芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講Thankyouladiesandgentlemenforaverywarmreception.Itwasonehundredandforty-fouryearsagothatmembersoftheDemocraticPartyfirstmetinconventiontoselectaPresidentialcandidate.Sincethattime,DemocratshavecontinuedtoconveneonceeveryfouryearsanddraftapartyplatformandnominateaPresidentialcandidate.Andourmeetingthisweekisacontinuationofthattradition.Butthereissomethingdifferentabouttonight.Thereissomethingspecialabouttonight.Whatisdifferent?Whatisspecial?I,BarbaraJordan,amakeynotespeaker.Alotofyearspassedsince1832,andduringthattimeitwouldhavebeenmostunusualforanynationalpoliticalpartytoaskthataBarbaraJordantodeliverakeynoteaddress.ButtonighthereIam.AndIfeelthatnotwithstandingthepastthatmypresencehereisoneadditionalbitofevidencethattheAmericanDreamneednotforeverbedeferred.NowthatIhavethisgranddistinctionwhatintheworldamIsupposedtosay?IcouldeasilyspendthistimepraisingtheaccomplishmentsofthispartyandattackingtheRepublicans--butIdontchoosetodothat.IcouldlistthemanyproblemswhichAmericanshave.Icouldlisttheproblemswhichcausepeopletofeelcynical,angry,frustrated:problemswhichincludelackofintegrityingovernment;the芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講feelingthattheindividualnolongercounts;therealityofmaterialandspiritualpoverty;thefeelingthatthegrandAmericanexperimentiscitizensofAmericaexpectmore.Theydeserveandtheywantmorethanarecitalofproblems.Weareapeopleinaquandaryaboutthepresent.Weareapeopleinsearchofourfuture.Weareapeopleinsearchofanationalcommunity.Weareapeopletryingnotonlytosolvetheproblemsofthepresent,unemployment,inflation,butweareattemptingonalargerscaletofulfillthepromiseofAmerica.Weareattemptingtofulfillournationalpurpose,tocreateandsustainasocietyinwhichallofusareequal.Throughoutouthistory,whenpeoplehavelookedfornewwaystosolvetheirproblems,andtoupholdtheprinciplesofthisnation,manytimestheyhaveturnedtopoliticalparties.TheyhaveoftenturnedtotheDemocraticParty.Whatisit?WhatisitabouttheDemocraticPartythatmakesittheinstrumentthepeopleusewhentheysearchforwaystoshapetheirfuture?WellIbelievetheanswertothatquestionliesinourconceptofgoverning.Ourconceptofgoverningisderivedfromourviewofpeople.Itisaconceptdeeplyrootedinasetofbeliefsfirmlyetchedinthenationalconscienceofallofus.芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講Nowwhatarethesebeliefs?First,webelieveinequalityforallandprivilegesfornone.ThisisabeliefthateachAmericanregardlessofbackgroundhasequalstandinginthepublicforum--allofus.Becausewebelievethisideasofirmly,weareaninclusiveratherthananexclusiveparty.Leteverybodycome!IthinkitnoaccidentthatmostofthoseemigratingtoAmericainthe19thcenturyidentifiedwiththeDemocraticParty.WeareaheterogeneouspartymadeupofAmericansofdiversebackgrounds.Webelievethatthepeoplearethesourceofallgovernmentalpower;thattheauthorityofthepeopleistobeextended,notrestricted.Thiscanbeaccomplishedonlybyprovidingeachcitizenwitheveryopportunitytoparticipateinthemanagementofthegovernment.Theymusthavethat,webelieve.Webelievethatthegovernmentwhichrepresentstheauthorityofallthepeople,notjustoneinterestgroup,butallthepeople,hasanobligationtoactively--underscoreactively--seektoremovethoseobstacleswhichwouldblockindividualachievement--obstaclesemanatingfromrace,sex,economiccondition.Thegovernmentmustremovethem,seektoremovethem.Weareapartyofinnovation.Wedonotrejectourtraditions,butwearewillingtoadapttochangingcircumstances,whenchangewemust.Wearewillingtosufferthediscomfortofchangeinorderto芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講achieveabetterfuture.WehaveapositivevisionofthefuturefoundedonthebeliefthatthegapbetweenthepromiseandrealityofAmericacanonedaybefinallyclosed.Webelievethat.This,myfriends,isthebedrockofourconceptofgoverning.ThisisapartofthereasonwhyAmericanshaveturnedtotheDemocraticParty.Thesearethefoundationsuponwhichanationalcommunitycanbebuilt.Letsallunderstandthattheseguidingprinciplescannotbediscardedforshort-termpoliticalgains.Theyrepresentwhatthiscountryisallabout.TheyareindigenoustotheAmericanidea.Andtheseareprincipleswhicharenotnegotiable.Inothertimes,IcouldstandhereandgivethiskindofexpositiononthebeliefsoftheDemocraticPartyandthatwouldbeenough.Buttodaythatisnotenough.Peoplewantmore.ThatisnotsufficientreasonforthemajorityofthepeopleofthiscountrytovoteDemocratic.Wehavemademistakes.Werealizethat.Inourhastetodoallthingsforallpeople,wedidnotforeseethefullconsequencesofouractions.Andwhenthepeopleraisedtheirvoices,wedidnthear.Butourdeafnesswasonlyatemporarycondition,andnotanirreversiblecondition.EvenasIstandhereandadmitthatwehavemademistakes,IstillbelievethatasthepeopleofAmericasitinjudgmentoneachparty,theywillrecognizethatourmistakesweremistakesoftheheart.Theyll芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講recognizethat.Andnowwemustlooktothefuture.Letusheedthevoiceofthepeopleandrecognizetheircommonsense.Ifwedonot,wenotonlyblasphemeourpoliticalheritage,weignorethecommontiesthatbindallAmericans.Manyfearthefuture.Manyaredistrustfuloftheirleaders,andbelievethattheirvoicesareneverheard.Manyseekonlytosatisfytheirprivateworkwants.Tosatisfytheirprivateinterests.ButthisisthegreatdangerAmericafaces.Thatwewillceasetobeonenationandbecomeinsteadacollectionofinterestgroups:cityagainstsuburb,regionagainstregion,individualagainstindividual.Eachseekingtosatisfyprivatewants.Ifthathappens,whothenwillspeakforAmerica?Whothenwillspeakforthecommongood?Thisisthequestionwhichmustbeansweredin1976.Arewetobeonepeopleboundtogetherbycommonspirit,sharinginacommonendeavor;orwillwebecomeadividednation?Forallofitsuncertainty,wecannotfleethefuture.WemustnotbecomethenewPuritansandrejectoursociety.Wemustaddressandmasterthefuturetogether.Itcanbedoneifwerestorethebeliefthatweshareasenseofnationalcommunity,thatweshareacommonnationalendeavor.Itcanbedone.Thereisnoexecutiveorder;thereisnolawthatcanrequiretheAmericanpeopletoformanationalcommunity.Thiswemustdoas芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講individuals,andifwedoitasindividuals,thereisnoPresidentoftheUnitedStateswhocanvetothatdecision.Asafirststep,wemustrestoreourbeliefinourselves.Weareagenerouspeoplesowhycantwebegenerouswitheachother?WeneedtotaketoheartthewordsspokenbyThomasJefferson:Letusrestoretosocialintercoursethatharmonyandaffectionwithoutwhichlibertyandevenlifearebutdrearythings.Anationisformedbythewillingnessofeachofustoshareintheresponsibilityforupholdingthecommongood.Agovernmentisinvigoratedwheneachofusiswillingtoparticipateinshapingthefutureofthisnation.Inthiselectionyearwemustdefinethecommongoodandbeginagaintoshapeacommonfuture.Leteachpersondohisorherpart.Ifonecitizenisunwillingtoparticipate,allofusaregoingtosuffer.FortheAmericanidea,thoughitissharedbyallofus,isrealizedineachoneofus.Andnow,whatarethoseofuswhoareelectedpublicofficials芭芭拉喬丹經典英語演講accountable.Wemustprovidethepeoplewithavisionofthefuture.Ifwepromiseaspublicofficials,wemustdeliver.Ifweaspublicofficialspropose,wemustproduce.IfwesaytotheAmericanpeopleitistimeforyoutobesacrificial;sacrifice.Ifthepublicofficialsaysthat,we[publicofficials]mustbethefirsttogive.Wemustbe.Andagain,ifwemakemistakes,wemustbewillingtoadmitthem.Wehavetodothat.Whatwehavetodoisstrikeabalancebetweentheideathatgovernmentshoulddoeverythingandthatidea,thebelief,thatgovernmentoughttodonothing.Strikeabalance.Lettherebenoillusionsaboutthedifficultyofformingthiskindofanationalcommunity.Itstough,difficult,noteasy.ButaspiritofharmonywillsurviveinAmericaonlyifeachofusremembersthatweshareacommondestiny.Ifeachofusrememberswhenself-inter