!

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇2

—我们为什么要上学(精编版)

hello, everybody! thank you. thankyou. thank you, everybody. all right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. how is everybody doing today? how about timspicer? i am here with students at wakefieldhigh school in arlington, virginia.and we've got students tuning in from all acrossamerica, from kindergarten through12th grade. and i am just so glad that all could join us today. and i want tothank wakefieldfor being such an outstanding host. give yourselves a big round of applause.

嗨,大家好!你们今天过得怎么样?我现在和弗吉尼亚州阿林顿郡韦克菲尔德高中的学生们在一起,全国各地也有从幼儿园到高三的众多学生们通过电视关注这里,我很高兴你们能共同分享这一时刻。

i know that for many of you, todayis the first day of school. and for those of you in kindergarten, or startingmiddle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it'sunderstandable if you're a little nervous. i imagine there are some seniors outthere who are feeling pretty good right now -- (applause) -- with just one moreyear to go. and no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probablywishing it were still summer and you could've stayed in bed just a little bitlonger this morning.

我知道,对你们中的许多人来说,今天是开学的第一天,你们中的有一些刚刚进入幼儿园或升上初高中,对你们来说,这是在新学校的第一天,因此,假如你们感到有些紧张,那也是很正常的。我想也会有许多毕业班的学生们正自信满满地准备最后一年的冲刺。不过,我想无论你有多大、在读哪个年级,许多人都打心底里希望现在还在放暑假,以及今天不用那么早起床。

i know that feeling. when i wasyoung, my family lived overseas. i lived inindonesiafor a few years. and mymother, she didn't have the money to send me where all the american kids wentto school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an americaneducation. so she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, monday throughfriday. but because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at4:30 in the morning.

我可以理解这份心情。小时候,我们家在印度尼西亚住过几年,而我妈妈没钱送我去其他美国孩子们上学的地方去读书,因此她决定自己给我上课——时间是每周一到周五的凌晨4点半。

that's why today i'm calling oneach of you to set your own goals for your education -- and do everything youcan to meet them. your goal can be something as simple as doing all yourhomework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading abook. maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, orvolunteer in your community. maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who arebeing teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because youbelieve, like i do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to studyand learn. maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can bemore ready to learn. and along those lines, by the way, i hope all of you arewashing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don'tfeel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

因此,在今天,我号召你们每一个人都为自己的教育定下一个目标——并在之后,尽自己的一切努力去实现它。你的目标可以很简单,像是完成作业、认真听讲或每天阅读——或许你打算参加一些课外活动,或在社区做些志愿工作;或许你决定为那些因为长相或出身等等原因而受嘲弄或欺负的孩子做主、维护他们的权益,因为你和我一样,认为每个孩子都应该能有一个安全的学习环境;或许你认为该学着更好的照顾自己,来为将来的学习做准备……当然,除此之外,我希望你们都多多洗手、感到身体不舒服的时候要多在家休息,免得大家在秋冬感冒高发季节都得流感。

no one's born being good at allthings. you become good at things through hard work. you're not a varsityathlete the first time you play a new sport. you don't hit every note the firsttime you sing a song. you've got to practice. the same principle applies toyour schoolwork. you might have to do a math problem a few times before you getit right. you might have to read something a few times before you understandit. you definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enoughto hand in.

没有哪一个人一生出来就擅长做什么事情的,只有努力才能培养出技能。任何人都不是在第一次接触一项体育运动时就成为校队的代表,任何人都不是在第一次唱一首歌时就找准每一个音,一切都需要熟能生巧。对于学业也是一样,你或许要反复运算才能解出一道数学题的正确答案,你或许需要读一段文好几遍才能理解它的意思,你或许得把论文改上好几次才能符合提交的标准。这都是很正常的。

so today, i want to ask all of you, what's your contribution goingto be? what problems are you going to solve? what discoveries will you make?what will a president who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about whatall of you did for this country?

因此,今天我想要问你们,你们会做出什么样的贡献?你们将解决什么样的难题?你们能发现什么样的事物?二十、五十或百年之后,假如那时的美国总统也来做一次开学演讲的话,他会怎样描述你们对这个国家所做的一切?

now, your families, your teachers, and i are doing everything wecan to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. i'mworking hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipmentand the computers you need to learn. but you've got to do your part, too. so iexpect all of you to get serious this year. i expect you to put your besteffort into everything you do. i expect great things from each of you. so don'tlet us down. don't let your family down or your country down. most of all,don't let yourself down. make us all proud.

你们的家长、你们的老师和我,每一个人都在尽最大的努力,确保你们都能得到应有的教育来回答这些问题。例如我正在努力为你们提供更安全的教室、更多的书籍、更先进的设施与计算机。但你们也要担起自己的责任。因此我要求你们在今年能够认真起来,我要求你们尽心地去做自己着手的每一件事,我要求你们每一个人都有所成就。请不要让我们失望——不要让你的家人、你的国家和你自己失望。你们要成为我们骄傲,我知道,你们一定可以做到。

thank you verymuch,everybody.god bless you.god blessamerica.thank you.

谢谢大家,上帝保佑你们,上帝保佑美国。

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇3

this is a defining moment in our history. we face the worst economic crisis since the great depression -- 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. businesses and families can't get credit. home values are falling, and pensions are disappearing. wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the costs of health care and college have never been higher.

at a moment like this, we can't afford four more years of spending increases, poorly designed tax cuts, or the complete lack of regulatory oversight that even former federal reserve chairman alan greenspan now believes was a mistake. america needs a new direction. that's why i'm running for president of the united states.

tomorrow, you can give this country the change we need.

my opponent, senator mccain, has served his country honorably. he can even point to a few moments in the past where he has broken from his party. but over the past eight years, he's voted with president bush 90% of the time. and when it comes to the economy, he still can't tell the american people one major thing he'd do differently from george bush.

it's not change to come up with a tax plan that doesn't give a penny of relief to more than 100 million middle-class americans -- a plan that even the national review and other conservative organizations complain does far too little to benefit the middle class. it's not change to add more than $5 trillion to the deficits we've run up in recent years. it's not change to come up with a plan to address our housing crisis that puts another $300 billion of taxpayer money at risk -- a plan that the editorial board of this newspaper said 'raises more questions than it answers.'

if there's one thing we've learned from this economic crisis, it's that we are all in this together. from ceos to shareholders, from financiers to factory workers, we all have a stake in each other's success because the more americans prosper, the more america prospers.

that's why we've had titans of industry who've made it their mission to pay well enough that their employees could afford the products they made -- businessmen like warren buffett, whose support i'm proud to have. that's why our economy hasn't just been the world's greatest wealth creator -- it's been the world's greatest job generator. it's been the tide that has lifted the boats of the largest middle class in history. to rebuild that middle class, i'll give a tax break to 95% of workers and their families. if you work, pay taxes, and make less than $200,000, you'll get a tax cut. if you make more than $250,000, you'll still pay taxes at a lower rate than in the 1990s and capital gains and dividend taxes one-third lower than they were under president reagan.

we'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and laying broadband lines that reach every corner of the country. i'll invest $15 billion a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating five million new, green jobs that pay well, can't be outsourced, and can help end our dependence on middle east oil. when it comes to health care, we don't have to choose between a government-run system and the unaffordable one we have now. my opponent's plan would make you pay taxes on your health-care benefits for the first time in history. my plan will make health care affordable and accessible for every american. if you already have health insurance, the only change you'll see under my plan is lower premiums. if you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of plan that members of congress get for themselves.

to give every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, i'll invest in early childhood education and recruit an army of new teachers. but i'll also demand higher standards and more accountability. and we'll make a deal with every young american: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition.

and when it comes to keeping this country safe, i'll end the iraq war responsibly so we stop spending $10 billion a month in iraq while it sits on a huge surplus. for the sake of our economy, our military and the long-term stability of iraq, it's time for the iraqis to step up. i'll finally finish the fight against bin laden and the al qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11, build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and restore our moral standing so that america remains the last, best hope of earth.

none of this will be easy. it won't happen overnight. but i believe we can do this because i believe in america. this is the country that allowed our parents and

grandparents to believe that even if they couldn't go to college, they could save a little bit each week so their child could; that even if they couldn't have their own business, they could work hard enough so their child could open one of their own. and at every moment in our history, we've risen to meet our challenges because we've never forgotten the fundamental truth that in america, our destiny is not written for us, but by us. so tomorrow, i ask you to write our nation's next great chapter. i ask you to believe -- not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours. tomorrow, you can choose policies that invest in our middle class, create new jobs, and grow this economy so that everyone has a chance to succeed. you can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo. if you give me your vote, we won't just win this election -- together, we will change this country and change the world.

