Ellen DeGeneres在纽奥良大学的毕业典礼

第一篇：Ellen DeGeneres在纽奥良大学的毕业典礼

Thank you, President Cowan, Mrs.President Cowen;distinguished guests, undistinguished guestsaluminialumisI really, I had no ambition, I didn't know what I wanted to do.I did everything from“and I'm gonna be the first woman in the history of the show to be called over to sit down.” And several years later, I was the first woman in the history of the show, and only woman in the history of the show to sit down, because of that phone conversation with God that I wrote.And I started this path of stand-up and it was successful and it was great, but it was hard, because I was trying to please everybody and I had this secret that I was keeping, that I was gay.And I thought if people found out they wouldn't like me, they wouldn't laugh at me.Then my career turned intothis was back, many years ago-and I finally decided that I was living with so much shame, and so much fear, that I just couldn't live that way anymore, and I decided to come out and make it creative.And my character would come out at the same time, and it wasn't to make a political statement, it wasn't to do anything other than to free myself up from this heaviness that I was carrying around, and I just wanted to be honest.And I thought, “What's the worst that could happen? I can lose my career”.I did.I lost my career.The show was cancelled after six years, without even telling me, I read it in the paper.The phone didn't ring for three years.I had no offers.Nobody wanted to touch me at all.Yet, I was getting letters from kids that almost committed suicide, but didn't, because of what I did.And I realised that I had a purpose.And it wasn't just about me and it wasn't about celebrity, but I felt like I was being punished...it was a bad time, I was angry, I was sad, and then I was offered a talkshow.And the people that offered me the talkshow tried to sell it.And most stations didn't want to pick it up.Most people didn't want to buy it because they thought nobody would watch me.Really when I look back on it, I wouldn't change a thing.I mean, it was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is, is to be true to yourself.Ultimately, that's what's gotten me to this place.I don't live in fear, I'm free, I have no secrets.and I know I'll always be ok, because no matter what, I know who I am.So In conclusion, when I was younger I thought success was something different.I thought when I grow up, I want to be famous.I want to be a star.I want to be in movies.When I grow up I want to see the world, drive nice cars, I want to have groupies.To quote the Pussycat Dolls.How many people thought it was “boobies”, by the way? It's not, it's “groupies”.But my idea of success is different today.And as you grow, you'll realise the definition of success changes.For many of you, today, success is being able to hold down 20 shots of tequila.For me, the most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity, and not to give into peer pressure.to try to be something that you're not.To live your life as an honest and compassionate person.to contribute in some way.So to conclude my conclusion: follow your passion, stay true to yourself.Never follow anyone else's path, unless you're in the woods and you're lost and you see a path, and by all means you should follow that.Don't give advice, it will come back and bite you in the ass.Don't take anyone's advice.So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine.And I know that a lot of you are concerned about your future, but there's no need to worry.The economy is booming, the job market is wide open, the planet is just fine.It's gonna be great.You've already survived a hurricane.What else can happen to you? And as I mentioned before, some of the most devastating things that happen to you will teach you the most.And now you know the right questions to ask in your first job interview.Like, “Is it above sea level?”.So to conclude my conclusion that I've previously concluded, in the common cement speech, I guess what I'm trying to say is life is like one big Mardi Gras.But instead of showing your boobs, show people your brain, and if they like what they see, you'll have more beads than you know what to do with.And you'll be drunk, most of the time.So the Katrina class of 2009, I say congratulations and if you don't remember a thing I said today, remember this: you're gonna be ok, dum de dum dum dum, just dance.谢谢，谢谢考恩校长，和有头有脸的来宾们，呃，有头有脸的来宾，你知道你是谁，不用介绍了（众人笑），诚心感谢大家……以及讨厌的西班牙语老师（众人大笑）

感谢所有2009届的毕业生，我知道你们绝大多数人还因为宿醉头痛欲裂，狂欢到今天都还没睡，但是没听完我的演讲不能毕业，所以都听好了！（学生们欢呼）

当我被问是否来参加毕业典礼演讲的时候，我立刻就回答了：yes！……然后我才去查“毕业典礼”是什么意思（众人笑）。如果我有字典的话就轻松多了，但我家的书大多是portia的（ellen的妻子，澳大利亚人）而且都是澳洲文（众人笑），所以……我得自己摸索，去找出这个词的意思。

“commencement毕业典礼”：commen常见的＋cement水泥，常见的水泥（众人大笑）你常常见到水泥，在人行道上，人行道有裂缝，你要是踩到裂缝，就会撞伤你妈妈的背（大家笑），所以大概意思就是这样了（笑声）

但我很荣幸被邀请来做你们的“常见的水泥”的演讲。我以为非得是又有名，又是你们学校的校友才能来……我没有在这里念过大学，我不知校长先生是否知道，我完全没上过大学…任何一间大学！我到不是在说你们在浪费时间和金钱，不过看看我，我是个超级成功的大名人唉！（大家爆笑）

