第一篇:奥巴马西点军校2014年毕业演讲中英文对照
奥巴马西点军校2014年毕业演讲
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you.Thank you so much.Thank you.Thank you, General Caslen, for that introduction.General Trainor, General Clarke, faculty and staff at West Point, you have been outstanding stewards of this proud institution and outstanding mentors for the newest officers in the United States Army.美国总统奥巴马:谢谢!非常感谢!谢谢!谢谢卡斯兰将军的介绍!特雷纳将军、克拉克将军、西点军校的教职工们,你们一直以来都是这所令人自豪的学府的优秀管理者,也是美国陆军新晋军官的杰出导师。
I’d like to acknowledge the Army’s leadership--General McHugh--Secretary McHugh, General Odierno, as well as Senator Jack Reed who is here and a proud graduate of West Point himself.To the class of 2014, I congratulate you on taking your place on the Long Gray Line.我要向陆军领导层表示感谢,包括陆军部长麦克休将军以及参谋长奥迪耶诺将军,同时也要感谢到场的杰克-里德参议员,他是西点军校引以为荣的毕业生之一。2014级的毕业生们,祝贺你们承接了西点军魂的使命。
Among you is the first all-female command team: Erin Mauldin and Austen Boroff.In Calla Glavin, you have a Rhodes Scholar, and Josh Herbeck proves that West Point accuracy extends beyond the three point line.(Laughter.)在你们当中,有美国首支女子指挥团队,包括艾琳-墨登和奥斯丁-波洛夫。卡拉-格莱文展现了一位罗兹学者的风采,而乔希-赫贝克则证明了西点的精准度远在三分线之外。(笑声)
To the entire class, let me reassure you in these final hours at West Point, as commander in chief, I hereby absolve all cadets who are on restriction for minor conduct offenses.(Laughter, applause.)
全体学员们,请安心度过你们在西点的最后时光,我以最高统帅的名义在此赦免所有因犯轻罪而关禁闭的学员。(笑声、掌声)
Let me just say that nobody ever did that for me when I was in school.容我说一句,我当学生的时候,可从未有人这么做过。
I know you join me in extending a word of thanks to your families.Joe DeMoss, whose son James is graduating, spoke for a whole lot of parents when he wrote me a letter about the sacrifices you’ve made.“Deep inside,” he wrote, “we want to explode with pride at what they are committing to do in the service of our country.” Like several graduates, James is a combat veteran, and I
would ask all of us here today to stand and pay tribute not only to the veterans among us, but to the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as their families.(Applause.)
我知道,你们和我一样都要向自己的家人表示感谢。乔-狄摩斯是本届毕业生詹姆斯的父亲,他给我来信讲诉你们所作出的牺牲,也道出了许多父母的心声。他写道:“在我们的内心深处,我们为他们立志报效国家而感到无比自豪。”和多位毕业生一样,詹姆斯也是位战场老兵。我请今天在座的各位起立,向我们当中的老兵,也向250多万曾在伊拉克和阿富汗服役的美国人及其家属致敬。(掌声)It is a particularly useful time for America to reflect on those who’ve sacrificed so much for our freedom, a few days after Memorial Day.You are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan.(Cheers, applause.)
这是继数天前阵亡将士纪念日后的又一个极有意义的时刻,让美国人民得以回想那些为我们的自由作出巨大牺牲的英雄。你们将是自911恐怖袭击以来,第一届不会被派到伊拉克或阿富汗参战的毕业生。(欢呼声、掌声)
When I first spoke at West Point in 2009, we still had more than 100,000 troops in Iraq.We were preparing to surge in Afghanistan.Our counterterrorism efforts were focused on al-Qaida’s core leadership--those who had carried out the 9/11 attacks.And our nation was just beginning a long climb out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.2009年,我首次在西点发表演讲时,我们仍有10万多名士兵驻扎在伊拉克,也正准备增兵阿富汗。而我们的反恐重心则是基地组织的核心头目——正是他们发动了911恐怖袭击。此外,我们的国家正开始一段摆脱大萧条以来最严重经济危机的漫长历程。
Four and a half years later, as you graduate, the landscape has changed.We have removed our troops from Iraq.We are winding down our war in
Afghanistan.Al-Qaida’s leadership on the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been decimated, and Osama bin Laden is no more.(Cheers, applause.)And through it all, we’ve refocused our investments in what has always been a key source of American strength: a growing economy that can provide opportunity for everybody who’s willing to work hard and take responsibility here at home.四年半以后,就在你们毕业之际,情况已发生了转变。我们已从伊拉克撤军,正逐步结束阿富汗的战争。潜伏在巴基斯坦和阿富汗边境地区的基地组织头目已被斩草除根,而奥萨马-本-拉登也早已命丧黄泉。(欢呼声、掌声)在经历了这一切之后,我们又将关注重心调整到美国实力的重要源头上来,这个源头就是不断发展的经济,为每一个愿意努力工作并愿意承担起家国责任的人提供机会。
