书城英文图书人生处处充满选择
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第5章 关于梦想(5)

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 he 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 he 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.

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.

我的父亲是个外国留学生,在肯尼亚的一个小村庄出生并长大,他幼时牧羊,在铁皮顶做成的简陋小屋里上学。他的父亲,我的祖父,是个厨师,一个佣人。

但我祖父对他的儿子有更大的梦想。艰辛的努力和顽强的毅力使父亲拿到了到美国留学的奖学金。美国是一片神奇的国土,它对于许多未曾来过的人而言是自由和机会的象征。在留学期间,父亲遇到了母亲。她出生在世界另一端的堪萨斯的一个小镇上。她父亲在大萧条时期为了养家糊口,不是在石油钻塔下打工,就是在农场务农。珍珠港事件后他自愿入伍,进入巴顿的部队,曾在整个欧洲大陆辗转作战。在后方家中,外祖母养育着他们的孩子,并在一条轰炸机流水线上工作。战后,他们研究了《士兵福利法案》,通过联邦住宅管理局买了一套房子,并移居到西部寻找机会。

他们对他们的女儿也有很大的梦想。一个共通的梦想,在两个不同的大陆生发。我的父母不仅共享不可思议的爱恋,他们还共同坚守这个国家有巨大潜力的不渝信念。他们赐予我一个非洲名字——贝拉克,意为“受神福佑的”。他们相信,在宽容大度的美国,一个人的名字不是通向成功的障碍。尽管生活并不富裕,但他们想让我去这片土地最好的学校就读,因为在富足的美国,你即使不富裕也能发掘你的潜力。现在他们都过世了。不过我知道,在这个夜晚,他们满怀骄傲自天堂注视我。

今天我站在这里,为我独特的血统满怀感激,并知道我父母的愿望正在我的两个宝贝女儿身上延续。我站在这里,知道我的故事是更宏伟的美国故事的一部分,也知道我们不能忘却那些在我之前来到这里的人,更知道我的故事在这个世界的任何其他地方都不可能发生。今晚,我们欢聚一堂重申我们民族的荣耀,这个荣耀并不在于我们的摩天大楼有多高,也不在于我们的军备实力有多强,更不在于我们经济的规模有多大。我们的自豪感建立在一个相当简单的前提上,两百多年前它就在一个宣言中被这样概括:“我们坚持以下真理:众生平等。造物主赋予他们某些不可被剥夺的权利,它们包括:生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。”

这是美国真正的天才:坚信她的人民简单而纯朴的梦想,坚信小小的奇迹会发生。我们能在深夜给孩子掖好被子时确信他们衣食无忧且远离伤害。我们能想到什么就说什么,想到什么就写什么,而毋庸担心突然被政府找上门来。我们能生发一个想法后就去开创自己的生意,而无须行贿或雇佣某人的子女。我们能参与政治过程而不必担心被惩罚,并且,至少多数时候,我们的选票是有用的。

今年,在这次选举中,我们要重申我们的价值观和责任,秉持它们去对抗艰难时局,并留心我们怎样才能继承先辈的遗产,实现对子孙的承诺。

其实,希望是上帝赐予我们最好的礼物,是这个民族的基石,是坚信不曾见到的前景,是坚信明天会更好。我相信我们能为中产阶级提供帮助,为工薪阶层制造更多的机会;我相信我们能为失业者提供工作,让无家可归者有家,从暴力和绝望中挽救美国都市里的年轻人。我相信当我们站在历史的十字路口时,我们能做出正确的抉择,并迎接我们面临的挑战。

延伸阅读

贝拉克·奥巴马,1961年出生,美国民主党政治家,第44任美国总统,为美国历史上第一位非洲裔总统。1991年,奥巴马以优等生荣誉从哈佛法学院毕业。2008年11月4日正式当选美国总统。2009年,获得诺贝尔委员会颁发的诺贝尔和平奖。2012年11月6日,在第57届美国总统大选中,成功连任。

这是奥巴马2004年6月27日在民主党会议上的演讲,也是奥巴马的成名演讲。这场演讲使奥巴马一炮而红,开始受到各界关注。

grandfather n.(外)祖父; 始祖

potential adj.潜在的;有能力的; n.潜力

reclaim vt.开拓,开垦; 感化; 取回; 沙化; n.改造,感化;