事实上我在这里度过许多成长的岁月，我妈妈在这里工作时，我常来找她……每当我要偷她钱包里的钱时（大家笑）。但我今天在这里的原因，显然不是要偷你们的钱……我在这里是因为你们，因为没有比你们更优秀更勇敢的毕业生了。看看你们每一个人，身穿你们的袍子（学士袍），通常我们说在早上10点还穿着袍子（睡袍）代表你放弃人生了（大家大笑）。我在这里，因为我爱纽奥良，我在这里出生成长，在此度过少年时光，正如你们一样，当我住这里时，我只洗过6次衣服（众人笑）。

当我从学校毕业的时候，我完完全全迷失了自我，学校我指的是初中（大家笑），后来我也继续念完了高中。我当时，没有任何的野心，不知道自己想做什么。我什么工作都做，我挖生蚝，当带位员，做酒保，当服务生，粉刷房子，卖吸尘器……完全不知道自己想做什么。我只想随便找个糊口的工作，过一辈子，能有钱负得起房租就行，我完全没有任何计划。我想说的是，当我像你们这么大的时候，我真的以为我了解自己，但其实我并不了解，举例来说，我像你们这么大的时候，还在和男人约会（大家大笑）。所以我的意思是：当你们再长大些后，大多数的人，都会是gay!（场内爆笑，ellen自己也笑了）

总之，当时我不知道我的人生要干嘛，而最后我找到了我人生目标，却是因为一件十分悲惨的事。我那时可能才19岁，当时的女朋友因为车祸身亡了。我经过了事故现场，并不知道是她，还继续往前走。不久后，才知道那是她。我当时……住在地下室的公寓，没有钱，没有暖气，房子里都是跳蚤。我困惑不已，心想，为何她突然走了，而为何我又呆再这样一个境地里。我无法理解，但其中一定有什么理由。要是能直接拿起电话打给上帝问个清楚，不就太好了。于是我开始写一些东西，心里涌现出一段我和上帝的对话，虽然只是我一个人的独白。当我完成了它后，我阅读了这个剧本，对自己说，我说我要在“今夜秀”上和强尼.卡森一起表演这一段。强尼.卡森是当时主持届的天王，我对自己说我要成为该节目史上第一个被邀请和强尼一起坐下来访问的女性。数年之后，我成为这个节目史上，第一位也是唯一一位，被邀请坐下来和他访问的女性。就因为那段我写的和上帝打电话的剧本。

从此我开始做单人脱口秀，做得很成功，也很辛苦，因为我想讨好每一个人，同时又守着我身为同性恋的秘密。我想人们要是发现了，就不会喜欢我了。后来我又有了自己的喜剧，也很成功，更进一步的成功。我于是更担心，要是别人发现了怎么办，是不是就不会看我的节目了？这都是很久以前的事了，你们可能不知道，那都是我们的总统还都是白人时候的事了（大家大笑）

最终我还是决定……我一直带着羞耻和恐惧而活，我再也不能像那样活下去了，于是我决定让剧中的主角和我自己同时出柜。不是为了什么政治原因或是其他，只是为了让我从一个背负已久的沉重枷锁中释放出来，我只是想要……诚实！我想不会有更惨的事发生了，难道会失去我的演艺事业吗？结果，我真的失去了。我的节目在做了6年后，没有告知我就停播了，我读了报纸才知道。家中的电话三年没有再响过，没人愿意找我做节目，没人愿意碰我。

然而我收到了想要自杀的同性恋孩子的来信，他们因为我的出柜而最终没有自杀，我才了解到，我在这个世上是有目的的。那曾是一段痛苦的日子，我很愤世嫉俗，很难过。后来有人找我做脱口秀（今天的ellen show），制作公司想要卖出节目，但是大多数电视台都不愿意买。

当我回想起这些往事的时候，我一点也不想去改变什么，即使失去一切。因为我意识到，最重要的事是，对自己诚实。我的选择令我在今天能活得自在，没有恐惧和秘密。我知道一切都是ok的，因为无论如何，我知道自己是谁。

因此，这是不是结论的结论，当我年轻时，对成功的定义不同，我想我的志愿是：我想出名，想当明星，拍电影，我想要去看世界，开名车，有一群死党……（ellen这段说的很溜，大家反应过来其实这是小野猫的一首歌的歌词，于是大笑）但今日我对成功的定义变了，当你长大，你就会发现这点。对你们中的很多人来说，成功的定义是能灌下20杯龙舌兰酒（大家笑）。对我来说，生命中最重要的事是：活得诚实！别逼自己去做不是真正的你，要活得正直，有怜悯之心，在某些方面有所贡献。