In fact, by most measures America has rarely been stronger relative to the rest of the world.Those who argue otherwise--who suggest that America is in decline or has seen its global leadership slip away--are either misreading history or engaged in partisan politics.事实上,与世界上其他国家相比,美国在很多方面都处于强势地位。有些人持不同观点,他们认为美国正在衰弱或正失去世界的领导地位,这些人不是对历史存在误读,就是陷入了党派政治的泥潭。
Think about it.Our military has no peer.The odds of a direct threat against us by any nation are low, and do not come close to the dangers we faced during the Cold War.Meanwhile, our economy remains the most dynamic on Earth, our businesses the most innovative.Each year, we grow more energy
3independent.From Europe to Asia, we are the hub of alliances unrivaled in the history of nations.你们想一想,我们的军队天下无敌,任何国家对我们构成直接威胁的几率极小,而且与我们在冷战时期所面临的危险相差甚远。同时,我们的经济活力仍居世界第一,企业的创新性也名列前茅。我们的能源独立性都在逐年增强。从欧洲到亚洲,我们是各国有史以来无人能敌的联盟轴心。
America continues to attract striving immigrants.The values of our founding inspire leaders in parliaments and new movements in public squares around the globe.And when a typhoon hits the Philippines, or schoolgirls are kidnapped in Nigeria, or masked men occupy a building in Ukraine, it is
America that the world looks to for help.(Applause.)So the United States is and remains the one indispensable nation.That has been true for the century past, and it will be true for the century to come.美国将继续吸纳奋发图强的外国移民。我们的建国理念激励着各国议会的领导人,也激励着世界各地在公共广场上发起的新运动。当台风袭击菲律宾的时候,当尼日利亚女学生遭到绑架的时候,当蒙面歹徒攻占乌克兰政府大楼的时候,全世界都翘首以待美国的援助之手。(掌声)因此,美国始终是一个无可取代的国家,上个世纪如此,下个世纪亦是如此。
But the world is changing with accelerating speed.This presents opportunity, but also new dangers.We know all too well, after 9/11, just how technology and globalization has put power once reserved for states in the hands of individuals, raising the capacity of terrorists to do harm.但是,如今的世界瞬息万变。这为我们带来了机遇,也带来了新的危险。911恐怖袭击事件让我们清楚地认识到,科技和全球化发展是如何让原本由国家掌控的权力落入个人之手,令恐怖分子为非作歹的。
Russia’s aggression towards former Soviet states unnerves capitals in Europe while China’s economic rise and military reach worries its neighbors.4不久前,俄罗斯派兵入侵前苏联加盟共和国——乌克兰,这一军事动作牵动欧洲各国神经,与此同时,中国经济崛起及其军事走向则引发邻国担忧。
From Brazil to India, rising middle classes compete with us, and governments seek a greater say in global forums.And even as developing nations embrace democracy and market economies, 24-hour news and social media makes it impossible to ignore the continuation of sectarian conflicts, failing states and popular uprisings that might have received only passing notice a generation ago.从巴西到印度,新兴中产阶级在与我们展开竞争,此外,各国谋求在国际事务中争取更多话语权。尽管发展中国家拥护民主、认同市场经济,但全天候新闻以及社交媒体报道使得人们无法对接连发生在这些国家的派系冲突、国家衰败与民众暴动等事件视而不见。然而,这些对于上一代人而言,只能引来他们的“侧目”罢了。
It will be your generation’s task to respond to this new world.The question we face, the question each of you will face, is not whether America will lead but how we will lead, not just to secure our peace and prosperity but also extend peace and prosperity around the globe.如何能在新形势下有所作为的重担就要落在你们这一代的肩上了。摆在我们面前的问题,不是美国是否处在领导地位,而是她将如何引领各国;不只是美国能否实现繁荣发展,而是她如何能在全球范围内“播撒”和平与繁荣的“种子”,而这也是你们将来要面对的问题。
Now, this question isn’t new.At least since George Washington served as commander in chief, there have been those who warned against foreign entanglements that do not touch directly on our security or economic well-being.这个问题并非新鲜。至少,自乔治-华盛顿就任总司令——即美国爆发独立战争以来,就存在一些警告的声音,表示反对美国卷入与本国国家安全或经济福祉无直接关联的外部纷争之中。
Today, according to self-described realists, conflicts in Syria or Ukraine or the Central African Republic are not ours to solve.And not surprisingly, after costly wars and continuing challenges here at home, that view is shared by many Americans.现在,那些自诩为现实主义者的人认为,美国无需理会发生在叙利亚、乌克兰,以及中非共和国的冲突。的确,在经受了战争以及来自国内的多重挑战之后,这种观点为许多美国人所认同,这并不意外。
