>From: [log in to unmask] >Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Text of address by U.S. Senate Candidate Barack Obama >Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 20:29:28 -0700 (PDT) > >This story was sent to you by: Edi > >interesting speech > >-------------------- >Text of address by U.S. Senate Candidate Barack Obama >-------------------- > > >July 27, 2004 > >On behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of a nation, land of >Lincoln, let me express my deep gratitude for the privilege of addressing >this convention. > >Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on >this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and >raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to >school in a tin-roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a >domestic servant. > >But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and >perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place; >America which stood as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who >had come before. While studying here, my father met my mother. She was born >in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. > >Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The >day after Pearl Harbor he signed up for duty, joined Patton's army and >marched across Europe. Back home, my grandmother raised their baby and went >to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI >Bill, bought a house through FHA, and moved west in search of opportunity. > >And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of >two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared >an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an >African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America >your name is no barrier to success. > >They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they >weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to >achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on >this night, they look down on me with pride. > >I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that >my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing >that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to >all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is >my story even possible. > >Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of >the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of >our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a >declaration made over two hundred years ago, "We hold these truths to be >self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by >their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, >liberty and the pursuit of happiness." > >That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its >people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children >at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can >say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on >the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without >paying a bribe or hiring somebody's son. That we can participate in the >political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be >counted-or at least, most of the time. > >This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and >commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are >measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future >generations. > >And fellow Americans--Democrats, Republicans, Independents--I say to you >tonight: we have more work to do. More to do for the workers I met in >Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant >that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own >children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. More to do for the father I >met who was losing his job and choking back tears, wondering how he would >pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits >he counted on. More to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and >thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, >but doesn't have the money to go to college. > >Don't get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in >diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solve all their >problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. >Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they >don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. > >Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that >government alone can't teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to >parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and >turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black >youth with a book is acting white. No, people don't expect government to >solve all their problems. > >But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, >we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and >that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do >better. And they want that choice. > >In this election, we offer that choice. Our party has chosen a man to lead >us who embodies the best this country has to offer. That man is John Kerry. >John Kerry understands the ideals of community, faith, and sacrifice, >because they've defined his life. From his heroic service in Vietnam to his >years as prosecutor and lieutenant governor, through two decades in the >United States Senate, he has devoted himself to this country. Again and >again, we've seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available. >His values and his record affirm what is best in us. > >John Kerry believes in an America where hard work is rewarded. So instead >of offering tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas, he'll offer >them to companies creating jobs here at home. John Kerry believes in an >America where all Americans can afford the same health coverage our >politicians in Washington have for themselves. > >John Kerry believes in energy independence, so we aren't held hostage to >the profits of oil companies or the sabotage of foreign oil fields. John >Kerry believes in the constitutional freedoms that have made our country >the envy of the world, and he will never sacrifice our basic liberties nor >use faith as a wedge to divide us. And John Kerry believes that in a >dangerous world, war must be an option, but it should never be the first >option. > >A while back, I met a young man named Shamus at the VFW Hall in East >Moline, Illinois. He was a good-looking kid, six-two or six-three, clear >eyed, with an easy smile. He told me he'd joined the Marines and was >heading to Iraq the following week. > >As I listened to him explain why he'd enlisted, his absolute faith in our >country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service, I thought this >young man was all any of us might hope for in a child. But then I asked >myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he was serving us? I thought of >more than 900 service men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and >wives, friends and neighbors, who will not be returning to their hometowns. > >I thought of families I had met who were struggling to get by without a >loved one's full income, or whose loved ones had returned with a limb >missing or with nerves shattered, but who still lacked long-term health >benefits because they were reservists. When we send our young men and women >into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or >shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while >they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever >go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn >the respect of the world. > >Now let me be clear. We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must >be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated. John Kerry knows >this. And just as Lieutenant Kerry did not hesitate to risk his life to >protect the men who served with him in Vietnam, President Kerry will not >hesitate one moment to use our military might to keep America safe and >secure. John Kerry believes in America. And he knows it's not enough for >just some of us to prosper. For alongside our famous individualism, there's >another ingredient in the American saga. > >A belief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the >south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not >my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her >prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my >life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American >family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that >threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief-I am my >brother's keeper, I am my sisters' keeper-that makes this country work. >It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come >together as a single American family. "E pluribus unum." Out of many, one. > >Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the >spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything >goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a >conservative America-there's the United States of America. > >There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian >America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to >slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for >Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We >worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents >poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in >the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. > >There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported >it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and >stripes, all of us defending the United States of America. > >In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a >politics of cynicism or a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. >John Edwards calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism >here-the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if >we just don't talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if >we just ignore it. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's >the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of >immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval >lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker's >son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name >who believes that America has a place for him, too. The audacity of hope! > >In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; >the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead. >I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families >with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, >homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America >from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of >history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face >us. America! > >Tonight, if you feel the same energy I do, the same urgency I do, the same >passion I do, the same hopefulness I do-if we do what we must do, then I >have no doubt that all across the country, from Florida to Oregon, from >Washington to Maine, the people will rise up in November, and John Kerry >will be sworn in as president, and John Edwards will be sworn in as vice >president, and this country will reclaim its promise, and out of this long >political darkness a brighter day will come. Thank you and God bless you. >Copyright (c) 2004, Chicago Tribune _________________________________________________________________ It's fast, it's easy and it's free. 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