因此，这是结论的结论（众人笑）：追随热情，忠于自我，绝不要追随别人的脚步，除非你在森林里迷路了才要这么做（大家笑）。别给人忠告，别接受任何人的忠告。所以…我要给大家的忠告是（大家大笑）：做真实的你，一切都会没事的。

我知道在座很多人都在担心自己的前途，但不用担心，经济正急速增长，就业市场求才若渴（大家大笑），地球也好的很！（大家笑）一切都会好的，你们都经历过风灾了，还有什么可怕的？如我以前所说的：最惨痛的事教会你最多。比如现在你第一次面试，就知道该问考官什么了，例如“公司高于海平面吗？”（大家大笑，纽奥良因地势低被淹水）

因此……总结一下我刚才做的我的“常见的水泥”演讲的结论（大家笑），我猜我想说的是，人生犹如一场狂欢嘉年华，记得展现你的头脑，而不是胸部。……2009年的毕业生们，我说祝贺大家了！若你不记得我今天说的任何话，就请记住这一句：you’re going to be ok，dun－doom－doom－doom（大家愣），just dance！（所有人大笑欢呼）

会场响起Lady Gaga的《Just dance》，ellen在演讲台上摇摆起来，就像她在1000多期ellen show中，每期必做的一样，一路跳舞到人群中去。

第二篇：ELLEN在纽奥良大学毕业演讲稿

ELLEN在纽奥良大学毕业演讲稿

Tank you, President Cowan,Mrs.President Cowan;distinguished guests, undistinguished guests-you know who you are, honored faculty and creepy Spanish teacher.And thank you all the gradueting class of 2009, I reslize most of you are hungover and have splitting headaches and haven’t slept since Fat Tuesday, but you can’t graduate ‘ till I finish, so listen up.When I was asked to make the commencement speech, I immediately said yes.Then I went to look up what commencement meant.Which would have been easy if I had a dictionary, but most of the books in our house are Portia’s, and they’re all written in Australian.So I had to break the word down myself, to find out the meaning.Commencement: common, and cement.Common cement.You commonly see cement on sidewalks.Sidewalks have cracks, and if you step on a crack, you break your mother’s back.So there’s that.But I’m honored that you’ve asked me here to speak at your common cement.I thought that you had to be a famous alumnus – alumini – aluminum-alunis-you had to graduate from this school.And I didn’t go to college here, and I didn’t know if President Cowan knows, I didn’t go to any college at all.Any college.And I’m not saying you wasted your time, or money, but look at me, I’m a huge celebrity.Although I did graduate from the school of hard knocks, our mascot was the knockers.I spent a lot of time here growing up.My mom worked at…and I would go there every time I needed to steal something out of her purse.But why am I here today? Clearly not to steal, you’re too far away and I’d never get away with it.I’m here because of you.Because I can’t think of a more tenacious, more courageous graduating class.I mean, look at you all, wearing your robes.Usually when you’re wearing a robe at 10 in the moring, it means you’ve given up.I’m here because I love New Orleans.I was born and raised here, I spent my formative years here, and like you, while I was living here I only did laundry six times.When I finished school, I was completely lost.And by school, I mean middle school, but I went ahead and finished high school anyway.And I – I really, I had no ambition, I didn’t know what I want to do.I did evrything from – I shucked oysters, I was a hostess, I was a bartender, I was a waitress, I painted houses, I sold vaccuum cleaners, I had no idea.And I thought I’d just finally settle in some job, and I would make enough money to pay my rent, maybe have basic cable, maybe not, I didn’t rally have a plan, my point is that, by the time I was your age, I really thought I knew who I was, but I had ni idea.Like for example, when I was your age, I was dating men.So what I’m saying is, when you’re older, most of you will be gay.Anyone writing this stuff down? Parents?

Anyway, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and the way I ended up on this path was from a very tragic event.I was maybe 19, and my girlfriend at the time time was killed in a car accident.And I passed the accident, and I didn’t know it was her and I kept going, and I found out shortly after that, it was her.And I was living in a basement apartment, I had no money, I had no heat, no air, I had a mattress on the floor and the apartment was infested with fleas.And I was soul-searching, I was like, why is the suddenly gone, and there are fleas here? I don’t understand, there must be a purpose, and wouldn’t it be so convenient if we could pick up the phone and call God, and ask these questions.And I started writing and what poured out of me was an imaginary conversation with God, which was one-sided, and I finished writing it and I looked at it and I said to myself, and I hadn’t even been doing stand-up, ever, there was no club in town.I said, “I’m gonna do this on the