第二篇:奥巴马西点军校演讲
奥巴马西点军校演讲
奥巴马
本周一是阵亡将士纪念日,所以在今天这个场合,美国来缅怀那些为捍卫自由牺牲的人们,特别合适。你们是“911”以来第一届不用奔赴伊拉克或阿富汗前线的毕业生。当我2009年第一次在西点演讲时,我们在伊拉克还有10万多名驻军。我们还准备增兵阿富汗。我们反恐行动的重点还集中在基地组织的核心领导层——那些策划了“911”袭击的人。我们的国家才刚刚从大萧条以来最严重的经济危机中爬起身来。
四年半之后,当你们毕业之时,局面已经改变了。我们从伊拉克撤出了军队。我们正在阿富汗收缩战线。盘踞在巴基斯坦和阿富汗边境地区的若干基地组织领导人已被诛杀,奥萨马•本—拉登已不复存在。经此巨变,我们已将资源重新集中于美国实力的本源:不断成长的经济——能够为每一个愿在国内勤勉工作、尽职尽责的人创造机会。
实际上,以大多数指标来衡量,相对于世界其他国家,美国很少像今天这样强大。那些持不同论调——说美国正在衰落,或说她已丧失全球领导地位——的人,要么是误解了历史,要么就是被党派立场蒙住了双眼。想想看。我们的军事实力举世无匹。来自任何一个国家的直接威胁都很低,远不能同冷战时期的危险相比。同时,我们的经济仍是全球最具活力的经济,我们的企业是最富创新能力的企业。我们在能源供应上一年比一年更独立。从欧洲到亚洲,如此众多的盟友簇拥在我们周围,为万国历史上所仅见。
美国仍在吸引努力奋斗的移民前来。我们的建国理念在世界各地激励着议会中的领袖和广场上参与运动的人群。当菲律宾受台风肆虐,尼日利亚女学童遭到劫持,或是乌克兰的蒙面枪手占据大楼,美国仍然是全世界寻求帮助的对象。我国是而且仍然是一个不可或缺的国家。上一个世纪是这样,下一个世纪仍将如此。
然而,世界正在加速变迁。这种变迁带来机遇,但也带来新的危险。“911”以后我们深刻地认识到,新技术和全球化如何让个人掌握了原本只有国家才有的力量,提升了恐怖主义者实施伤害的能力。俄罗斯对前苏联加盟国的侵凌踩痛了欧洲各国的神经,而中国的经济和军事崛起则引发其邻国的紧张。从巴西到印度,新兴的中产阶级社会同我们展开竞争,它们的政府在国际议题上寻求更大的发言权。尽管许多发展中国家拥抱民主和市场经济,但24小时新闻和社交媒体让人难以忽视派系冲突、国家失灵和民众暴动的持续存在,而这一切在10年前只会偶尔受到关注。
应对这样一个新世界,是你们这一代的任务。我们所面临的问题,你们每一个人所要面临的问题,不是美国还会不会领导世界,而是我们将如何领导世界——不仅仅确保我们自身的和平和繁荣,还要把和平和繁荣扩展到全世界。
其实,这个问题并不是新问题。最晚从华盛顿在独立战争中担任大陆军总司令以来,总有人说,干嘛要关心那些并不直接牵涉我国安全和经济福利的外国烂摊子?如今,按照那些自诩为现实主义者的人的说法,不管是叙利亚、乌克兰还是中非共和国的纷争,都不关我们的事。并不奇怪,在经历了靡费的战争和国内的重重挑战之后,很多美国人都有类似想法。
左的和右的干涉主义者则持另一种看法,他们说,无视这些冲突,最终会令我们自己遭殃。他们说,美国在全世界运用实力的意志是防止世界陷入混乱的终极保障,如果美国面对叙利亚的暴行或俄罗斯的挑衅而无所行动,不仅违背我们的良心,而且也是在纵容未来更加肆无忌惮的行径。
两边都可以从历史上找到论据。但我认为,上面两种观点都没有充分满足当今时代所提出的要求。毫无疑问,在21世纪,美国孤立主义绝对行不通。我们不可能对国境之外的事态坐视不理。如果国外的核材料得不到妥善保存,美国的城市就会遭受威胁。当叙利亚内战向境外蔓延,经过战争历练的极端组织攻击美国的能力只会有增无减。如果地区扩张行为得不到约束——不论是在乌克兰南部还是南中国海,或是其他地方——最终会触及我们的盟友,并将我们自己的军队卷入冲突。我们不能对国境外的种种事态袖手旁观。
除了上面那些利益计算,我相信我们还有一个真实的关切、一个长远利益:保证我们的子孙后代在一个女学童不被劫持,人们不因部落、信仰或政治立场而遭屠戮的世界里长大。我坚信,建设一个更自由、更宽容的世界不仅是一种道德要求,也有助于保障我们本国的安全。
然而,说我们有必要在国境之外推进和平与自由,并不是说所有所有问题都要用军事手段解决。自第一次世界大战以来,我们所犯过的一些代价最高昂的错误不是来自我们的克制,而是因为我们在贸然投入军事冒险前对后果考虑不周——没有为我们的行动获得国际支持与合法性;没有对美国人民坦陈需要他们做出的牺牲。强硬言辞容易博取新闻版面,但战争的真相很少能够符合口号。对这个问题理解深刻的艾森豪威尔将军1947年在这个典礼上说得好:“战争是人类最可悲、最愚昧的蠢行。故意挑起战争,不论是自己决断还是出谋划策,都是对全人类犯下的邪恶罪行。”
像艾森豪威尔一样,这一代的男女军人对战争的代价理解甚深,你们西点毕业生也是如此。当我5年前在此宣布增兵阿富汗的时候,听众中的四人后来就在那个战场上捐躯。还有很多西点生负伤。我相信美国的国家安全需要采取那次军事部署。但那些伤亡者的英灵和苦痛令我寝食难安。如果我把你们送去冒生命危险,只是因为觉得世界上的哪个地方出了问题得有人管管,或者因为怕别人说不派兵干涉就会显得美国很软弱,那我就是背叛了我对你们、对我所爱的这个国家所负有的责任。
这是我的底线:在世界舞台上,美国必须坚持发挥领导作用。如果我们不做,就没人会去承担那份责任。你们加入的美国军队一直是支持美国领导作用的中坚力量。但是美国的军事行动不能在所有情况下都构成美国领导力的唯一内容,甚至不能总是其首要内容。我们手中握有最好的榔头,并不意味着所有的问题就都成了钉子。而且,正因为军事行动成本高昂,你们理当期待,每一位平民政府的总统——尤其他又是你们的总司令——在动用这种令人敬畏的力量之时,都应该怀着何种戒慎恐惧的心情。
所以,我将用接下来的时间,描述一下我设想的前景:美利坚合众国及其军队如何在未来若干年内领导世界,因为你们都将组成那种领导力的一部分。
首先,请允许我重复我在初任总统时所说的一句话:美国将运用军事力量,如必要时甚至是单边运用,如果我们的核心利益要求如此——如果我们的人民受到威胁,如果我们的生计蒙受风险,如果我们的盟友陷入危难。在这些情况下,我们仍须追问,我们的行动是否适度、有效和正义。国际舆论很重要,但保护我们的人民、国土和生活方式,美国不需要请求允许。
另一方面,如果全球关心的问题并没有直接威胁到美国,却也有所关涉的时候——当国外的危机刺痛了我们的良心,或者将世界推向一个更危险的方向却并未直接威胁到我们时,军事行动的门槛必须提高。在这些情况下,我们不应独自动武。而是必须动员盟友和伙伴采取集体行动。我们必须拓展手段,包括外交和国际开发、制裁和孤立、诉诸国际法和采取多边军事行动——前提是正义、必要和有效性。我们必须同其他方面合作,因为在此类情况下,集体行动更容易成功,更容易持久,也更不容易导致严重的错误。
这就引出我的第二个论点:在可预见的未来,在国内外对美国构成最直接威胁的还是恐怖主义。但是入侵所有庇护恐怖主义网络的国家,这种战略既是天真的,也是不可持续的。我认为我们必须改变我们的反恐战略,吸取我们在伊拉克和阿富汗的经验教训,更有效地同那些恐怖主义试图渗透的国家合作。
之所以需要新战略,是因为现在的主要威胁不在来自一个集中化的基地组织核心,而是来自分散化的基地外围和在各国各自为战的极端势力。这种变化降低了“911”式大规模袭击美国本土的可能性,但它却加剧了美国人员在海外遇袭的危险,就像我们在班加西领馆遇袭事件中看到的情况一样。它也加剧了防卫薄弱的目标遇袭的危险,就像我们在内罗毕购物中心袭击事件中看到的情况一样。
所以我们必须设计出一套战略,以应对此类分散化的威胁。那套战略要能让我们在扩大干预范围的同时,不至于把我们的军力过度摊薄,或引发当地人的仇恨。我们需要伙伴来和我们并肩打击恐怖主义。培养伙伴的能力正是我们在阿富汗所做的主要工作之一。
与盟友携手,美国重拳打击了基地组织核心,并反击了旨在推翻阿富汗政权的暴动。但要保住这些果实,前提是阿富汗方面有足够的能力完成任务。所以我们在训练数十万的阿富汗士兵和警察。今年年初,正是那些阿富汗部队保障了这个国家完成其历史上首次民主的政权交接。今年年末,一位新的阿富汗总统将会走马上任,而美国的战斗任务届时也就结束了。
那是美国武装部队帮助完成的一个了不起的成就。当我们在阿富汗转向训练和顾问任务,我们在该国的收缩让我们可以更有效地应对在中东与北非出现的新威胁。所以,今年早些时候,我要求我的国家安全团队制定一套计划,从南亚到非洲萨赫勒地区打造一个伙伴网络。今天,作为这一努力的一部分,我呼吁国会支持设立一个50亿美元的反恐怖主义伙伴基金,以使我们训练和装备处于反恐前线的伙伴。这些资源将使我们能够灵活胜任各种不同任务,包括帮助受到基地渗透的也门训练安全部队、在索马里部署多国维和部队、同欧洲盟友一起训练利比亚安全部队和边界巡逻队以及协助法国在马里采取行动等。