现在是美国历史的关键时刻。我们面临着大萧条以来最为严重的一场经济危机:今年以来已经有76万人失业;企业和家庭无法获得信贷;房价不断下滑,养老金日益缩水;工资降到了十年来的最低水平,同时医疗和教育成本却涨到了有史以来的点。

在眼下这样的危急时刻,我们承受不起又一个四年的支出增长、千疮百孔的减税措施、或是监管全无──即使是美国联邦储备委员会(fed)前主席格林斯潘(alan greenspan)现在也承认那是个错误。美国需要一个新的方向。这也正是我竞选美国总统的原因所在。

明天,也就是周二,你们将有能力赋予这个国家我们所需要的变革。

corbis我的竞选对手麦凯恩参议员为美国作出的贡献令人尊敬。他甚至可以指出他过去曾有几次与自己的党派分道扬镳。然而,在过去八年中,他十之都赞同布什总统的主张。而在经济问题上,他仍然无法向美国民众说明,他与布什的做法会有什么太大区别。

如果提出的税收计划没有让1亿多美国中产阶级获得一分钱的税项减免,这不是变革──即使是《国家评论》(national review)杂志和其他保守派组织也抱怨说,这个计划对造福中产阶级贡献寥寥。在近年来不断累积的财政赤字上再添5万亿美元,这不是变革。如果解决房市危机的计划又将另外3,000亿美元纳税人的钱置于风险之中,这不是变革──《华尔街日报》编辑委员会称这一计划“产生的问题比解决的问题多”。

如果说我们从此次经济危机中学到了什么的话,那就是我们要患难与共。从首席执行长到公司股东,从金融家到工厂工人,我们每个人都休戚相关,因为美国的民众越富足,美国才会越繁荣。

这就是为什么我们有些企业巨头把提高员工薪酬作为自己的一项使命,让员工能买得起自己生产的产品,比如巴菲特(warren buffett)这样的商界人士。我对能有他的支持感到自豪。这就是为什么美国经济不仅是世界上最伟大的财富创造者,也是世界上最伟大的就业机会制造者。它一直托举着有史以来规模的中产阶级之舟。

为了重塑美国中产阶级,我将给予95%的工人及其家庭税收减免待遇。如果你工作,就交税;如果年收入不足20万美元,你会获得减税;即使你的年收入超过了25万美元,你所负担的税率也比上世纪九十年代要低──资本利得税和股息税要比里根总统时期低三分之一。

通过重建日益破败的基础设施、在美国的各个角落接通宽带,我们将创造200万个就业岗位。未来的十年中,我将每年在可再生能源领域投资150亿美元,进而新增500万个岗位;这些工作环保、薪酬丰厚、不能外包,而且能帮助我们摆脱对中东石油的依赖。

在医疗问题上,我们不必在政府运营的体系和目前这种我们难以负担的体系之间进行选择。我的竞选对手提出的方案会令美国人有史以来首次为自己获得的医疗福利纳税。我的计划则会让医疗保健成为每个美国人都负担得起、享受得到的服务。根据我的计划,如果你已经有了医疗保险,你将看到的一个变化是保费降低;如果你还没有医疗保险,你将能与国会议员们享受到同样的医疗福利。

为了让每个孩子享受到的教育,让他们能在全球经济中竞争21世纪的工作岗位,我将投资早期教育,并且增加师资力量。不过,我同时也会要求更高的标准和更多的责任。我们向每个美国年轻人作出承诺:如果你致力于服务你的社区或是你的国家,我们将确保你能负担得起自己的学费。

在国防安全问题上,我将负责任地结束伊拉克战争,这样我们就不必在这个国家享有巨额财政盈余的情况下每月却要在那里花费100亿美元。为了美国的经济、美国的军队和伊拉克的长期稳定,现在是伊拉克人站出来的时候了。我将最终完成对本·拉登(bin laden)和基地组织的打击,正是这些人制造了9/11,同时我还会建立新的合作关系、击退21世纪出现的威胁,恢复我们的道德威望,让美国仍然是地球上最后也是的希望。

这些事情没有一件是轻而易举能办到的,也不是一朝一夕能完成的。但是,我坚信我们能成功,因为我对美国深信不疑。是美国使我们的父辈相信,即使他们自己无法上大学,也可以每周积攒下一些钱来,让他们的孩子接受好的教育;即使他们不能拥有自己的企业,也可以通过努力工作让自己的孩子创办企业。在美国历史的每个时刻,我们都勇敢地站起来面对挑战,因为我们从来没有忘记过这样一个基本真理:在美国,我们的命运并非天定,而是掌握在我们自己的手中。 所以,明天,我恳请你们书写美国下一个伟大的 篇章。我恳请你们不只相信我带来变革的能力,还有你们自己的能力。明天,你们可以选择这样一种政策──向美国中产阶级进行投入、创造新的就业岗位、实现经济增长让人人都有成功的机会。你们可以选择希望而非恐惧、选择团结而非分裂、选择变革的希望而非墨守成规。如果你们投我的票,我们将不仅赢得此次竞选,还将一起改变这个国家、改变这个世界。

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇4

谢谢,非常感谢大家。拜登副总统、首席大法官先生、国会议员们、尊敬的各位嘉宾、亲爱的公民们。(mr. obama: thank you. thank you so much. vice president biden, mr. chief justice, members of the united states congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:)

每一次我们集会庆祝总统就职都是在见证美国宪法的持久力量。我们都是在肯定美国民主的承诺。我们重申,将这个国家紧密联系在一起的不是我们的肤色,也不是我们信仰的教条,更不是我们名的来源。让我们与众不同,让我们成为美国人的是我们对于一种理念的恪守。200多年前,这一理念在一篇宣言中被清晰阐述:(each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our constitution. we affirm the promise of our democracy. we recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. what makes us exceptional –what makes us american – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:)

“我们认为下述真理是不言而喻的,人人生而平等。造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利,包括生存、自由和追求幸福的权利。”(“we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”)

今天,我们继续着这一未竟的征程,架起这些理念与我们时代现实之间的桥梁。因为历史告诉我们,即便这些真理是不言而喻的,它们也从来不会自动生效。因为虽然自由是上帝赋予的礼物,但仍需要世间的子民去捍卫。1776年,美国的爱国先驱们不是只为了推翻国王的暴政而战,也不是为赢得少数人的特权,建立暴民的统治。先驱们留给我们一个共和国,一个民有、民治、民享的政府。他们委托每一代美国人捍卫我们的建国信条。(today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. for history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from god, it must be secured by his people here on earth. the patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. they gave to us a republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.)

在过去的200多年里,我们做到了。(for more than two hundred years, we have.)

从奴役的血腥枷锁和刀剑的血光厮杀中我们懂得了,建立在自由与平等原则之上的联邦不能永远维持半奴隶和半自由的状态。我们赢得了新生,誓言共同前进。(through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. we made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.)

我们共同努力,建立起现代的经济体系。架设铁路与高速公路,加速了旅行和商业交流。建立学校与大学,培训我们的工人。(together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers。)

我们一起发现,自由市场的繁荣只能建立在保障竞争与公平竞争的原则之上。(together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.)

我们共同决定让这个伟大的国家远离危险,保护她的人民不受生命威胁和不幸的侵扰。(together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.)