Tonight Show With Johnny Carson”-at the time he was the king-“and I’m gonna be the first woman in the history of the show to be called over to sit down.” And several years laters, I was the first woman in the history of the show, and only woman in the history of the show to sit down, because of that phone conwersation with God that I wrote.And I started this path of stand-up and it was successful and it was great, but it was hard, because I was trying to please everybody and I had this secret that I was keeping, that I was gay.And I thought if people found out they wouldn’t like me, they wouldn’t laugh at me.Then my career turned into-I got my own sitcom,and that was very successful, another level of success.And I thought, what if they find out I’m gay, then they’ll never watch, and this was a long time ago, this was when we just had white presidents – this was back, many years ago – and I finally decided that I was living with so much shame, and so much fear, that I just couldn’t live that way anymore, and I decided to come out and make it creative.And my character would come out at the same time, and it wasn’t to make a political statement, it wasn’t to do anything other than to free myself up from this heaviness that I was carrying around, and I just wanted to be honest.And I thought , “what’s the worst that could happen? I can lose my career”.I did.I lost my career.The show was cancelled after six years.I had no offers.Nobody wanted to touch me at all.Yet, was getting laters from kids that almost committed suicide, but didn’t, because of what I did.And I realised that I had a purpose.And it wasn’t just about me and it wasn’t about celebrity, but I felt like I was being punished … it was a bad time, I was angry, I was sad, and then I was offered a talkshow.And the people that offered me the talkshow tried to sell it.And most stations didn’t want to pick it up.Most people didn’t want to by it because they thought nobody would watch me.Really when I look back in it, I wouldn’t change a thing.I mean, it was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the important thing is, is to true to yourself.Ultimately, that’s what’s gotten me to this place.I don’t live in fear, I’m free, I have no secret, and I know I’ll always be ok, because no matter what, I know who am I.So in conclusion, when I was younger I thought success was something different.I thought when I grow up, I want to be famous.I want to be a star.I want to be a movies.When I grow up I want to see the world, drive nice cars, I want to have groupies.To quote the Pussycat Dolls.How many people thought it was “boobies”, by the way? It’s not, it’s groupies”.But my idea if success is different today.And as you grow, you’ll realise the definition of success changes.For many you, today, success is able to hold down 20 shots of tequlia.For me, the most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity, and not to give into peer pressure.To try to be something that you’re not.To live your life as an honest and compassionate person, to contribute in some way.So to conclude my conclusion: follow your passion, stay true to yourself.Never follow anyone else’s path, unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path, and by all means you should follow that.Don’t give advice, it will come back and bite you in the ass.Don’t take anyone’s advice.So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine.And I know that a lot of you are concered about your future, but there’s no need to worry.The economy is booming, the job market is wide open, the planet is just fine.It’s gonna be great.You’ve already survived a hurricane.What else can happen to you? And as metioned before, some of the most devastating things that happen to you will trach you are most.And now you Know the right questions to ask in your first job interview.Like,“is it above sea level?”.So to

conclude my conclusion that I’ve previously concluded, in the common cement speech, I guess what I’m trying to say is life is like one big Mardi Gras.But instead of showing your boobs, show peaple your brain, and if they like what they see, you’ll have more beads than you know what to do with.And you’ll be druck, most of the time.So the Katrina class fo 2009, I say congratulations and if you don’t remember a thing I said today, remember this: you’re gonna be ok, dum de dum dum dum, just dunce.

第三篇：纽奥良安良工商会新址落成开幕典礼志庆

紐奧良安良工商會新址落成開幕典禮誌慶

紐奧良安良工商會於100年3月16日中午舉辦新會址落成開幕典禮邀請駐休士頓辦事處陳方正處長出席，張家華秘書、僑教中心王偉讚主任及李偉農副主任均陪同，全美安良工商會胡英僚總理、陳順盛總理、伍健生元老團主席、美洲協勝公會總理馮經綸、白杰雄、全美各地安良代表40餘人及當地台僑商會等均蒞臨。

陳方正處長致詞表示，安良工商會為歷史悠久之華人社團，對協助僑民生活、安定僑心及支持中華民國居功厥偉，展望未來安良工商會能持續協助僑民，支持政府施政，再次恭賀紐奧良安良工商會新會址落成，與會貴賓身體健康事業成功；陳處長嗣代表僑務委員會吳委員長致贈「華堂集瑞」賀軸並由紐奧良安良工商會陳景輝會長代表接受。落成典禮在隆重之祭拜及剪綵儀式中順利完成，現場氣氛熱絡。