这一切努力的一个关键焦点是旷日持久的叙利亚危机。这场令人沮丧的危机没有容易的解决办法,用任何军事手段都不可能很快消除那里令人发指的暴行。作为总统,我决定不让美国的部队介入那场日益演变成派系战争的冲突,我相信这一决定是正确的。但那并不意味着我们不应该帮助叙利亚人民反抗那轰炸、饿死自己人民的独裁者。通过帮助那些为全体叙利亚人决定自身命运的权利而战的人,我们也就是在反击那些试图从这场混乱中渔利的极端主义者。
依靠我今天倡议设立的这个新基金,我们将帮助叙利亚的邻国约旦、黎巴嫩、土耳其和伊拉克,帮助他们在叙利亚边境疏导难民,拒斥恐怖分子。我将和国会通力合作,支持叙利亚反对派中最有希望替代恐怖分子和残暴独裁者的那些力量。我们还会继续同我们在欧洲和阿拉伯世界的盟友协调,推动这场危机得到政治解决,确保那些国家而不仅仅是美国在帮助叙利亚人民的过程中做出一份合理的贡献。
关于反恐怖主义,我还有最后一点要讲。我所描述的伙伴关系并不意味着,不需要采取任何直接行动,实施必要的自卫了。当我们掌握了可以据以采取行动的充分情报以后,我们就会采取行动。例如抓捕1998年阴谋炸毁美国使馆的恐怖分子、在也门和索马里实施无人机打击等等。在必须行动的时候,我们不能犹豫。
但就像我去年所说,在采取直接行动时我们必须坚持标准,持守我们的价值观。那意味着仅当面对持续的、实质性的威胁时才进行打击,而且要尽量确保不会造成平民伤亡。因为我们的行动要符合一条简单标准:我们不能在清除敌人的过程中,制造更多的敌人。
我也相信,关于反恐行动的基础和实施方式,我们必须更加透明。我们必须对公众作出解释。我会更多地让军方主导并向公众提供行动信息。我们的情报部门做了很多出色的工作,我们还会继续保护它们的信息源和工作方法。但如果我们无法清楚、公开地解释我们的行为,我们就得应付恐怖分子的宣传和国际上的质疑,我们在伙伴和人民眼里的合法性会遭到削弱,我们对自己政府的报告义务会遭到忽视。
透明度问题直接关系到美国领导力的第三个层面,那就是加强国际秩序。
第二次世界大战以后,美国智慧地创造出一些制度,以维护和平,促进人类进步——从北约到联合国再到世界银行和国际货币基金组织。这些制度并不完美,但它们是力量的放大器。它们减少了美国采取单边行动的需要,增加了对其他国家的约束。
如今,正如这个世界已经变化,这一国际治理架构也需要因时而变。在冷战高潮时期,肯尼迪总统说过,和平需要建立在“人类制度的渐进演化”之上。促使这些国际制度进一步演化,以应今时今日之需,是美国领导力的关键内容。
现在有不少人、不少怀疑论者老是要贬低多边行动的有效性。在他们看来,通过联合国这种国际组织来做事或遵守国际法是软弱的标志。我说他们错了。容我举两个例子来说明为什么。
俄罗斯最近在乌克兰的行动让人回想起苏联坦克碾压东欧的年代。但这并不是冷战重演。我们塑造世界舆论的能力帮助我们成功孤立了俄罗斯。由于美国的领导力,各国都很快对俄罗斯的行径做出谴责,欧洲和七国集团联合我们实施制裁,北约加强了对东欧盟友的承诺,国际货币基金组织协助稳定乌克兰经济,欧洲安全与合作组织的监督将全世界的目光引向了乌克兰南部的动荡。这场对世界舆论和国际组织的动员有力地抗衡了俄罗斯的宣传攻势、其部署在俄乌边境的军队和渗透在乌克兰的蒙面武装分子。
上周周末,数以百万计的乌克兰公民投了票。昨天我同乌克兰当选总统通了话。我们不知道局势会怎样演变,不知道前方还会有何种凶险,但同盟友并肩、同国际组织携手捍卫国际秩序的做法,已经给了乌克兰人民一个选择未来的机会,而我们并没有费一枪一弹。
与此类似,尽管美国、以色列和其他国家反复警告,伊朗近年来一直在稳步推进核计划。但就在我担任总统的初期,我们组成了一个联盟,对伊朗经济实施制裁,并对伊朗政府伸出外交之手。如今我们有机会和平地化解分歧。
虽然谈论成功为时尚早,我们也为防止伊朗拥有核武器而保留一切手段。但十年来,我们首次有机会达成突破性的协议。这份协议比我们用武力所能达成的更有效,更牢靠。在所有这些谈判中,我们自愿通过多边渠道开展工作,让全世界站到我们一边。
这就说明,这才是美国的领导力。这才是美国的强项。在上述两个例子中,我们打造同盟应对挑战。如今我们需要进一步加强这些制度,使其能够预见并组织问题扩散。例如北约是全世界迄今为止最强大的军事联盟。我们正着眼于新的任务加强同北约盟友的合作,一方面在东欧巩固新获得的盟友,另一方面要求北约盟友在欧洲以外参与反恐,应对崩溃国家的挑战并且训练伙伴网络。
与之相似,联合国提供了一个在冲突不断的各国之间维持和平的平台。现在我们需要确保参与维和行动的国家有足够的训练和设备来完成使命,以避免刚果(金)和苏丹战乱那样的大屠杀再次出现。我们要深化对那些参与维和国家的投入,因为如果其他国家能够就近维持有关地区的秩序,我们就无需投入自己的军队去冒险。这是一笔划算的投资。这是正确的领导方式。
请记住,并不是所有的国际规则都直接关乎武装冲突。网络攻击是一个棘手问题,因此我们正在努力塑造和加强网络治理规则,以保障网络和公民安全。在亚太地区,我们支持东南亚国家同中国谈判,以在南中国海岛屿争端中制定行为准则。我们也试图通过国际法解决那些争端。我们也需要发扬合作精神,来为全球应对气候变化重振活力。气候变化这个悄无声息的国家安全危机会影响你们一代军人所面对的形势,诸如难民潮、自然灾害和争抢水资源以及食物的各种挑战。因此明年我将努力确保在美国引领下建立全球框架,保护我们的星球。
诸君请看,美国的影响力最强之际,都是我们用榜样的力量领导世界之时。我们不能把自己排除于规则之外,而让他人遵守规则。我们不能一边呼吁其他国家应对气候变化,另一边许多我们自己的政治领袖却在否认气候变化的存在。我们不能一边试图解决南中国海问题,另一边却无法确保《国际海洋法公约》在美国参议院获得批准,尽管我们的高级将领也认为该公约有利于国家安全。那不是领导,那是退却。那不是强大,那是软弱。在罗斯福、杜鲁门、艾森豪威尔和肯尼迪那样的领袖身上,完全看不到这些东西。
我全身心地信仰美国例外论。但让我们成为例外的不是我们违反国际规则和法治的能力,而是我们以实际行动来肯定它们的意愿。正是因此,我将继续推动关闭关塔那摩监狱,因为美国的价值观和司法传统不允许在海外无限期关押犯人。正是因此,我将设立新规,规范美国收集使用情报的行为,因为如果人们都认定我们监听普通公民,我们会失去朋友,工作效率也会大打折扣。美国不仅仅代表着不惜一切代价谋求稳定或没有冲突。我们代表着更长远的和平,而只有当其他地方的人们获得机会和自由,那种和平才会来临。
这就关系到美国领导力的第四个也是最后一个要素:我们捍卫人类尊严的意志。美国对民主和人权的支持超乎理想主义,它也是国家安全的一个考量。民主国家是我们最亲近的朋友,也最不易走向战争。基于自由、开放市场的经济体表现更佳,也会成为我们产品的市场。尊重人权则有助于克服不稳定因素,有利于消解滋生暴力与恐怖的仇恨土壤。
新世纪的来临并没有带来暴政的黄昏。在世界各国,甚至是美国的一些伙伴,对公民社会的压制依然存在。腐败的癌症让太多的政府官员和他们的圈内人一夜暴富,激怒了从偏远乡村到伟大广场上的普通公民。看到这些趋势以及阿拉伯世界的一些暴力行径,很容易让人变得玩世不恭。
但也请记得,恰恰是因为美国的努力,因为美国的外交和对外援助,因为美国军队的牺牲,很多人如今已经生活在民选的政府之下,比人类历史上的任何时期都要多。技术使公民社会变得更有力量,让铁拳更难对它们加以控制。各种新突破让数以亿计的人脱离贫困。即便是阿拉伯世界的动荡也表现出拒斥威权统治的倾向——它们绝不稳固——而且也预示了更负责、更有效的治理前景。
我们承认,我们同埃及等国家的关系是出于安全利益考量,包括巴以和平进程和共同反对暴力极端势力等等。所以我们并未切断同新政府的联系,但我们能够也将会继续施压,敦促埃及政府实施其民众所要求的改革。
与此同时,像缅甸,几年前还是不可理喻、对美国充满敌意的专制国家,那可是4千万人口的国家啊。依靠该国人民巨大的勇气以及我们的外交努力,我们已经看到一个曾经封闭的社会开启了政治改革的进程,缅甸领导层开始疏远朝鲜,转向美国和盟友。我们正在支持该国的改革和亟需的民族和解进程,通过劝说和偶尔公开批评的方式。那里的进步还有陷入倒退的可能,不过,如果缅甸能够成功,我们就是未开一枪而赢得了新的伙伴。这就是美国的领导力。
在所有这些例子中,我们不能期待改变一夜之间完成。因此我们不仅同政府结盟,也同普通人民交好。和其他一些国家不同,美国不惧怕个体的人变得强大,有力的个人是美国的力量之源。公民社会、新闻自由令我们的力量有增无减。勤奋的企业家和小业主夯实我们的经济实力。教育交流和为一切男人、女人和儿童提供机会,这种开放性让我们近悦远来。那才是我们美国。那是我们所代表的一切。