一路走来,我们从未放弃对集权的质疑。我们同样不屈服于这一谎言:一切的社会弊端都能够只靠政府来解决。我们对积极向上与奋发进取的赞扬,我们对努力工作与个人责任的坚持,这些都是美国精神的基本要义。(through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character.)

我们也理解,时代在变化,我们同样需要变革。对建国精神的忠诚,需要我们肩负起新的责任,迎接新的挑战。保护我们的个人自由,最终需要所有人的共同努力。 因为美国人不能再独力迎接当今世界的挑战,正如美国士兵们不能再像先辈一样,用步枪和民兵同敌人(法西斯主义与共产主义)作战。一个人无法培训所有的数学与科学老师,我们需要他们为了未来去教育孩子们。一个人无法建设道路、铺设网络、建立实验室来为国内带来新的工作岗位和商业机会。现在,与以往任何时候相比,我们都更需要团结合作。作为一个国家,一个民族团结起来。

(but we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges;that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. for the american people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than american soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. no single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation,and one people.)

这一代美国人经历了危机的考验,经济危机坚定了我们的决心,证明了我们的恢复力。长达十年的战争正在结束,经济的复苏已经开始。美国的可能性是无限的,因为我们拥有当今没有边界的世界所需要的所有品质:年轻与活力、多样性与开放、无穷的冒险精神以及创造的天赋才能。我亲爱的同胞们,我们正是为此刻而生,我们更要在此刻团结一致,抓住当下的机会。(this generation of americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. a decade of war is now ending. an economic recovery has begun. america’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive;diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention.my fellow americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.)

因为我们,美国人民,清楚如果只有不断萎缩的少数人群体获得成功,而大多数人不能成功,我们的国家就无法成功。我们相信,美国的繁荣必须建立在不断上升的中产阶级的宽阔臂膀之上,我们知道美国的繁荣只有这样才能实现。只有当每个人都能找到工作中的自立与自豪时才能实现。只有当诚实劳动获得的薪水足够让家庭摆脱困苦的悬崖时才能实现。我们忠诚于我们的事业,保证让一个出生于最贫穷环境中的小女孩都能知道,她有同其他所有人一样的成功机会。因为她是一个美国人,她是自由的、平等的。她的自由平等不仅由上帝来见证,更由我们亲手保护。(for we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. we believe that america’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. we know that america thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. we are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an american, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of god but also in our own.)

我们知道,我们已然陈旧的程序不足以满足时代的需要。我们必须应用新理念和新技术重塑我们的政府,改进我们的税法,改革我们的学校,让我们的公民拥有他们所需要的技能,更加努力地工作,学更多的知识,向更高处发展。这意味着变革,我们的目标是:国家可以奖励每个美国人的努力和果断。这是现在需要的。这将给我们的信条赋予真正的意义。(we understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. we must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. but while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single american. that is what this moment requires. that is what will give real meaning to our creed.)

我们,人民,仍然认为,每个公民都应当获得基本的安全和尊严。我们必须做出艰难抉择,降低医疗成本,缩减赤规模。但我们拒绝在照顾建设国家的这一代和投资即将建设国家的下一代间做出选择。因为我们记得过去的教训:老年人的夕阳时光在贫困中度过,家有残障儿童的父母无处求助。我们相信,在这个国家,自由不只是那些幸运儿的专属,或者说幸福只属于少数人。我们知道,不管我们怎样负责任地生活,我们任何人在任何时候都可能面临失业、突发疾病或住房被可怕的飓风摧毁的风险。 我们通过医疗保险、联邦医疗补助计划、社会保障项目向每个人做出承诺,这些不会让我们的创造力衰竭,而是会让我们更强大。这些不会让我们成为充满不劳而获者的国度,这些让我们敢于承担风险,让国家伟大。(we, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. we must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. but we reject the belief that america must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. for we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. we do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. we recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. the commitments we make to each other – through medicare, and medicaid, and social security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. they do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.)

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇5

奥巴马开学演讲稿(2) | 返回目录

hello, everybody! thank you. thank you. thank you, everybody. all right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. how is everybody doing today? (applause.) how about tim spicer? (applause.) i am here with students at wakefield high school in arlington, virginia. and we've got students tuning in from all across america, from kindergarten through 12th grade. and i am just so glad that all could join us today. and i want to thank wakefield for being such an outstanding host. give yourselves a big round of applause. (applause.)

i know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. and for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. i imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now -- (applause) -- with just one more year to go. and no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could've stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.

i know that feeling. when i was young, my family lived overseas. i lived in indonesia for a few years. and my mother, she didn't have the money to send me where all the american kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an american education. so she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, monday through friday. but because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.

now, as you might imagine, i wasn't too happy about getting up that early. and a lot of times, i'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. but whenever i'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she'd say, "this is no picnic for me either, buster." (laughter.)

so i know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. but i'm here today because i have something important to discuss with you. i'm here because i want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.

now, i've given a lot of speeches about education. and i've talked about responsibility a lot.

i've talked about teachers' responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.

i've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the tv or with the xbox.

i've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working, where students aren't getting the opportunities that they deserve.

but at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world -- and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed. that's what i want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.

i want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself. every single one of you has something that you're good at. every single one of you has something to offer. and you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. that's the opportunity an education can provide.

maybe you could be a great writer -- maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper -- but you might not know it until you write that english paper -- that english class paper that's assigned to you. maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor -- maybe even good enough to come up with the next iphone or the new medicine or vaccine -- but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class. maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a supreme court justice -- but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

and no matter what you want to do with your life, i guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. you want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? you want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? you're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. you cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job. you've got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.

and this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. what you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. the future of america depends on you. what you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

you'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and aids, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. you'll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. you'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

we need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. if you don't do that -- if you quit on school -- you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

now, i know it's not always easy to do well in school. i know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

i get it. i know what it's like. my father left my family when i was two years old, and i was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us the things that other kids had. there were times when i missed having a father in my life. there were times when i was lonely and i felt like i didn't fit in.

so i wasn't always as focused as i should have been on school, and i did some things i'm not proud of, and i got in more trouble than i should have. and my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

but i was -- i was lucky. i got a lot of second chances, and i had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams. my wife, our first lady michelle obama, she has a similar story. neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have a lot of money. but they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

some of you might not have those advantages. maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there's not enough money to go around. maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.

but at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life -- what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home -- none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school. that's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. there is no excuse for not trying.

where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. no one's written your destiny for you, because here in america, you write your own destiny. you make your own future.

that's what young people like you are doing every day, all across america.

young people like jazmin perez, from roma, texas. jazmin didn't speak english when she first started school. neither of her parents had gone to college. but she worked hard, earned good grades, and got a scholarship to brown university -- is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to becoming dr. jazmin perez.

i'm thinking about andoni schultz, from los altos, california, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. he's had to endure all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer -- hundreds of extra hours -- to do his schoolwork. but he never fell behind. he's headed to college this fall.

and then there's shantell steve, from my hometown of chicago, illinois. even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she managed to get a job at a local health care center, start a program to keep young people out of gangs, and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

and jazmin, andoni, and shantell aren't any different from any of you. they face challenges in their lives just like you do. in some cases they've got it a lot worse off than many of you. but they refused to give up. they chose to take responsibility for their lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves. and i expect all of you to do the same.

that's why today i'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education -- and do everything you can to meet them. your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading a book. maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like i do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn. maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. and along those lines, by the way, i hope all of you are washing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

but whatever you resolve to do, i want you to commit to it. i want you to really work at it.

i know that sometimes you get that sense from tv that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality tv star. chances are you're not going to be any of those things.

the truth is, being successful is hard. you won't love every subject that you study. you won't click with every teacher that you have. not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute. and you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

that's okay. some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. j.k. rowling's -- who wrote harry potter -- her first harry potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. michael jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. but he once said, "i have failed over and over and over again in my life. and that's why i succeed."

these people succeeded because they understood that you can't let your failures define you -- you have to let your failures teach you. you have to let them show you what to do differently the next time. so if you get into trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right. if you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

no one's born being good at all things. you become good at things through hard work. you're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. you don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. you've got to practice. the same principle applies to your schoolwork. you might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right. you might have to read something a few times before you understand it. you definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.

don't be afraid to ask questions. don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. i do that every day. asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength because it shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and that then allows you to learn something new. so find an adult that you trust -- a parent, a grandparent or teacher, a coach or a counselor -- and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

and even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don't ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

the story of america isn't about people who quit when things got tough. it's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

it's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation. young people. students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded google and twitter and facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

so today, i want to ask all of you, what's your contribution going to be? what problems are you going to solve? what discoveries will you make? what will a president who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about what all of you did for this country?

now, your families, your teachers, and i are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. i'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipment and the computers you need to learn. but you've got to do your part, too. so i expect all of you to get serious this year. i expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. i expect great things from each of you. so don't let us down. don't let your family down or your country down. most of all, don't let yourself down. make us all proud.

thank you very much, everybody. god bless you. god bless america. thank you. (applause.)