圖1：陳方正處長(前排左3)、安良工商會總理胡英僚(前排右2)、陳順盛(前排右1)、伍健生元老(前排左2)及各地安良代表合影。

圖2:陳方正處長(左2)、王偉讚主任(右1)頒贈僑務委員會吳委員長賀軸紐奧良安良工商

第四篇：奥巴马在美国一所大学毕业典礼上的演讲

For Immediate Release May 14, 2012

Remarks by the President at Barnard College Commencement Ceremony

Barnard College Columbia University New York, New York

1:28 P.M.EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much.(Applause.)Thank you.Please, please have a seat.Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you, President Spar, trustees, President Bollinger.Hello, Class of 2012!(Applause.)Congratulations on reaching this day.Thank you for the honor of being able to be a part of it.There are so many people who are proud of you--your parents, family, faculty, friends--all who share in this achievement.So please give them a big round of applause.(Applause.)To all the moms who are here today, you could not ask for a better Mother’s Day gift than to see all of these folks graduate.(Applause.)I have to say, though, whenever I come to these things, I start thinking about Malia and Sasha graduating, and I start tearing up and--(laughter)--it's terrible.I don't know how you guys are holding it together.(Laughter.)I will begin by telling a hard truth: I’m a Columbia college graduate.(Laughter and applause.)I know there can be a little bit of a sibling rivalry here.(Laughter.)But I’m honored nevertheless to be your commencement speaker today--although I’ve got to say, you set a pretty high bar given the past three years.(Applause.)Hillary Clinton--(applause)--Meryl Streep--(applause)--Sheryl Sandberg--these are not easy acts to follow.(Applause.)But I will point out Hillary is doing an extraordinary job as one of the finest Secretaries of State America has ever had.(Applause.)We gave Meryl the Presidential Medal of Arts and Humanities.(Applause.)Sheryl is not just a good friend;she’s also one of our economic advisers.So it’s like the old saying goes--keep your friends close, and your Barnard commencement speakers even closer.(Applause.)There's wisdom in that.(Laughter.)