去年在访问非洲的时候,我看到美国的援助令许多年轻人免受艾滋病的感染,同时也使得非洲居民能够照顾自己的病人。我们帮助农夫把出产送往市场,让饥民获得口粮。我们让撒哈拉以南非洲的电力供应翻番,让当地人得以分享全球经济的繁荣。这一切都在为我们赢得新的伙伴,挤压恐怖主义和暴力冲突的空间。
不幸的是,美国的安全努力都不足以消除博科圣地等极端组织造成的威胁,该组织劫持了200多名女学生。所以我们不能只顾营救学生,还要帮助尼日利亚教育他们的青年。这是我们在伊拉克和阿富汗来之不易的经验之一,美国驻军要成为外交和当地经济社会发展的最有力推动者。我们的部队明白了,对外援助不是细枝末节,不是可以跟国防分开考虑的事情。它是壮大我们的重要一环。
归根结底,全球领导力要求我们直面世界的本来面目,看清其全部危险和不确定性。我们得做最坏打算,防备一切意外。但美国的领导力也要求我们前瞻世界的应然状态:个人的愿望得到尊重,统治人们的是希望而非恐惧,我们的立国文献中所写下的真理可以引导世界历史潮流走向正义的方向。
资料来源:一财网
第三篇:奥巴马演讲中英文对照学习
Hi, everybody.大家好!
Restoring the idea of opportunity for all requires a year of action from all of us.Wherever I can acton my own, I will – and whenever I can ask more Americans to help, I’ll do that too.为所有人恢复机会的想法,需要我们大家在今年做出不懈努力,在我能独自采取行动的地方,我会毫不犹豫地这样去做——在我可以请求美国人民帮助的时候,我也会毫不迟疑地发出声音。
In my State of the Union Address, for example, I asked more business leaders to take action toraise their employees’ wages.Because even though our economy is growing, and our businesseshave created about eight and a half million new jobs over the past four years, average wages havebarely budged.例如,在国情咨文中,我请求更多的企业领袖采取行动,提高员工工资。因为,尽管我们的经济正在增长,过去四年中,我们的企业已创造了八百五十万个新工作,可我们的平均工资却几乎没有增加。
So it’s good news that, earlier this week, one of America’s largest retailers, The Gap, decided to raisewages for its employees beginning this year.Their decision will benefit about 65,000 workers in theU.S.That means more families will be able to raise their kids, finish their studies, or keep up on theirbills with a little less financial stress and strain.所以,本周早些时候,美国最大零售商之一盖普公司决定,今年开始为员工提高工资,这是个好消息。他们的决定将惠及约65,000名美国工人。这意味着更多的家庭,将能以更小的财政压力和负担,抚养孩子、完成学业或支付账单。Gap’s CEO explained their decision simply – he said, ―[It’s] right for our brands, good for ourpeople, and beneficial to our customers.‖ And he’s right – raising Americans’ wages isn’t just agood deed;it’s good business and good for our economy.It helps reduce turnover, it boostsproductivity, and it gives folks some more money to spend at local businesses.盖普的首席执行官简单解释了他们的决定——他表示:―[这一决定]对我们的品牌是合适的,对我们的员工是有帮助的,对我们的客户也是有益的。‖他是正确的——提高美国人民的工资,不只是件善事;它是件好事,有益于我们的经济。它帮助减少人员流动率、它提高生产力,它给人们更多的钱可以花到当地企业身上。
And as a chief executive myself, that’s why I took action last week to lift more workers’ wages byrequiring federal contractors to pay their employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour.正是出于这一理由,作为美国总统,我上周采取行动,要求联邦承包商支付员工每小时至少10.10美元的合理工资,以此提高更多工人的工资。
In the year since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, six states have passed laws toraise theirs, and more states are working on it as we speak.But only Congress can finish the joband lift Americans’ wages across the country.自我首先请求国会提高最低工资以来的一年中,六个州已通过提高最低工资的立法,就在我们谈话过程中,更多的州正在完成立法程序。但是,只有国会可以完成这一工作,在全国范围提高美国人民的工资。
Right now, there’s a bill before Congress that would boost America’s minimum wage to $10.10 anhour.That’s easy to remember –
―ten-ten.‖ That bill would lift wages for more than 16 millionAmericans without requiring a single dollar in new taxes or spending.But even though a majorityof Democrats, Independents, and Republicans across the country support raising the minimumwage, Republicans in Congress don’t want to give it a vote.此刻,就有一份把美国最低工资提高到每小时10.10美元的法案已送达国会。这很容易记住——―两个10‖。不需要增加一美元的税收或财政支出,这份法案将为1600万美国人提高工资。不过,尽管全国绝大多数民主党人、无党派人士和共和党人都支持提高最低工资,国会共和党人却不想就该法案进行表决。
Hardworking Americans deserve better than ―no.‖ Let’s tell Congress to say ―yes.‖ Pass that bill.Give America a raise.Because here in America, no one who works hard should have to live inpoverty – and everyone who works hard should have a chance to get ahead.勤奋工作的美国人民应该得到比―不‖更好的答案。让我们告诉国会说―同意‖吧。通过这一法案!给美国加薪吧!努力工作的人,不应该生活在贫困之中——每位努力工作的人,都应该拥有获得成功的机会!Thanks, and have a great weekend.谢谢!祝周末愉快!