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇6

hello, everybody! thank you. thankyou. thank you, everybody. all right, everybody go ahead and have a seat. how is everybody doing today? how about timspicer? i am here with students at wakefieldhigh school in arlington, virginia.and we've got students tuning in from all acrossamerica, from kindergarten through12th grade. and i am just so glad that all could join us today. and i want tothank wakefieldfor being such an outstanding host. give yourselves a big round of applause.

嗨,大家好!你们今天过得怎么样?我现在和弗吉尼亚州阿林顿郡韦克菲尔德高中的学生们在一起,全国各地也有从幼儿园到高三的众多学生们通过电视关注这里,我很高兴你们能共同分享这一时刻。

i know that for many of you, todayis the first day of school. and for those of you in kindergarten, or startingmiddle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it'sunderstandable if you're a little nervous. i imagine there are some seniors outthere who are feeling pretty good right now -- (applause) -- with just one moreyear to go. and no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probablywishing it were still summer and you could've stayed in bed just a little bitlonger this morning.

我知道,对你们中的许多人来说,今天是开学的第一天,你们中的有一些刚刚进入幼儿园或升上初高中,对你们来说,这是在新学校的第一天,因此,假如你们感到有些紧张,那也是很正常的。我想也会有许多毕业班的学生们正自信满满地准备最后一年的冲刺。不过,我想无论你有多大、在读哪个年级,许多人都打心底里希望现在还在放暑假,以及今天不用那么早起床。

i know that feeling. when i wasyoung, my family lived overseas. i lived inindonesiafor a few years. and mymother, she didn't have the money to send me where all the american kids wentto school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an americaneducation. so she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, monday throughfriday. but because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at4:30 in the morning.

我可以理解这份心情。小时候,我们家在印度尼西亚住过几年,而我妈妈没钱送我去其他美国孩子们上学的地方去读书,因此她决定自己给我上课——时间是每周一到周五的凌晨4点半。

that's why today i'm calling oneach of you to set your own goals for your education -- and do everything youcan to meet them. your goal can be something as simple as doing all yourhomework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading abook. maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, orvolunteer in your community. maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who arebeing teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because youbelieve, like i do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to studyand learn. maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can bemore ready to learn. and along those lines, by the way, i hope all of you arewashing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don'tfeel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

因此,在今天,我号召你们每一个人都为自己的教育定下一个目标——并在之后,尽自己的一切努力去实现它。你的目标可以很简单,像是完成作业、认真听讲或每天阅读——或许你打算参加一些课外活动,或在社区做些志愿工作;或许你决定为那些因为长相或出身等等原因而受嘲弄或欺负的孩子做主、维护他们的权益,因为你和我一样,认为每个孩子都应该能有一个安全的学习环境;或许你认为该学着更好的照顾自己,来为将来的学习做准备……当然,除此之外,我希望你们都多多洗手、感到身体不舒服的时候要多在家休息,免得大家在秋冬感冒高发季节都得流感。

no one's born being good at allthings. you become good at things through hard work. you're not a varsityathlete the first time you play a new sport. you don't hit every note the firsttime you sing a song. you've got to practice. the same principle applies toyour schoolwork. you might have to do a math problem a few times before you getit right. you might have to read something a few times before you understandit. you definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enoughto hand in.

没有哪一个人一生出来就擅长做什么事情的,只有努力才能培养出技能。任何人都不是在第一次接触一项体育运动时就成为校队的代表,任何人都不是在第一次唱一首歌时就找准每一个音,一切都需要熟能生巧。对于学业也是一样,你或许要反复运算才能解出一道数学题的正确答案,你或许需要读一段文好几遍才能理解它的意思,你或许得把论文改上好几次才能符合提交的标准。这都是很正常的。

so today, i want to ask all of you, what's your contribution goingto be? what problems are you going to solve? what discoveries will you make?what will a president who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about whatall of you did for this country?

因此,今天我想要问你们,你们会做出什么样的贡献?你们将解决什么样的难题?你们能发现什么样的事物?二十、五十或百年之后,假如那时的美国总统也来做一次开学演讲的话,他会怎样描述你们对这个国家所做的一切?

now, your families, your teachers, and i are doing everything wecan to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. i'mworking hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipmentand the computers you need to learn. but you've got to do your part, too. so iexpect all of you to get serious this year. i expect you to put your besteffort into everything you do. i expect great things from each of you. so don'tlet us down. don't let your family down or your country down. most of all,don't let yourself down. make us all proud.

你们的家长、你们的老师和我,每一个人都在尽最大的努力,确保你们都能得到应有的教育来回答这些问题。例如我正在努力为你们提供更安全的教室、更多的书籍、更先进的设施与计算机。但你们也要担起自己的责任。因此我要求你们在今年能够认真起来,我要求你们尽心地去做自己着手的每一件事,我要求你们每一个人都有所成就。请不要让我们失望——不要让你的家人、你的国家和你自己失望。你们要成为我们骄傲,我知道,你们一定可以做到。

thank you verymuch,everybody.god bless you.god blessamerica.thank you.

谢谢大家,上帝保佑你们,上帝保佑美国。

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇7

奥巴马励志演讲中英文对照

简介

9月8日是美国中小学统一开学的日子,奥巴马借此机会向全国的中小学生做了一次讲话,以下是白宫网站上预先发布的演讲稿全文的翻译。

奥巴马总统在开学日的讲话

弗吉尼亚州,阿林顿市,xx年9月8日

嗨,大家好!你们今天过得怎么样?我现在和弗吉尼亚州阿林顿郡韦克菲尔德高中的学生们在一起,全国各地也有从幼儿园到高三的众多学生们通过电视关注这里,我很高兴你们能共同分享这一时刻。

我知道,对你们中的许多人来说,今天是开学的第一天,你们中的有一些刚刚进入幼儿园或升上初高中,对你们来说,这是在新学校的第一天,因此,假如你们感到有些紧张,那也是很正常的。我想也会有许多毕业班的学生们正自信满满地准备最后一年的冲刺。不过,我想无论你有多大、在读哪个年级,许多人都打心底里希望现在还在放暑假,以及今天不用那么早起床。

我可以理解这份心情。小时候,我们家在印度尼西亚住过几年,而我妈妈没钱送我去其他美国孩子们上学的地方去读书,因此她决定自己给我上课——时间是每周一到周五的凌晨4点半。

显然,我不怎么喜欢那么早就爬起来,很多时候,我就这么在厨房的桌子前睡着了。每当我埋怨的时候,我妈总会用同一副表情看着我说:“小鬼,你以为教你我就很轻松?”

