Wednesday,January 21st,2009at 1:27 pm
President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address
Yesterday, President Obama delivered his Inaugural Address, calling for a "new era of responsibility." Watch the video here:
the United States and delivered his Inaugural Address. (This video is public domain
per White House copyright policy)
Inaugural Address
By President Barack Hussein Obama
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you've bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.
I thank President Bush for his service to our nation -- (applause) -- as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.
So it has been; so it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war
against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly
weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly,
our schools fail too many -- and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use
energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America 's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they
are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this
America : They will be met. (Applause.)
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose
over conflict and discord. on this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too
long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of
Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that
noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all
are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of
happiness. (Applause.)
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a
given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for
less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over
work, or seek onl y the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-
takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and
women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long rugged path towards
prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in
search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops, and settled the West, endured
the lash of the whip, and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died in places
like Concord and Gettysburg , Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their
hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than
the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or
faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful
nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our
minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last
week, or last month, or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of
standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off,
and begin again the work of remaking America . (Applause.)
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift. And we will act, not onl y to create new jobs, but to lay a new
foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and
digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We'll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because onl y then can we restore the vital trust between a
people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors onl y the prosperous. The success of our economy
has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. (Applause.)
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers -- (applause) -- our Founding Fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man -- a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience sake. (Applause.)
And so, to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead onc e more. (Applause.)
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles onc e more we can
meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and
understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people
and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan . With old friends and former foes, we'll
