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1、new-era-of-responsibility- 作者： 日期：Inaugural AddressBy President Barack Hussein Obama My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust youve bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.I thank President Bush for his service to our nation - (a
2、pplause) - 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
3、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 generatio
4、n 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 a
5、nd 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 crisi
6、s, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that Americas 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
7、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 pr
8、omises, 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
9、 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 give
10、n. 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 only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some
11、 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 We
12、st, 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 Americ
13、a 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 i
14、nventive, 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 ours
15、elves 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 only 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. Well restore science to its rightful place, and wield technologys wonders to raise health cares quality and lower its cost. We will harness