所以,我可以理解你们中的许多人对于开学还需要时间来调整和适应,但今天我站在这里,是为了和你们谈一些重要的事情。我要和你们谈一谈你们每个人的教育,以及在新的学年里,你们应当做些什么。

我做过许多关于教育的讲话,也常常用到“责任”这个词。

我谈到过教师们有责任激励和启迪你们,督促你们学习。

我谈到过家长们有责任看管你们认真学习、完成作业,不要成天只会看电视或打游戏机。

我也很多次谈到过政府有责任设定高标准严要求、协助老师和校长们的工作,改变在有些学校里学生得不到应有的学习机会的现状。

但哪怕这一切都达到最好,哪怕我们有最尽职的教师、最好的家长、和最优秀的学校,假如你们不去履行自己的责任的话,那么这一切努力都会白费。——除非你每天准时去上学、除非你认真地听老师讲课、除非你把父母、长辈和其他大人们说的话放在心上、除非你肯付出成功所必需的努力,否则这一切都会失去意义。

而这就是我今天讲话的主题:对于自己的教育,你们中每一个人的责任。首先,我想谈谈你们对于自己有什么责任。

你们中的每一个人都会有自己擅长的东西,每一个人都是有用之材,而发现自己的才能是什么,就是你们要对自己担起的责任。教育给你们提供了发现自己才能的机会。

或许你能写出优美的文字——甚至有一天能让那些文字出现在书籍和报刊上——但假如不在英语课上经常练习写作,你不会发现自己有这样的天赋;或许你能成为一个发明家、创造家——甚至设计出像今天的iphone一样流行的产品,或研制出新的药物与疫苗——但假如不在自然科学课程上做上几次实验,你不会知道自己有这样的天赋;或许你能成为一名议员或最高法院法官,但假如你不去加入什么学生会或参加几次辩论赛,你也不会发现自己的才能。

而且,我可以向你保证,不管你将来想要做什么,你都需要相应的教育。——你想当名医生、当名教师或当名警官?你想成为护士、成为建筑设计师、律师或军人?无论你选择哪一种职业,良好的教育都必不可少,这世上不存在不把书念完就能拿到好工作的美梦,任何工作,都需要你的汗水、训练与学习。

不仅仅对于你们个人的未来有重要意义,你们的教育如何也会对这个国家、乃至世界的未来产生重要影响。今天你们在学校中学习的内容,将会决定我们整个国家在未来迎接重大挑战时的表现。

你们需要在数理科学课程上学习的知识和技能,去治疗癌症、艾滋那样的疾病,和解决我们面临的能源问题与环境问题;你们需要在历史社科课程上培养出的观察力与判断力,来减轻和消除无家可归与贫困、犯罪问题和各种歧视,让这个国家变得更加公平和自由;你们需要在各类课程中逐渐累积和发展出来的创新意识和思维,去创业和建立新的公司与企业,来制造就业机会和推动经济的增长。

我们需要你们中的每一个人都培养和发展自己的天赋、技能和才智,来解决我们所面对的最困难的问题。假如你不这么做——假如你放弃学习——那么你不仅是放弃了自己,也是放弃了你的国家。

当然,我明白,读好书并不总是件容易的事。我知道你们中的许多人在生活中面临着各种各样的问题,很难把精力集中在专心读书之上。

我知道你们的感受。我父亲在我两岁时就离开了家庭,是母亲一人将我们拉扯大,有时她付不起帐单,有时我们得不到其他孩子们都有的东西,有时我会想,假如父亲在该多好,有时我会感到孤独无助,与周围的环境格格不入。

因此我并不总是能专心学习,我做过许多自己觉得丢脸的事情,也惹出过许多不该惹的麻烦,我的生活岌岌可危,随时可能急转直下。

但我很幸运。我在许多事上都得到了重来的机会,我得到了去大学读法学院、实现自己梦想的机会。我的妻子——现在得叫她第一夫人米歇尔·奥巴马了——也有着相似的人生故事,她的父母都没读过大学,也没有什么财产,但他们和她都辛勤工作,好让她有机会去这个国家最优秀的学校读书。

你们中有些人可能没有这些有利条件,或许你的生活中没有能为你提供帮助和支持的长辈,或许你的某个家长没有工作、经济拮据,或许你住的社区不那么安全,或许你认识一些会对你产生不良影响的朋友,等等。

但归根结底,你的生活状况——你的长相、出身、经济条件、家庭氛围——都不是疏忽学业和态度恶劣的借口,这些不是你去跟老师顶嘴、逃课、或是辍学的借口,这些不是你不好好读书的借口。

你的未来,并不取决于你现在的生活有多好或多坏。没有人为你编排好你的命运,在美国,你的命运由你自己书写,你的未来由你自己掌握。

而在这片土地上的每个地方,千千万万和你一样的年轻人正是这样在书写着自己的命运。

例如德克萨斯州罗马市的贾斯敏·佩雷兹(jazmin perez)。刚进学校时,她根本不会说英语,她住的地方几乎没人上过大学,她的父母也没有受过高等教育,但她努力学习,取得了优异的成绩,靠奖学金进入了布朗大学,如今正在攻读公共卫生专业的博士学位。

我还想起了加利福尼亚州洛斯拉图斯市的安多尼·舒尔兹(andoni schultz),他从三岁起就开始与脑癌病魔做斗争,他熬过了一次次治疗与手术——其中一次影响了他的记忆,因此他得花出比常人多几百个小时的时间来完成学业,但他从不曾落下自己的功课。这个秋天,他要开始在大学读书了。

又比如在我的家乡,伊利诺斯州芝加哥市,身为孤儿的香特尔·史蒂夫(shantell steve)换过多次收养家庭,从小在治安很差的地区长大,但她努力争取到了在当地保健站工作的机会、发起了一个让青少年远离犯罪团伙的项目,很快,她也将以优异的成绩从中学毕业,去大学深造。

贾斯敏、安多尼和香特尔与你们并没有什么不同。和你们一样,他们也在生活中遭遇各种各样的困难与问题,但他们拒绝放弃,他们选择为自己的教育担起责任、给自己定下奋斗的目标。我希望你们中的每一个人,都能做得到这些。

因此,在今天,我号召你们每一个人都为自己的教育定下一个目标——并在之后,尽自己的一切努力去实现它。你的目标可以很简单,像是完成作业、认真听讲或每天阅读——或许你打算参加一些课外活动,或在社区做些志愿工作;或许你决定为那些因为长相或出身等等原因而受嘲弄或欺负的孩子做主、维护他们的权益,因为你和我一样,认为每个孩子都应该能有一个安全的学习环境;或许你认为该学着更好的照顾自己,来为将来的学习做准备……当然,除此之外,我希望你们都多多洗手、感到身体不舒服的时候要多在家休息,免得大家在秋冬感冒高发季节都得流感。

不管你决定做什么,我都希望你能坚持到底,希望你能真的下定决心。

我知道有些时候,电视上播放的节目会让你产生这样那样的错觉,似乎你不需要付出多大的努力就能腰缠万贯、功成名就——你会认为只要会唱rap、会打篮球或参加个什么真人秀节目就能坐享其成,但现实是,你几乎没有可能走上其中任何一条道路。

因为,成功是件难事。你不可能对要读的每门课程都兴趣盎然,你不可能和每名带课教师都相处顺利,你也不可能每次都遇上看起来和现实生活有关的作业。而且,并不是每件事,你都能在头一次尝试时获得成功。

但那没有关系。因为在这个世界上,最最成功的人们往往也经历过最多的失败。j.k.罗琳的第一本《哈利·波特》被出版商拒绝了十二次才最终出版;迈克尔·乔丹上高中时被学校的篮球队刷了下来,在他的职业生涯里,他输了几百场比赛、投失过几千次射篮,知道他是怎么说的吗?“我一生不停地失败、失败再失败,这就是我现在成功的原因。”

他们的成功,源于他们明白人不能让失败左右自己——而是要从中吸取经验。从失败中,你可以明白下一次自己可以做出怎样的改变;假如你惹了什么麻烦,那并不说明你就是个捣蛋贵,而是在提醒你,在将来要对自己有更严格的要求;假如你考了个低分,那并不说明你就比别人笨,而是在告诉你,自己得在学习上花更多的时间。

