克林顿就职演讲稿-中英文对照

克林顿就职演讲稿

-

中英文对照

Inaugural Address of George W. Bush January 20 2001 President Clinton distinguished guests and

my fellow citizens: The peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history yet common in our country.

With asimple oath we affirm old traditions and make new beginnings. As I begin I thank President

Clinton for his service to our nation and I thank VicePresident Gore for a contest conducted with

spirit

and

ended

with

grace.

I

am

honored

and

humbled

to

stand

here

where

so

many

of

Americas leaders havecome before me and so many will follow. We have a place all of us in a long

story.

A

story

we

continue

but

whose

end

we

willnot

see.

It

is

the

story

of

a

new

world

that

became a friend and liberator of the old a storyof a slave-holding society that became a servant

of freedom the story of a power thatwent into the world to protect but not possess to defend but

not to conquer. It is theAmerican story. A story of flawed and fallible people united across the

generations bygrand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American

promisethat

everyone

belongs

that

everyone

deserves

a

chance

that

no

insignificant

person

wasever born. Americans are called upon to enact this promise in our lives and in our lawsand

though our nation has sometimes halted and sometimes delayed we must follow noother course.

Through much of the last century Americas faith in freedom and democracy was arock in a raging

sea. Now it is a seed upon the wind taking root in many nations. Ourdemocratic faith is more

than the creed of our country it is the inborn hope of ourhumanity an ideal we carry but do not

own a trust we bear and pass along and evenafter nearly 225 years we have a long way yet to

travel. While many of our citizens prosper others doubt the promise even the justice of ourown

country. The ambitions of some Americans are limited by failing schools and hiddenprejudice and

the circumstances of their birth and sometimes our differences run so deepit seems we share a

continent but not a country. We do not accept this and we will notallow it. Our unity our union is

the serious work of leaders and citizens in everygeneration and this is my solemn pledge I will

work to build a single nation of justice andopportunity. I know this is in our reach because we are

guided by a power larger thanourselves who creates us equal in His image and we are confident

in principles that uniteand lead us onward. America has never been united by blood or birth or

soil. We are bound by ideals thatmove us beyond our backgrounds lift us above our interests and

teach us what it meansto be citizens. Every child must be taught these principles. Every citizen

must uphold themand every immigrant by embracing these ideals makes our country more not

lessAmerican.

Today

we

affirm

a

new

commitment

to

live

out

our

nations

promise

through

civilitycourage compassion and character. America at its best matches a commitment toprinciple

with

a

concern

for

civility.

A

civil

society

demands

from

each

of

us

good

will

andrespect

fair

dealing and forgiveness. Some seem to believe that our politics can afford tobe petty because in

a time of peace the stakes of our debates appear small. But thestakes for America are never small.

If our country does not lead the cause of freedom itwill not be led. If we do not turn the hearts of

children toward knowledge and character wewill lose their gifts and undermine their idealism. If

we permit our economy to drift anddecline the vulnerable will suffer most. We must live up to

the calling we share. Civility isnot a tactic or a sentiment. It is the determined choice of trust over

cynicism

of

communityover

chaos.

This

commitment

if

we

keep

it

is

a

way

to

shared

accomplishment. America at its best is also courageous. Our national courage has been clear in

timesof depression and war when defending common dangers defined our common

we

must

choose

if

the

example

of

our

fathers

and

mothers

will

inspire

us

or

condemnus.

We

must show courage in a time of blessing by confronting problems instead ofpassing them on to

future generations. Together we will reclaim Americas schools before ignorance and apathy claim

moreyoung lives we will reform Social Security and Medicare sparing our children fromstruggles

we have the power to prevent we will reduce taxes to recover the momentumof our economy

and

reward

the

effort

and

enterprise

of

working

Americans

we

will

buildour

defenses

beyond

challenge

lest

weakness

invite

challenge

and

we

will

confrontweapons

of

mass

destruction

so

that a new century is spared new enemies of liberty and our country should make no

mistake

America

remainsengaged

in

the

world

by

history

and

by

choice

shaping

a

balance

of

power

that

favorsfreedom.

We

will

defend

our

allies

and

our

interests

we

will

show

purpose

withoutarrogance

we

will

meet

aggression

and

bad

faith

with

resolve

and

strength

and

to

allnations

we

will

speak

for

the

values

that

gave

our

nation

birth.

America

at

its

best

is

compassionate.

In

the

quiet

of

American

conscience

we

knowthat

deep

persistent

poverty

is

unworthy of our nations promise. Whatever our views ofits cause we can agree that children at

risk are not at fault. Abandonment and abuse arenot acts of God they are failures of love. The

proliferation of prisons however necessaryis no substitute for hope and order in our souls. Where

there is suffering there is ans in need are not strangers they are citizens not problems

but

priorities

and

allof

us

are

diminished

when

any

are

hopeless.

Government

has

great

responsibilities

forpublic

safety

and

public

health

for

civil

rights

and

common

schools.

Yet

compassion

is

thework

of

a

nation

not

just

a

government.

Some

needs

and

hurts

are

so

deep

they

will

onlyrespond

to

a

mentors

touch

or

a

pastors

prayer.

Church

and

charity

synagogue

andmosque

lend

our

communities

their

humanity

and

they

will

have

an

honored

place

in

ourplans and in our laws. Many in our country do not know the pain of poverty but we canlisten

to those who do. I can pledge our nation to a goal When we see that woundedtraveler on the

road to Jericho we will not pass to the other side. America at its best is a place where personal

responsibility is valued and aging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats it

is

a

call

to

it

requires

sacrifice

it

brings

a

deeper

fulfillment.

We

find

the

fullness of life notonly in options but in commitments. We find that children and community are

thecommitments that set us free. Our public interest depends on private character on civicduty

and

family

bonds

and

basic

fairness

on

uncounted

unhonored

acts

of

decencywhich

give

direction to our freedom. Sometimes in life we are called to do great things. Butas a saint of our

times

has

said

every

day

we

are

called

to

do

small

things

with

great

most

important

tasks of a democracy are done by everyone. I will live and lead bythese principles to advance my

convictions with civility to pursue the public interest withcourage to speak for greater justice and

compassion to call for responsibility and try tolive it as well. In all of these ways I will bring the

values

of

our

history

to

the

care

of

ourtimes.

What

you

do

is

as

important

as

anything

government

does.

I

ask

you

to

seek

acommon

good

beyond

your

comfort

to

defend

needed

reforms against easy attacks toserve your nation beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be

citizens. Citizens notspectators citizens not subjects responsible citizens building communities of

serviceand a nation of character. Americans are generous and strong and decent not because we

believe in ourselvesbut because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship

is

missingno

government

program

can

replace

it.

When

this

spirit

is

present

no

wrong

can

standagainst

it.

After

the

Declaration

of

Independence

was

signed

Virginia

statesman

John

Pagewrote to Thomas Jefferson We know the race is not to the swift nor the battle to thestrong.