Now, the year I graduated--this area looks familiar--(laughter)--the year I graduated was 1983, the first year women were admitted to Columbia.(Applause.)Sally Ride was the first American woman in space.Music was all about Michael and the Moonwalk.(Laughter.)AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do it!(Laughter.)THE PRESIDENT: No Moonwalking.(Laughter.)No Moonwalking today.(Laughter.)We had the Walkman, not iPods.Some of the streets around here were not quite so inviting.(Laughter.)Times Square was not a family destination.(Laughter.)So I know this is all ancient history.Nothing worse than commencement speakers droning on about bygone days.(Laughter.)But for all the differences, the Class of 1983 actually had a lot in common with all of you.For we, too, were heading out into a world at a moment when our country was still recovering from a particularly severe economic recession.It was a time of change.It was a time of uncertainty.It was a time of passionate political debates.You can relate to this because just as you were starting out finding your way around this campus, an economic crisis struck that would claim more than 5 million jobs before the end of your freshman year.Since then, some of you have probably seen parents put off retirement, friends struggle to find work.And you may be looking toward the future with that same sense of concern that my generation did when we were sitting where you are now.Of course, as young women, you’re also going to grapple with some unique challenges, like whether you’ll be able to earn equal pay for equal work;whether you’ll be able to balance the demands of your job and your family;whether you’ll be able to fully control decisions about your own health.And while opportunities for women have grown exponentially over the last 30 years, as young people, in many ways you have it even tougher than we did.This recession has been more brutal, the job losses steeper.Politics seems nastier.Congress more gridlocked than ever.Some folks in the financial world have not exactly been model corporate citizens.(Laughter.)No wonder that faith in our institutions has never been lower, particularly when good news doesn’t get the same kind of ratings as bad news anymore.Every day you receive a steady stream of sensationalism and scandal and stories with a message that suggest change isn’t possible;that you can’t make a difference;that you won’t be able to close that gap between life as it is and life as you want it to be.My job today is to tell you don’t believe it.Because as tough as things have been, I am convinced you are tougher.I’ve seen your passion and I’ve seen your service.I’ve seen you engage and I’ve seen you turn out in record numbers.I’ve heard your voices amplified by creativity and a digital fluency that those of us in older generations can barely comprehend.I’ve seen a generation eager, impatient even, to step into the rushing waters of history and change its course.And that defiant, can-do spirit is what runs through the veins of American history.It’s the lifeblood of all our progress.And it is that spirit which we need your generation to embrace and rekindle right now.See, the question is not whether things will get better--they always do.The question is not whether we’ve got the solutions to our challenges--we’ve had them within our grasp for quite some time.We know, for example, that this country would be better off if more Americans were able to get the kind of education that you’ve received here at Barnard--(applause)--if more people could get the specific skills and training that employers are looking for today.We know that we’d all be better off if we invest in science and technology that sparks new businesses and medical breakthroughs;if we developed more clean energy so we could use less foreign oil and reduce the carbon pollution that’s threatening our planet.(Applause.)We know that we’re better off when there are rules that stop big banks from making bad bets with other people’s money and--(applause)--when insurance companies aren’t allowed to drop your coverage when you need it most or charge women differently from men.(Applause.)Indeed, we know we are better off when women are treated fairly and equally in every aspect of American life--whether it’s the salary you earn or the health decisions you make.(Applause.)We know these things to be true.We know that our challenges are eminently solvable.The question is whether together, we can muster the will--in our own lives, in our common institutions, in our politics--to bring about the changes we need.And I’m convinced your generation possesses that will.And I believe that the women of this generation--that all of you will help lead the way.(Applause.)Now, I recognize that’s a cheap applause line when you're giving a commencement at Barnard.(Laughter.)It’s the easy thing to say.But it’s true.It is--in part, it is simple math.Today, women are not just half this country;you’re half its workforce.(Applause.)More and more women are out-earning their husbands.You’re more than half of our college graduates, and master’s graduates, and PhDs.(Applause.)So you’ve got us outnumbered.(Laughter.)After decades of slow, steady, extraordinary progress, you are now poised to make this the century where women shape not only their own destiny but the destiny of this nation and of this world.But how far your leadership takes this country, how far it takes this world--well, that will be up to you.You’ve got to want it.It will not be handed to you.And as someone who wants that future--that better future--for you, and for Malia and Sasha, as somebody who’s had the good fortune of being the husband and the father and the son of some strong, remarkable women, allow me to offer just a few pieces of advice.That's obligatory.(Laughter.)Bear with me.My first piece of advice is this: Don’t just get involved.Fight for your seat at the table.Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table.(Applause.)It’s been said that the most important role in our democracy is the role of citizen.And indeed, it was 225 years ago today that the Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia, and our founders, citizens all, began crafting an extraordinary document.Yes, it had its flaws--flaws that this nation has strived to protect(perfect)over time.Questions of race and gender were unresolved.No woman’s signature graced the original document--although we can assume that there were founding mothers whispering smarter things in the ears of the founding fathers.(Applause.)I mean, that's almost certain.What made this document special was that it provided the space--the possibility--for those who had been left out of our charter to fight their way in.It provided people the language to appeal to principles and ideals that broadened democracy’s reach.It allowed for protest, and movements, and the dissemination of new ideas that would repeatedly, decade after decade, change the world--a constant forward movement that continues to this day.Our founders understood that America does not stand still;we are dynamic, not static.We look forward, not back.And now that new doors have been opened for you, you’ve got an obligation to seize those opportunities.You need to do this not just for yourself but for those who don’t yet enjoy the choices that you’ve had, the choices you will have.And one reason many workplaces still have outdated policies is because women only account for 3 percent of the CEOs at Fortune 500 companies.One reason we’re actually refighting long-settled battles over women’s rights is because women occupy fewer than one in five seats in Congress.Now, I’m not saying that the only way to achieve success is by climbing to the top of the corporate ladder or running for office--although, let’s face it, Congress would get a lot more done if you did.(Laughter and applause.)That I think we’re sure about.But if you decide not to sit yourself at the table, at the very least you’ve got to make sure you have a say in who does.It matters.Before women like Barbara Mikulski and Olympia Snowe and others got to Congress, just to take one example, much of federally-funded research on diseases focused solely on their effects on men.It wasn’t until women like Patsy Mink and Edith Green got to Congress and passed Title IX, 40 years ago this year, that we declared women, too, should be allowed to compete and win on America’s playing fields.(Applause.)Until a woman named Lilly Ledbetter showed up at her office and had the courage to step up and say, you know what, this isn’t right, women weren’t being treated fairly--we lacked some of the tools we needed to uphold the basic principle of equal pay for equal work.So don’t accept somebody else’s construction of the way things ought to be.It’s up to you to right wrongs.It’s up to you to point out injustice.It’s up to you to hold the system accountable and sometimes upend it entirely.It’s up to you to stand up and to be heard, to write and to lobby, to march, to organize, to vote.Don’t be content to just sit back and watch.Those who oppose change, those who benefit from an unjust status quo, have always bet on the public’s cynicism or the public's complacency.Throughout American history, though, they have lost that bet, and I believe they will this time as well.(Applause.)But ultimately, Class of 2012, that will depend on you.Don’t wait for the person next to you to be the first to speak up for what’s right.Because maybe, just maybe, they’re waiting on you.Which brings me to my second piece of advice: Never underestimate the power of your example.The very fact that you are graduating, let alone that more women now graduate from college than men, is only possible because earlier generations of women--your mothers, your grandmothers, your aunts--shattered the myth that you couldn’t or shouldn’t be where you are.(Applause.)