没有哪一个人一生出来就擅长做什么事情的,只有努力才能培养出技能。任何人都不是在第一次接触一项体育运动时就成为校队的代表,任何人都不是在第一次唱一首歌时就找准每一个音,一切都需要熟能生巧。对于学业也是一样,你或许要反复运算才能解出一道数学题的正确答案,你或许需要读一段文字好几遍才能理解它的意思,你或许得把论文改上好几次才能符合提交的标准。这都是很正常的。

不要害怕提问。不要不敢向他人求助。——我每天都在这么做。求助并不是软弱的表现,恰恰相反,它说明你有勇气承认自己的不足、并愿意去学习新的知识。所以,有不懂时,就向大人们求助吧——找个你信得过的对象,例如父母、长辈、老师、教练或辅导员——让他们帮助你向目标前进。

你要记住,哪怕你表现不好、哪怕你失去信心、哪怕你觉得身边的人都已经放弃了你——永远不要自己放弃自己。因为当你放弃自己的时候,你也放弃了自己的国家。

美国不是一个人们遭遇困难就轻易放弃的国度,在这个国家,人们坚持到底、人们加倍努力,为了他们所热爱的国度,每一个人都尽着自己最大的努力,不会给自己留任何余地。

250年前,有一群和你们一样的学生,他们之后奋起努力、用一场革命最终造就了这个国家;75年前,有一群和你们一样的学生,他们之后战胜了大萧条、赢得了二战;就在前,和你们一样的学生们,他们后来创立了google、twitter和facebook,改变了我们人与人之间沟通的方式。

因此,今天我想要问你们,你们会做出什么样的贡献?你们将解决什么样的难题?你们能发现什么样的事物?二十、五十或百年之后,假如那时的美国总统也来做一次开学演讲的话,他会怎样描述你们对这个国家所做的一切?

你们的家长、你们的老师和我,每一个人都在尽最大的努力,确保你们都能得到应有的教育来回答这些问题。例如我正在努力为你们提供更安全的教室、更多的书籍、更先进的设施与计算机。但你们也要担起自己的责任。因此我要求你们在今年能够认真起来,我要求你们尽心地去做自己着手的每一件事,我要求你们每一个人都有所成就。请不要让我们失望——不要让你的家人、你的国家和你自己失望。你们要成为我们骄傲,我知道,你们一定可以做到。

谢谢大家,上帝保佑你们,上帝保佑美国。

原文:

prepared remarks of president barack obama back to school event

prepared remarks of president barack obama

back to school event

arlington, virginia

september 8, xx

the president: hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? i’m here with students at wakefield high school in arlington, virginia. and we’ve got students tuning in from all across america, kindergarten through twelfth grade. i’m glad you all could join us today.

i know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. and for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. i imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. and no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

i know that feeling. when i was young, my family lived in indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the american kids went to school. so she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, monday through friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

now i wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. a lot of times, i’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. but whenever i’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, ”this is no picnic for me either, buster.“

so i know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. but i’m here today because i have something important to discuss with you. i’m here because i want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

now i’ve given a lot of speeches about education. and i’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

i’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

i’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the tv or with that xbox.

i’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

but at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

and that’s what i want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. i want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

every single one of you has something you’re good at. every single one of you has something to offer. and you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. that’s the opportunity an education can provide.

maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your english class. maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iphone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a supreme court justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

and no matter what you want to do with your life – i guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. you want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? you want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? you’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. you can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. you’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

and this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. what you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. what you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

you’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and aids, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. you’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. you’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

we need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. if you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

now i know it’s not always easy to do well in school. i know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

i get it. i know what that’s like. my father left my family when i was two years old, and i was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. there were times when i missed having a father in my life. there were times when i was lonely and felt like i didn’t fit in.

so i wasn’t always as focused as i should have been. i did some things i’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than i should have. and my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

but i was fortunate. i got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. my wife, our first lady michelle obama, has a similar story. neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. but they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

some of you might not have those advantages. maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

but at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. that’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. that’s no excuse for not trying.

where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. no one’s written your destiny for you. here in america, you write your own destiny. you make your own future.

that’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across america.

young people like jazmin perez, from roma, texas. jazmin didn’t speak english when she first started school. hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. but she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to brown university, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being dr. jazmin perez.

i’m thinking about andoni schultz, from los altos, california, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. he’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. but he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

and then there’s shantell steve, from my hometown of chicago, illinois. even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

jazmin, andoni and shantell aren’t any different from any of you. they faced challenges in their lives just like you do. but they refused to give up. they chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. and i expect all of you to do the same.

that’s why today, i’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like i do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. and along those lines, i hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

whatever you resolve to do, i want you to commit to it. i want you to really work at it.

i know that sometimes, you get the sense from tv that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality tv star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

but the truth is, being successful is hard. you won’t love every subject you study. you won’t click with every teacher. not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. and you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

that’s ok. some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. jk rowling’s first harry potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. michael jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. but he once said, ”i have failed over and over and over again in my life. and that is why i succeed.“

these people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. you have to let them show you what to do differently next time. if you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. if you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

no one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. you’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. you don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. you’ve got to practice. it’s the same with your schoolwork. you might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

don’t be afraid to ask questions. don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. i do that every day. asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. it shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. so find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

and even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.、

the story of america isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. it’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

it’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded google, twitter and facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

so today, i want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? what problems are you going to solve? what discoveries will you make? what will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

your families, your teachers, and i are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. i’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. but you’ve got to do your part too. so i expect you to get serious this year. i expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. i expect great things from each of you. so don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. make us all proud. i know you can do it.

thank you, god bless you, and god bless america.

奥巴马的911演讲稿篇8

当地时间1月10日21时(北京时间11日10时),即将卸任的美国总统奥巴马在其“第二故乡”芝加哥发表卸任演讲,回顾自己八年来的总统任期。以下为您带来奥巴马卸任演讲稿全文及中文翻译,欢迎浏览!

奥巴马卸任演讲稿(全文)

it’s good to be home. my fellow americans, michelle and i have been so touched by all the well-wishes we’ve received over the past few weeks. but tonight it’s my turn to say thanks. whether we’ve seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the american people – in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant outposts – are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going. every day, i learned from you. you made me a better president, and you made me a better man.

i first came to chicago when i was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who i was; still searching for a purpose to my life. it was in neighborhoods not far from here where i began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills. it was on these streets where i witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss. this is where i learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.

after eight years as your president, i still believe that. and it’s not just my belief. it’s the beating heart of our american idea – our bold experiment in self-government.

it’s the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

it’s the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing; that we, the people, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union.

this is the great gift our founders gave us. the freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination – and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good.

for 240 years, our nation’s call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation. it’s what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom. it’s what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the rio grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to organize. it’s why gis gave their lives at omaha beach and iwo jima; iraq and afghanistan – and why men and women from selma to stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well.

so that’s what we mean when we say america is exceptional. not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow.

yes, our progress has been uneven. the work of democracy has always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody. for every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back. but the long sweep of america has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some.

if i had told you eight years ago that america would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history…if i had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the cuban people, shut down iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11…if i had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens – you might have said our sights were set a little too high.

but that’s what we did. that’s what you did. you were the change. you answered people’s hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, america is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.

in ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next. i committed to president-elect trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as president bush did for me. because it’s up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.

we have what we need to do so. after all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on earth. our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention mean that the future should be ours.

but that potential will be realized only if our democracy works. only if our politics reflects the decency of the our people. only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now.

that’s what i want to focus on tonight – the state of our democracy.

understand, democracy does not require uniformity. our founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same. but they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one.

there have been moments throughout our history that threatened to rupture that solidarity. the beginning of this century has been one of those times. a shrinking world, growing inequality; demographic change and the specter of terrorism – these forces haven’t just tested our security and prosperity, but our democracy as well. and how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland.

in other words, it will determine our future.