work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming
planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken -- you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. (Applause.)
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. (Applause.)
To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. (Applause.)
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the role that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who at this very hour patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not onl y because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they
embody the spirit of service -- a willingness to find meaning in something greater than
themselves.
And yet at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do, and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our
history.
What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall; and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served in a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. (Applause.)
So let us mark this day with remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At the moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words to be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America : In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave onc e more the icy
currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back
nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we
carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America . (Applause.)
한글판 지금 현재 우리는 전쟁도 경험하고 있고 심각한 불경기로 많은 사람들이 힘든 나날을 보내고 있다. 많은 사람들이 집을 잃고 일자리를 잃고 의료 제도에 실망감을 느끼고 있다. 모든 것이 저에게는 아주 큰 과제로 남아있다. 하지만 우리는 희생을 감수해야 한다. 미국의 전 지역에서 많은 사람들이 어려움을 겪고 있지만 이런 희생이 절대로 가치가 없는 희생이 아니다. 우리는 극복해 낼 것이다. 우리는 희망이라는 약속으로 이 자리에 모였다. 우리는 이 자리에 모인 이유는 이제 더 이상 거짓된 정치적 약속을 잊지 않기 위해서다. 우리가 역사를 변화시킬 수 있다는 신념으로 이 자리에 모였다. 하나님은 우리에게 인내심을 줬다. 인내심으로 변화를 불러올 것이다. 이 나라는 위대한 나라다. 우리는 언제나 힘든 여정을 함께 해왔다. 우리는 쉬운 길을 택하지 않고 이 자리까지 온 것이다. 위험한 것도 피하지 않았고 어려움도 두려워하지 않았다. 우리 선조들은 이 세대 우리를 위해 짐을 싸고 배를 타고 와 정착했다. 전쟁에 나가 목숨을 잃고도 자유의 존엄성을 잃지 않았다. 선조들의 여정을 계속해 이어나갈 것이다. 경제 위기의 이유는 미국 근로자들이 게을러서가 아니다. 우리는 언제나 도전정신으로 열심히 일해왔다. 똑같은 도전 정신으로 미국 경제를 재건해 나가겠다. 정말 할 일이 많다. 우리는 시간을 낭비하지 않고 주어진 과제를 하나하나 해결해 나갈 것이다. 경제를 발전시켜 나갈 것이며 재생 에너지를 이용하는 방법을 고민하고 교육의 기회에 대해서도 과제를 이뤄나가면서 앞으로 좋은 날이 있을 것이라 약속한다. 오늘 우리가 고민해야 될 문제는 미국 정부가 규모가 크고 작냐 하는 문제가 아니고 국민을 위해 제대로 일해줄 수 있는가를 고민해야 한다. 예산의 충분함 문제가 아니고 적절하게 활용하느냐 하는 문제가 관건이다. 시장에 대해서도 고민해봐야 한다. 부유한 사람만 편하게 사는 사회는 제대로 된 사회가 아니다. 모든 사람들이 함께 일하면서 함께 편하게 사는 사회가 되어야 한다. 국방 문제에 있어서도 우리의 이상과 우리의 국방목표 두 가지가 다른 것으로 보면 안 된다. 빠른 해결책을 찾기 위해서 세계 모든 사람들이 원하는 신념을 져버리지 않을 것이다. 이제 미국은 다시 세계 자유를 위해서 지도하는 입장이 될 것이라 자신한다. 우리 선조들은 공산주의 세력을 무력으로 막아내지만은 않았다. 우리는 앞으로 국방, 외교 문제에 있어서 겸손한 모습을 보일 것이다. 선조들의 본보기를 따를 것이다. 다른 나라들과의 협력으로 평화를 가지고 올 것이다. 현재 적이던 이전에 적대관계에 있었든 상관없다. 대화로 아프가니스탄, 핵 문제를 해결해 나갈 것이다. 우리 나라 미국의 특징은 여러 인종이 모여 있고 여러 종교가 모인 나라다. 이것이 미국의 장점이다. 민족 종교간의 갈등 증오는 지속될 수 없다고 한다. 무슬림 국가들과도 소통을 하면서 서로 존중해주는 관계를 이뤄 나가겠다. 부정한 방법으로 세력을 갈취하는 지도자들, 당신들은 그 자리를 계속 갖고 있지 못할 것이다. 우리는 가난한 나라의 국민들에게도 도움의 손길을 내밀 것이다. 우리는 지금 이 자리에서도 세계 곳곳에 나가있는 미군들을 기억해야 한다. 그들은 평화와 자유를 위해 싸우고 있다. 이런 정의의 정신을 우리는 언제나 기억해야 한다. 정의는 이 나라 미국의 기반이 된 신념이다. 우리는 또한 부모의 책임도 기억해야 한다. 부모가 자녀를 얼마나 잘 돌보느냐에 따라 미래가 결정된다. 또한 우리는 애국심을 기억해야 한다. 미국에서 오랫동안 이어져 내려온 애국심 우리는 미국인으로써 나라에 대한 책임감도 있지만 세계에 대한 책임감도 잊지 말아야 한다. 그래야 진정한 미국인이라고 할 수 있다. 개개인이 책임감을 갖고 자유를 위해 일하는 것이 하나님이 주신 임무다. 오늘 이날을 우리 모두 꼭 기억해야 한다. 우리가 누구인지, 얼마나 긴 여정을 함께 했는지. 우리 선조들이 추위에 떨면서 위협을 받을 때도 자유를 위해 싸웠다. 하지만 희망과 정의는 살아남아 오늘 이날이 있게 됐다. 미국 국민 여러분 지금은 힘든 시기입니다. 하지만 우리는 함께 시련을 이겨낼 수 있다. 같이 이 시련을 이겨내서 앞으로 자녀들에게 시련을 어떻게 이겨냈는지 얘기해주자. 여러분과 미합중국에 신의 은총이 있기를 기원한다.
친애하는 국민 여러분. 저는 오늘 이 자리에 서서 앞으로 해나가야 할 여러 가지 과제와 겸손함을 느낀다. 저희 선조들이 민주주의를 위해 겪었던 희생 덕분에 이 자리에 설 수 있었다. 부시 전 대통령에게도 감사한다 지금까지 44명의 대통령이 이 자리에서 선언을 했다. 이들 모두 평화를 약속했다. 하지만 언제나 평화롭지 않았다. 하지만 우리는 우리 선조들의 신념을 절대로 잊지 않고 이 자리까지 오게 된 것이다.
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