I think of a friend of mine who’s the daughter of immigrants.When she was in high school, her guidance counselor told her, you know what, you’re just not college material.You should think about becoming a secretary.Well, she was stubborn, so she went to college anyway.She got her master’s.She ran for local office, won.She ran for state office, she won.She ran for Congress, she won.And lo and behold, Hilda Solis did end up becoming a secretary--(laughter)--she is America’s Secretary of Labor.(Applause.)So think about what that means to a young Latina girl when she sees a Cabinet secretary that looks like her.(Applause.)Think about what it means to a young girl in Iowa when she sees a presidential candidate who looks like her.Think about what it means to a young girl walking in Harlem right down the street when she sees a U.N.ambassador who looks like her.Do not underestimate the power of your example.This diploma opens up new possibilities, so reach back, convince a young girl to earn one, too.If you earned your degree in areas where we need more women--like computer science or engineering--(applause)--reach back and persuade another student to study it, too.If you're going into fields where we need more women, like construction or computer engineering--reach back, hire someone new.Be a mentor.Be a role model.Until a girl can imagine herself, can picture herself as a computer programmer, or a combatant commander, she won’t become one.Until there are women who tell her, ignore our pop culture obsession over beauty and fashion--(applause)--and focus instead on studying and inventing and competing and leading, she’ll think those are the only things that girls are supposed to care about.Now, Michelle will say, nothing wrong with caring about it a little bit.(Laughter.)You can be stylish and powerful, too.(Applause.)That's Michelle’s advice.(Applause.)And never forget that the most important example a young girl will ever follow is that of a parent.Malia and Sasha are going to be outstanding women because Michelle and Marian Robinson are outstanding women.So understand your power, and use it wisely.My last piece of advice--this is simple, but perhaps most important: Persevere.Persevere.Nothing worthwhile is easy.No one of achievement has avoided failure--sometimes catastrophic failures.But they keep at it.They learn from mistakes.They don’t quit.You know, when I first arrived on this campus, it was with little money, fewer options.But it was here that I tried to find my place in this world.I knew I wanted to make a difference, but it was vague how in fact I’d go about it.(Laughter.)But I wanted to do my part to do my part to shape a better world.So even as I worked after graduation in a few unfulfilling jobs here in New York--I will not list them all--(laughter)--even as I went from motley apartment to motley apartment, I reached out.I started to write letters to community organizations all across the country.And one day, a small group of churches on the South Side of Chicago answered, offering me work with people in neighborhoods hit hard by steel mills that were shutting down and communities where jobs were dying away.The community had been plagued by gang violence, so once I arrived, one of the first things we tried to do was to mobilize a meeting with community leaders to deal with gangs.And I’d worked for weeks on this project.We invited the police;we made phone calls;we went to churches;we passed out flyers.The night of the meeting we arranged rows and rows of chairs in anticipation of this crowd.And we waited, and we waited.And finally, a group of older folks walked in to the hall and they sat down.And this little old lady raised her hand and asked, “Is this where the bingo game is?”(Laughter.)It was a disaster.Nobody showed up.My first big community meeting--nobody showed up.And later, the volunteers I worked with told me, that's it;we’re quitting.They'd been doing this for two years even before I had arrived.They had nothing to show for it.And I’ll be honest, I felt pretty discouraged as well.I didn't know what I was doing.I thought about quitting.And as we were talking, I looked outside and saw some young boys playing in a vacant lot across the street.And they were just throwing rocks up at a boarded building.They had nothing better to do--late at night, just throwing rocks.And I said to the volunteers, “Before you quit, answer one question.What will happen to those boys if you quit? Who will fight for them if we don’t? Who will give them a fair shot if we leave? And one by one, the volunteers decided not to quit.We went back to those neighborhoods and we kept at it.We registered new voters, and we set up after-school programs, and we fought for new jobs, and helped people live lives with some measure of dignity.And we sustained ourselves with those small victories.We didn’t set the world on fire.Some of those communities are still very poor.There are still a lot of gangs out there.But I believe that it was those small victories that helped me win the bigger victories of my last three and a half years as President.And I wish I could say that this perseverance came from some innate toughness in me.But the truth is, it was learned.I got it from watching the people who raised me.More specifically, I got it from watching the women who shaped my life.I grew up as the son of a single mom who struggled to put herself through school and make ends meet.She had marriages that fell apart;even went on food stamps at one point to help us get by.But she didn’t quit.And she earned her degree, and made sure that through scholarships and hard work, my sister and I earned ours.She used to wake me up when we were living overseas--wake me up before dawn to study my English lessons.And when I’d complain, she’d just look at me and say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”(Laughter.)And my mom ended up dedicating herself to helping women around the world access the money they needed to start their own businesses--she was an early pioneer in microfinance.And that meant, though, that she was gone a lot, and she had her own struggles trying to figure out balancing motherhood and a career.And when she was gone, my grandmother stepped up to take care of me.She only had a high school education.She got a job at a local bank.She hit the glass ceiling, and watched men she once trained promoted up the ladder ahead of her.But she didn’t quit.Rather than