our democracy won’t work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity. today, the economy is growing again; wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again; poverty is falling again. the wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records. the unemployment rate is near a ten-year low. the uninsured rate has never, ever been lower. health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years. and if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we’ve made to our health care system – that covers as many people at less cost – i will publicly support it.

that, after all, is why we serve – to make people’s lives better, not worse.

but for all the real progress we’ve made, we know it’s not enough. our economy doesn’t work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class. but stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles. while the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind – the laid-off factory worker; the waitress and health care worker who struggle to pay the bills – convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful – a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.

there are no quick fixes to this long-term trend. i agree that our trade should be fair and not just free. but the next wave of economic dislocation won’t come from overseas. it will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete.

and so we must forge a new social compact – to guarantee all our kids the education they need; to give workers the power to unionize for better wages; to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from the new economy don’t avoid their obligations to the country that’s made their success possible. we can argue about how to best achieve these goals. but we can’t be complacent about the goals themselves. for if we don’t create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.

there’s a second threat to our democracy – one as old as our nation itself. after my election, there was talk of a post-racial america. such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic. for race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. i’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago – you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young americans across the political spectrum.

but we’re not where we need to be. all of us have more work to do. after all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves. if we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children – because those brown kids will represent a larger share of america’s workforce. and our economy doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.

going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination – in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system. that’s what our constitution and highest ideals require. but laws alone won’t be enough. hearts must change. if our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in american fiction, atticus finch, who said “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

for blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face – the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender american, and also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he’s got all the advantages, but who’s seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change.

for white americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and jim crow didn’t suddenly vanish in the ‘60s; that when minority groups voice discontent, they’re not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness; that when they wage peaceful protest, they’re not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our founders promised.

for native-born americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the irish, italians, and poles. america wasn’t weakened by the presence of these newcomers; they embraced this nation’s creed, and it was strengthened.

so regardless of the station we occupy; we have to try harder; to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do; that they value hard work and family like we do; that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own.

none of this is easy. for too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions. the rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste – all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable. and increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that’s out there.

this trend represents a third threat to our democracy. politics is a battle of ideas; in the course of a healthy debate, we’ll prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them. but without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we’ll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible.

isn’t that part of what makes politics so dispiriting? how can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we’re cutting taxes for corporations? how do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? it’s not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts; it’s self-defeating. because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you.

take the challenge of climate change. in just eight years, we’ve halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet. but without bolder action, our children won’t have time to debate the existence of climate change; they’ll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary.

now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem. but to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations; it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our founders.

it’s that spirit, born of the enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse – the spirit that took flight at kitty hawk and cape canaveral; the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.

it’s that spirit – a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the great depression, and build a post-world war ii order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but on principles – the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press.

that order is now being challenged – first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for islam; more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power. the peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile. it represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently; a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent and free thought; a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what’s true and what’s right.

because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years; and although boston and orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever. we’ve taken out tens of thousands of terrorists – including osama bin laden. the global coalition we’re leading against isil has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory. isil will be destroyed, and no one who threatens america will ever be safe. to all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your commander-in-chief.

but protecting our way of life requires more than our military. democracy can buckle when we give in to fear. so just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are. that’s why, for the past eight years, i’ve worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm legal footing. that’s why we’ve ended torture, worked to close gitmo, and reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties. that’s why i reject discrimination against muslim americans. that’s why we cannot withdraw from global fights – to expand democracy, and human rights, women’s rights, and lgbt rights – no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem. for the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression. if the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened.

so let’s be vigilant, but not afraid. isil will try to kill innocent people. but they cannot defeat america unless we betray our constitution and our principles in the fight. rivals like russia or china cannot match our influence around the world – unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.

which brings me to my final point – our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted. all of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions. when voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote. when trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service. when congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes.

and all of this depends on our participation; on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings.

our constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift. but it’s really just a piece of parchment. it has no power on its own. we, the people, give it power – with our participation, and the choices we make. whether or not we stand up for our freedoms. whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law. america is no fragile thing. but the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.

in his own farewell address, george washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken…to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;” that we should preserve it with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one.

we weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service; so coarse with rancor that americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent. we weaken those ties when we define some of us as more american than others; when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them.

it falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: citizen.

ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands. it needs you. not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. if you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. if something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. if you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself. show up. dive in. persevere. sometimes you’ll win. sometimes you’ll lose. presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you. but for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire. and more often than not, your faith in america – and in americans – will be confirmed.

mine sure has been. over the course of these eight years, i’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. i’ve mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in charleston church. i’ve seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again. i’ve seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. i’ve seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other.

that faith i placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary americans to bring about change – that faith has been rewarded in ways i couldn’t possibly have imagined. i hope yours has, too. some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in , in , in – and maybe you still can’t believe we pulled this whole thing off.

you’re not the only ones. michelle – for the past twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend. you took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor. you made the white house a place that belongs to everybody. and a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. you’ve made me proud. you’ve made the country proud.

malia and sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. you wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. of all that i’ve done in my life, i’m most proud to be your dad.

to joe biden, the scrappy kid from scranton who became delaware’s favorite son: you were the first choice i made as a nominee, and the best. not just because you have been a great vice president, but because in the bargain, i gained a brother. we love you and jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life.

to my remarkable staff: for eight years – and for some of you, a whole lot more – i’ve drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism. i’ve watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own. even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let washington get the better of you. the only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we’ve done is the thought of all the remarkable things you’ll achieve from here.

and to all of you out there – every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every american who lived and breathed the hard work of change – you are the best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and i will forever be grateful. because yes, you changed the world.

that’s why i leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than i was when we started. because i know our work has not only helped so many americans; it has inspired so many americans – especially so many young people out there – to believe you can make a difference; to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves. this generation coming up – unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – i’ve seen you in every corner of the country. you believe in a fair, just, inclusive america; you know that constant change has been america’s hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward. you’ll soon outnumber any of us, and i believe as a result that the future is in good hands.

my fellow americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you. i won’t stop; in fact, i will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain. for now, whether you’re young or young at heart, i do have one final ask of you as your president – the same thing i asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago.

i am asking you to believe. not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.

i am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every american whose story is not yet written:

yes we can.

yes we did.

yes we can.

thank you. god bless you. and may god continue to bless the united states of america.

译文:

很高兴回家,回到芝加哥!回家真好!

正如你们所见,我现在是个“跛脚鸭”总统,因为没有人再听从我的指示,正如现场大家每个人都有个座位。

很高兴回到家乡。我的朋友们,过去几周中我们收到了许多真诚的祝福,我和米歇尔深受感动。今晚,轮到我来对你们说声感谢。不论我们站在相同的政治立场上还是从未达成共识,不论我们是在房间还是学校、农场还是工厂车间、餐桌还是野外,我们之间的对话都让我更加诚实、更加奋进,也帮助我深受启发。每天,我都在向你们学习。你们帮助我成为一个更称职的总统,也帮助我成为一个更好的人。

我是在二十多岁的时候第一次来芝加哥,当时我仍然处于懵懵懂懂的阶段,仍然在寻求生活的意义。我开始与一些教会团体在已经关门的钢铁生产厂附近工作,当时那些小区离今天的会场不远。在那些街道中,我见证了信仰的力量,也在工人斗争中见证了工人阶级无声的尊严。这个时候,我明白了只有当普通人民团结起来、参与进来并致力于争取权力,社会变革才能发生。