In the Garden:Getting the Most Out of Mums
This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.People have grown chrysanthemums for more than two thousand years.Chinese and other Asian cultures make tea with the flowers.But mums also make bright and colorful gardens.One basic kind of mum is the hardy or garden mum.The other basic kind is the florist mum.The garden mum is better able to handle different growing conditions than the florist mum.There are many varieties of mums.The decorative mum is often seen in gardens.Another popular type, the quill mum, has long, straight petals like a tube or needle.Chrysanthemum blooms can be white, yellow, gold, red or other colors.The plants often grow to one meter in height.The soil should be kept moist but well drained so it does not get too wet.Newly planted mums should be watered two or three times a week, depending on conditions.Plants established in the ground may do well just with normal rainfall.In dry conditions they will need more water.Mums grow best in full sunshine.They produce colorful blooms when days get shorter and nights get longer.The life cycle of the plant depends on the amount of daylight.This is why experts advise against placing mums near nightlights or streetlights.The light may interfere with their normal growth cycle.The plants may develop buds too soon.In climates where temperatures fall below freezing, plant mums at least six weeks before the first frost is expected.That way, the plants will be well established for cold weather.Placing mulch around the plants can protect them from the cold.Doug Akers from the cooperative extension service at Purdue University in Indiana suggests straw or shredded leaves for the mulch.The material will also add nutrients to the soil.Some gardeners say the most beautiful presentation comes from planting mums close together.But they also advise leaving enough space between the plants so air can flow.If not, the chance of disease may increase.To get more blooms, gardeners pinch back the branches when new growth has extended to fifteen centimeters.Squeeze about five to seven centimeters off each branch.Pinch again when a branch grows another twelve to fifteen
centimeters.Stop pinching about one hundred days before you want the plants to bloom.And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson.You can find all of our reports with transcripts and MP3s at /20100629/22404.html
第四篇:2012奥巴马获胜演讲中英文对照
2012奥巴马获胜演讲中英文对照
Transcript of President Obama’s Victory Speech
November 7, 2012
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Thank you.Thank you.Thank you so much.(Sustained cheers, applause.)
Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.(Cheers, applause.)
It moves forward because of you.It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family, and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.(Cheers, applause.)
Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.(Cheers, applause.)
I want to thank every American who participated in this election.(Cheers, applause.)Whether you voted for the very first time —(cheers)— or waited in line for a very long time —(cheers)— by the way, we have to fix that.(Cheers, applause.)Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone —(cheers, applause)— whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.(Cheers, applause.)
I just spoke with Governor Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign.(Cheers, applause.)We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future.From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service.And that is a legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.(Cheers, applause.)In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.(Cheers, applause.)
I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America’s happy warrior, the best vice president anybody could ever hope for, Joe Biden.(Cheers, applause.)
And I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago.(Cheers, applause.)Let me say this publicly.Michelle, I have never loved you more.(Cheers, applause.)I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you too as our nation’s first lady.(Cheers, applause.)Sasha and Malia —(cheers, applause)— before our very eyes, you’re growing up to become two strong, smart, beautiful young women, just like your mom.(Cheers, applause.)And I am so proud of you guys.But I will say that for now, one dog’s probably enough.(Laughter.)
To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics —(cheers, applause)— the best — the best ever —(cheers, applause)— some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning.(Cheers, applause.)But all of you are family.No matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together.(Cheers, applause.)And you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful president.Thank you for believing all the way —(cheers, applause)— to every hill, to every valley.(Cheers, applause.)You lifted me up the whole day, and I will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work that you’ve put in.(Cheers, applause.)
I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly.And that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics who tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domain of special interests.But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies and crowded along a rope line in a high school gym or — or saw folks working late at a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you’ll discover something else.You’ll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who’s working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity.(Cheers, applause.)You’ll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who’s going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift.(Cheers, applause.)You’ll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who’s working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.(Cheers, applause.)
That’s why we do this.That’s what politics can be.That’s why elections matter.It’s not small, it’s big.It’s important.Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.We have our own opinions.Each of us has deeply held beliefs.And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.That won’t change after tonight.And it shouldn’t.These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty, and we can never forget that as we speak, people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter —(cheers, applause)— the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future.We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers —(cheers, applause)— a country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation —(scattered cheers, applause)— with all of the good jobs and new businesses that follow.We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened up by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.(Cheers, applause.)We want to pass on a country that’s safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this — this world has ever known —(cheers, applause)— but also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag —(cheers, applause)— to the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner —(cheers, applause)— to the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president.That’s the —(cheers, applause)— that’s the future we hope for.(Cheers, applause.)That’s the vision we share.That’s where we need to go — forward.(Cheers, applause.)That’s where we need to go.(Cheers, applause.)Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there.As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts.It’s not always a straight line.It’s not always a smooth path.By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock, resolve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward.But that common bond is where we must begin.Our economy is recovering.A decade of war is ending.(Cheers, applause.)A long campaign is now over.(Cheers, applause.)And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you.I have learned from you.And you’ve made me a better president.And with your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead.(Cheers, applause.)Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual.(Cheers, applause.)You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours.And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together — reducing our deficit, reforming out tax code, fixing our immigration system, freeing ourselves from foreign oil.We’ve got more work to do.(Cheers, applause.)
But that doesn’t mean your work is done.The role of citizens in our democracy does not end with your vote.America’s never been about what can be done for us;it’s about what can be done by us together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government.(Cheers, applause.)That’s the principle we were founded on.This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich.We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong.Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth, the belief that our destiny is shared —(cheers, applause)— that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations, so that the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights, and among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism.That’s what makes America great.(Cheers, applause.)