grow hard or angry each time she got passed over, she kept doing her job as best as she knew how, and ultimately ended up being vice president at the bank.She didn’t quit.And later on, I met a woman who was assigned to advise me on my first summer job at a law firm.And she gave me such good advice that I married her.(Laughter.)And Michelle and I gave everything we had to balance our careers and a young family.But let’s face it, no matter how enlightened I must have thought myself to be, it often fell more on her shoulders when I was traveling, when I was away.I know that when she was with our girls, she’d feel guilty that she wasn’t giving enough time to her work, and when she was at her work, she’d feel guilty she wasn’t giving enough time to our girls.And both of us wished we had some superpower that would let us be in two places at once.But we persisted.We made that marriage work.And the reason Michelle had the strength to juggle everything, and put up with me and eventually the public spotlight, was because she, too, came from a family of folks who didn’t quit--because she saw her dad get up and go to work every day even though he never finished college, even though he had crippling MS.She saw her mother, even though she never finished college, in that school, that urban school, every day making sure Michelle and her brother were getting the education they deserved.Michelle saw how her parents never quit.They never indulged in self-pity, no matter how stacked the odds were against them.They didn't quit.Those are the folks who inspire me.People ask me sometimes, who inspires you, Mr.President? Those quiet heroes all across this country--some of your parents and grandparents who are sitting here--no fanfare, no articles written about them, they just persevere.They just do their jobs.They meet their responsibilities.They don't quit.I'm only here because of them.They may not have set out to change the world, but in small, important ways, they did.They certainly changed mine.So whether it’s starting a business, or running for office, or raising a amazing family, remember that making your mark on the world is hard.It takes patience.It takes commitment.It comes with plenty of setbacks and it comes with plenty of failures.But whenever you feel that creeping cynicism, whenever you hear those voices say you can’t make a difference, whenever somebody tells you to set your sights lower--the trajectory of this country should give you hope.Previous generations should give you hope.What young generations have done before should give you hope.Young folks who marched and mobilized and stood up and sat in, from Seneca Falls to Selma to Stonewall, didn’t just do it for themselves;they did it for other people.(Applause.)That’s how we achieved women’s rights.That's how we achieved voting rights.That's how we achieved workers’ rights.That's how we achieved gay rights.(Applause.)That’s how we’ve made this Union more perfect.(Applause.)And if you’re willing to do your part now, if you're willing to reach up and close that gap between what America is and what America should be, I want you to know that I will be right there with you.(Applause.)If you are ready to fight for that brilliant, radically simple idea of America that no matter who you are or what you look like, no matter who you love or what God you worship, you can still pursue your own happiness, I will join you every step of the way.(Applause.)

Now more than ever--now more than ever, America needs what you, the Class of 2012, has to offer.America needs you to reach high and hope deeply.And if you fight for your seat at the table, and you set a better example, and you persevere in what you decide to do with your life, I have every faith not only that you will succeed, but that, through you, our nation will continue to be a beacon of light for men and women, boys and girls, in every corner of the globe.So thank you.Congratulations.(Applause.)God bless you.God bless the United States of America.(Applause.)

第五篇：奥巴马纽镇枪击案一周年演讲稿

one year ago today, a quiet, peaceful town was shattered by unspeakable tviolence.Six dedicated school workers and 20 beautiful children were taken from our lives forever.As parents, as Americans, the news filled us with grief.Newtown is a town like so many of our hometowns.The victims were

educators and kids that could have been any of our own.And our hearts were broken for the families that lost a piece of their heart;for the communities changed forever;for the survivors, so young, whose innocence was torn away far too soon.But beneath the sadness, we also felt a sense of resolve – that these tragedies must end, and that to end them, we must change.From the very beginning, our efforts were led by the parents of Newtown – men and women, impossibly brave, who stepped

forward in the hopes that they might spare others their heartbreak.And they were joined by millions of Americans – mothers and fathers;sisters and brothers – who refused to accept these acts of violence as somehow inevitable.Over the past year, their voices have sustained us.And their example has inspired us – to be better parents and better

neighbors;to give our children everything they need to face the world without fear;to meet our responsibilities not just to our own

families, but to our communities.More than the tragedy itself, that's how Newtown will be remembered.And on this anniversary of a day we will never forget, that's the example we should continue to follow.Because we haven't yet done enough to make our communities and our country safer.We have to do more to keep dangerous people from getting their hands on a gun so easily.We have to do more to heal troubled minds.We have to do everything we can to protect our children from harm and make them feel loved, and valued, and cared for.And as we do, we can't lose sight of the fact that real change won't come from Washington.It will come the way it's always come – from you.From the American people.As a nation, we can't stop every act of violence.We can't heal every troubled mind.But if we want to live in a country where we can go to work, send our kids to school, and walk our streets free from fear, we have to keep trying.We have to keep caring.We have to treat every child like they're our child.Like those in Sandy Hook, we must choose love.And together, we must make a change.Thank you.