在担任八年的美国总统后,我仍然相信这一条结论。这不仅仅是我个人的想法,也是根植在美国人心中的核心价值观,即寻求自主管理的大胆实验。

我们每个人相信,我们生来平等,享有造物主赋予我们的一些不可剥夺的权利,包括生命、自由和追求幸福的权利。

尽管这些权利看上去是显而易见,但是这些权利却从来不会自动实现。正是美国人民通过民主政治的渠道,坚持追求这些权利,我们才能够成为一个更加完美的联合体。

这是我们的先驱赋予我们的礼物,让我们有自由通过自己的辛勤劳动、梦想和努力来追求每个人不同的梦想。当然,每个美国人也应当同心协力,才能实现更加伟大的创举。

在过去240年中,美国精神一直鼓励每个美国公民积极行使公民权利,这给每一代美国人赋予了努力的方向。这也是鼓舞美国人推翻集权选择共和制度、探索开发西部地区以及修筑铁路的奴隶奋起反抗要求自由的动力。这种美国精神将漂洋过海和来自格兰德河的移民和难民凝聚在一起,鼓励美国女性走向投票站,也促使工人团结形成工会。这也是鼓舞美国士兵在奥巴马海滩、硫磺岛、伊拉克和阿富汗等战场抛头颅洒热血的精神。这更是鼓励塞尔玛小镇上黑人民权斗士和石墙中同性恋运动人士捍卫自身权利的精神。

这也是为什么美国如此特别。美国的独特之处不在于我们从一开始就拥有完美的制度,而是我们有能力改变,并帮助那些寻求改变的人过上更好的生活。

是的,我们一路走来并非一帆风顺。推动民主体制向来非常困难,有时甚至需要激烈争辩或流血冲突。每当我们向前走两步时,很多时候都感觉好像反而是退了一步。但是,美国历史一直是在进步,一直在扩大建国精神的范围,来包容美国各个阶层和社会群体。

八年前,如果我告诉你美国能够从金融危机中走出来、重建汽车制造行业、并实现美国历史上就业岗位连续增长的最长记录,如果我告诉你我们能够与古巴重建外交关系并写下历史的新篇章、在不动用武力的前提下关闭伊朗核武器研究项目、并消灭911恐怖主义袭击事件的首脑,如果我告诉你我们能够实现婚姻平等、满足万美国人提供医疗保险的需求,当时的你或许会觉得我想得太远了。

但是,我们都做到了。这些都是你们取得的成就,你们就是实现这些变革的动力。你们满足了美国人民的愿望,也因为你们,美国在各个方面都变得更好,比我刚上任时更加强大。

权力从一个自由选举的总统向下一任转移的过程是平稳有序的,这是非常重要的。我曾向特朗普承诺,我的政治团队将确保此次换届过程非常平稳,就像当初布什总统把权力交接给我一样。因为,我们每个人首先要保证美国政府未来有能力解决我们现在仍然面临的问题。

在美国历史中,曾经有过几次内部团结被破坏的时候。本世纪初,就是美国社会团结遭到威胁的一个时期。世界各国联系更加紧密,但是社会不平等问题更加突出,恐怖主义的威胁也更加严重。这些因素不仅仅会考验美国的安全和法弄,也对美国的民众体制产生威胁。未来,我们如何迎接这些民主挑战将关系到我们是否能正确教育下一代、继续创造就业岗位并保护美国的国土安全“

医疗保险政策

目前,美国未参保人数比例大幅下降,医疗保健费用增速已将降至过去50年以来最低水平。如果任何人能够提出一项医保政策,并切实证明新政策比上一届政府提出的医保改革更加有效,能够尽可能地以较低价格覆盖广大美国人民,我会公开支持这种新的医保政策。

种族和移民问题

美国总统大选结束后,一些人认为美国已经进入后种族时代。尽管这种种族融合的愿望是好的,但是却不太可能真正实现。目前,种族问题仍然是一个可能造成社会分裂的重大问题。以我个人经历来看,如今美国社会的种族问题比二十、三十年前有了较大改善,这种社会进步不仅仅体现在统计数字中,也可以从不同政治观念的年轻一代美国人的态度中看出来。

但是,我们的工作还远远没有结束。我们每个人都还有很多工作去做。如果每个经济问题都通过勤劳的美国中产阶级与少数族群之间的冲突来解读,那么各个种族的工人阶级将为一点点剩余的劳动果实争得头破血流,而那些富人会进一步收缩进他们自己的小圈子。如果我们仅仅因为移民后裔长得不像我们,就拒绝给这些孩子投资,那我们也是在牺牲美国人后代的希望,因为这些移民后裔未来会在美国工薪阶层占很大比例。

少数族裔问题

对于黑人和其他少数族群需要共同奋斗来解决许多美国人面临的问题,这不仅仅包括难民、移民、农村的群人和变性人,也包括那些看上去享受各种社会优待的中年男性白人,因为这些人都面临全社会经济、文化和科技发生重大变革的挑战。

政治是一场观点的较量,这也是民主体制的设计理念。但是,如果每个政治团体没有一些社会共识,不愿意去了解新的信息,不愿意去承认对手方的论点合理,也不愿意通过科学论据理性思考,那么这场辩论中没有人在聆听,双方就不可能产生共识或者妥协。

环境保护

如果我们不采取更加积极的环境保护措施,我们的下一代就没有时间再讨论环境变化是否存在,而是忙于处理环境变化带来的后果,包括自然灾害、经济发展停滞以及环境难民寻求避难等问题。现在,我们能够也应当讨论如何最好地解决环境变化问题。但是,如果我们仅仅否认环境问题存在,这不仅仅是背叛下一代,也背叛了历史先驱们寻求创新并解决实际问题的精神。

恐怖袭击

过去八年中,没有任何一个境外恐怖主义组织成功地在美国本土上计划并执行一次恐怖袭击。尽管美国发生了本土滋生的恐怖主义袭击事件,包括波士顿马拉松炸弹袭击以及圣博娜迪诺袭击事件。对于那些一直坚守在工作岗位上的反恐工作人员,担任你们的指挥官是我一辈子的荣耀。

我反对任何歧视美国穆斯林群体的行为。我们需要更加警惕,但是不需要害怕isil组织(伊拉克和黎凡特伊斯兰国)杀害更多无辜的人民。如果我们在斗争中坚守美国宪法和核心精神,他们就无法战胜美国。俄罗斯或者中国等其他国家无法匹敌美国在全球范围内的影响,除非我们自己放弃这种影响力,变成一个只会欺负周边小国的大国。

不论我们属于哪一个党派,我们所有人都应当致力于重建美国的民主政治制度。我们的民主宪法是一项杰出的成就,也是上天赐予的礼物,但是这仅仅是一张纸,宪法本身不具备任何力量。宪法的力量是我们美国人民通过参与选举、做出决议赋予的。

美国人应当成为积极参与政治的公民,让参与政治成为日常生活的一部分,特别是如果一些人对目前美国政治的现状不满的话:“如果你厌倦了与互联网上的陌生人争辩,可以考虑在现实生活中与异见人士辩论。如果你认为一些问题需要被解决,那就采取行动组织力量。如果你对选举出来的政府官员不满意,那就争取其他人的支持来自己竞选。

致谢

米歇尔,过去二十五年中,你不仅仅是我的妻子孩子的母亲,也是我最好的朋友。你担任了一个不是你争取来的职责,但是你的优雅、勇气和幽默都给这个身份烙上了你自己的印记。

(奥巴马转向他的女儿)你们两个女孩聪明、美丽,更重要的是,你们善良而又充满热情。过去几年中,你们没有被聚光灯所累。在我的一生中,我为成为你们的父亲而自豪。

(感谢副总统拜登)从宾州斯克兰顿到特拉华州,你是我当选美国总统后提名的第一个人选,也是我最好的选择。拜登是一个好兄弟,就像家人一样。

(感谢工作人员)你们改变了这个世界。今晚,我将离开这个舞台,但是我对于这个国家比我刚上任时更加乐观.

美国民众对国家充满信心

我希望你相信,不仅仅相信我能够为美国带来改变的能力,也相信你自己能够改变这个国家的能力。

希望你们坚信美国建国宪章中记载的精神,相信奴隶和废奴主义者传播的平等观念,相信曾经通过游行争取移民公平权利的精神,相信那些将美利坚旗帜插在海外战场和月球表面的国家信念。这种信念存在于每个普通美国人的心中。

是的,我们能行。

是的,我们做到了。

是的,我们能行!

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