I am hopeful tonight because I have seen this spirit at work in America.I’ve seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job.I’ve seen it in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back.(Cheers, applause.)I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm.(Cheers, applause.)
And I saw it just the other day in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his 8-year-old daughter whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care.(Cheers, applause.)I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father but meet this incredible daughter of his.And when he spoke to the crowd, listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes because we knew that little girl could be our own.And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright.That’s who we are.That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president.(Cheers, applause.)And tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future.(Cheers, applause.)I have never been more hopeful about America.And I ask you to sustain that hope.AUDIENCE MEMBER: We got your back, Mr.President!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I’m not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the road blocks that stand in our path.I’m not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight.I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.(Cheers, applause.)
America, I believe we can build on the progress we’ve made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunities and new security for the middle class.I believe we can keep the promise of our founding, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love(ph).It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, abled, disabled, gay or straight.(Cheers, applause.)You can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.(Cheers, applause.)
I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests.We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe.We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states.We are, and forever will be, the United States of America.(Cheers, applause.)
And together, with your help and God’s grace, we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on earth.(Cheers, applause.)Thank you, America.(Cheers, applause.)God bless you.God bless these United States.(Cheers, applause.)
谢谢,谢谢,非常感谢。
两百多年前,人民在这块曾经的殖民地上赢得了自己的命运;今夜,我们向实现完美联邦的目标又迈近了一步。
这一步,是因为你们;这一步,是因为你们证明了克服战争和萧条的那种精神仍在,那份把我们国家从绝望的深渊带向希望之巅的精神。我们每个人都可以追逐自己的梦想。美国同胞血浓于水,作为一个国家和民族,我们共起落、同荣辱。
今晚,在这次选举中,你们,美国人民们,提醒了我们:尽管路程艰辛,历程漫长,我们仍能振作精神,奋起反击。我们心中坚信,美利坚的每天更加美好。我想感谢每一位亲身参与大选的美国人。无论这是你的第一次投票,又或是在队伍中等待了很久。顺便说一句,排队这个问题真是亟待解决。无论你是步行前往,还是拿起电话;无论你举的牌子上,写的是奥巴马还是罗姆尼… 你的声音都会被听到,你也一样带来了改变。我刚刚和罗姆尼州长通了话,向他和保罗·瑞安,就这场艰难的战役,表示了我的祝贺。双方的选战之所以惨烈,正是因为我们都如此深爱这个国家,如此关心它的未来。从乔治到兰诺夫妇,再到他们的儿子米特,罗姆尼一家选择通过献身公务来报效国家。今晚,我们向这一份宝贵的政治遗产致以我们的敬意和掌声。在未来的几个星期,我还希望能和罗姆尼州长坐下来,讨论在哪些方面,我们可以共同努力,推动这个国家向前。我想谢谢我的朋友,我过去四年的搭档,美国的快乐战士—乔·拜登。能有他做副总统。夫复何求。
另外,假如没有那位20年前同意嫁给我的女人,我今天也不可能站在这里。让我告诉所有人吧:米歇尔,我对你的爱,是如此深切。
我目睹着我之外的美国人都爱上了你,作为第一夫人的你,我对你的骄傲,也是如此深切。萨莎和玛利亚(奥巴马的两个女儿),就在我们的注视下,你们已经成长为两位坚强、智慧、美丽的年轻女士,就像你们的妈妈一样。我真得为你们骄傲。不过我还是要说,一条狗应该已经够了。
至政治史上最好的竞选团队和志愿者们:你们是最好的,最最好的。你们中有些人是新鲜加入,有些人从一开始就与我们共同进退,但你们都是我的家人。无论你在做什么,以后要做什么,你们都能带上这段我们共同创造的历史,以及这位感恩的总统对你们一生的感激。谢谢你们的一路坚信,陪我翻过每座丘岭,穿越每座山谷。一路走来,多亏你们的辅佑。我会永远为你们所付出的一切和所有卓越之至的工作而心怀感激。
我知道有时候政治竞选看起来渺小,甚至愚蠢,这为愤世嫉俗者们提供了很多素材。他们告诉我们,政治不过是为特殊利益集团服务的猴戏。但如果你曾经同参加过我们的集会的普通人,或是在高中体育馆围线外排队的人们交谈过;或是看到在远离家乡的小郡县竞选办公室里工作到很晚的人们,你一定会有新的认识。
你会在一位半工半读的年轻活动现场组织者声音中,听到无比的坚定。他想让每个孩子都能有均等的机会;
你会在一名志愿者声音中,听到他的自豪。她挨家挨户的告诉每一个人,她的哥哥终于有了工作,因为当地的汽车公司增加了一个轮班; 你会在一位军嫂声音中听到她的爱国主义情怀。她深夜也不放下电话是为了要让每一位保家卫国的战士,都不用在回家后,却为一份工作、一片屋檐,苦苦求而不得。
这就是我们做这些的原因。政治也可以说这样的。这就是为什么,选举是重要的。它并不渺小,它是件大事,很重要的大事。
在有三亿人口的国家中,民主会显得喧哗、混乱、复杂。我们有自己的观点,每个人都有自己坚定的信仰。当面对困难的时期,当我们的国家需要作出重大的决定时,它必然会激发热情,也掀起争议。这些在今晚之后都不会改变,也不应该被改变。这些争论是我们自由的印记。
我们永远不能忘记,就在此时此刻,在一些遥远的国家,人民正在冒着生命的危险,只为了能有讨论那些重要话题的机会,为了能有像我们今天这样投出自己一票的机会。
尽管我们有不同,我们中的大多数,对美国的未来怀有一样的希望。我们希望自己的孩子成长在这样一个国家:他们能去到最好的学校,有最好的老师;它不会辜负前人留下的遗产,继续成为全球科技、探索、创新的领导者,有好的工作、新的产业随之而来;我们希望自己孩子成长的美国,不会被债务负累,不会因不平等而有所削弱,也不会被地球变暖而带来的危害所威胁。
我们想要传承的,是一个安全并受全球尊敬与爱戴的国家。
我们想要传承的,是一个由世界最强军事力量保卫,拥有最好的军队的国家。同时,也是一个自信前行的国家——走出战争的阴霾,塑造和平景象,保障每个人的自由与尊严。
我们相信美国是一个慷慨大度的国家,一个悲天悯人的国家,更是一个海纳百川的国家。我们要接纳在我国学校学习并对我们的国旗宣誓,满怀梦想的移民;要接纳身处芝加哥南部市井之中却能志存高远的男孩;还要接纳北卡州家具工人的孩子,他们梦想着成为医生、科学家、工程师、企业家、外交官,甚至是总统。那正是我们所期望的未来,是我们共有的愿景,是我们需要“前进”的方向,那是我们的目标。对于如何实现这一目标,我们可能会意见相左,有时分歧甚大,两个多世纪以来,一直如此。我们总会断断续续地取得进步,前行的路线总有曲折,不会一直是平坦通途。认识到我们拥有共同的希望与梦想,单靠这一点无法终结所有的政治僵局,或解决我们所有问题。建立共识,作出推动这个国家向前所必要的艰难妥协,这些艰辛的工作也无法得以替代。但我们必须以这一共同纽带为起点。
我们的经济正在复苏,为期十年的战争已近尾声,一场漫长的竞选现已结束。
无论我是否赢得了你的选票,我都倾听了你的呼声,从你身上得到了教益,你使我成长为更优秀的总统。
带着你们的故事与挣扎,我回到白宫时,对面临的任务与未来,更为坚定,更有激情。今晚,你们投票换来的将会是积极的行动,而不是以往那样的政治游戏。你们选择了我们,是让我们关注你们的就业,而非我们自己的官位。
在接下来的数周、数月中,我期待着与两党领袖进行接触与合作,共同应对我们必须携手攻克的难关,降低赤字、改革税法、完善移民体系、摆脱对进口石油的依赖…我们还有更多的工作要完成,但这并不意味着你们的任务已经结束。公民在我们的民主体系中所扮演的角色,并不止于投票。
美利坚的意义,并不在于别人能为我们做什么,而是在于我们能一起做什么,而这依靠的就是公民自治。这虽然困难而又往往令人灰心,却是不可或缺的。这是我们的建国理念。我们国家的财富多于其他任何国家,可我们的富有并不源于此。我们有史上最强的军事力量,可这并不是我们力量的源头。
我们的大学,我们的文化,为全世界所钦羡,可这并非吸引各国人民前来我国的根源。美国的卓尔不群之根源在于,将全球最为多元化的国家团结起来的纽带,在于信奉我们的命运紧密相连。信奉只有当我们对彼此,对下几代人负起一定责任,我们国家才有希望。美国的卓尔不群之根源,在于无数美国人为之奋斗与献身的自由,这自由背后,既有义务又有权利,其中就包括仁爱、慈善、责任和爱国。美国的伟大,就是靠这些精神铸就而成的。我今晚充满希望,因为我目睹了美国上下洋溢着的精神: 在宁愿扣自己薪水,也不愿裁掉邻里员工的家族企业中; 在宁愿自己少干些,也不愿让朋友失业的工人们身上; 在手脚伤残,却仍延长服役年限的士兵身上;
在海军陆战队员身上,他们无畏地冲上楼梯,冲进黑暗与危险,只因心知有人会照顾他们。在新泽西与纽约的海岸上也可以见到,各党领袖、各级政府撇开分歧,共同帮助一个社区重建被可怕的风暴摧毁的家园。
前些天,我在俄亥俄州的曼图尔市见到了一位父亲,他跟我讲了他8岁女儿的故事。女儿与白血病的斗争差点使他们倾家荡产,幸好医保改革在保险公司停止支付,其医疗费用前数月得以通过。我不仅与这位父亲进行了交谈,也遇到了他坚强的女儿。当她向听众发言时,在场的每一位父母都眼含热泪。因为我们知道,这个小女孩的遭遇也可能发生在我们的孩子身上。
我知道每一位美国同胞,都希望她有同样光明的未来。这就是我们,这就是我非常自豪地以总统身份领导的国家。
今晚,纵有我们所经历的磨难,纵有华盛顿诸般挫折,我从未对我们的未来如此充满希望,我从未对美利坚如此充满希望。
我请求你们,保持这份希望。我不是指盲目乐观,无视眼前艰巨任务与障碍的那种希望,我也不是指让我们袖手旁观或逃避斗争的那种一厢情愿的理想主义。我一直认为,希望是我们心中顽强不屈的那样东西。
虽有各种不利证据,却仍坚持有更好的未来等待着我们。只要我们有勇气去不断争取、不断努力、不断奋斗。
美利坚,我相信,我们能百尺竿头更进一步,继续奋斗,为中产阶级创造就业、创造机会、创造保障。
我相信,我们能继续履行国父们的承诺——只要你踏实肯干,你是谁,从哪儿来,什么种族,爱哪里,都不重要。无论你是黑人、白人、西班牙裔、亚裔,还是印第安居民,无论你年轻与否、富有与否、健全与否、性向如何,你都能在美国有所成就,只要你愿意努力。我相信,我们可以共同把握这一未来。因为有别于政坛所表现的,我们其实并没有那么分裂,我们并不像评论员们所认为的那样愤世嫉俗。
我们的伟大,胜于我们个人野心的总和,我们不仅仅是红蓝州的集合。我们现在是,也将永远是,美利坚合众国。在你们的帮助下和上帝的眷顾下,我们将继续前进,向全世界昭示,我们为何居于地球上最伟大的国家。感谢你们,美利坚的人民们!上帝保佑你们!上帝保佑美国!
第五篇:奥巴马获胜演讲全文(中英文对照)
奥巴马获胜演讲全文
President-elect Barack Obama smiles as he gives his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night, Nov.4, 2008.以下是奥巴马(Barack Obama)竞选总统成功后在芝加哥演讲准备的讲稿: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible;who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time;who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen;by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different;that their voice could be that difference.It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain.He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves.He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama.Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am.I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.We didn't start with much money or many endorsements.Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause.It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy;who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep;from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers;from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth.This is your victory.I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me.You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college.There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created;new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.The road ahead will be long.Our climb will be steep.We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.I promise you – we as a people will get there.There will be setbacks and false starts.There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem.But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face.I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night.This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change.And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.It cannot happen without you.So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism;of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other.Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation;as one people.Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity.Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends„though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you.To those who seek peace and security – we support you.And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.For that is the true genius of America – that America can change.Our union can be perfected.And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations.But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta.She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.She was born just a generation past slavery;a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky;when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin.And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope;the struggle and the progress;the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot.Yes we can.When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose.Yes we can.When the bombs fell on our harbour and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved.Yes we can.She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.Yes we can.America, we have come so far.We have seen so much.But there is so much more to do.So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century;if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call.This is our moment.This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids;to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace;to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one;that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:
Yes We Can.Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.如果还有人对美国是否凡事都有可能存疑,还有人怀疑美国奠基者的梦想在我们所处的时代是否依然鲜活,还有人质疑我们的民主制度的力量,那么今晚,这些问题都有了答案。
这是设在学校和教堂的投票站前排起的前所未见的长队给出的答案;是等了三四个小时的选民所给出的答案,其中许多人都是有生以来第一次投票,因为他们认定这一次肯定会不一样,认为自己的声音会是这次大选有别于以往之所在。
这是所有美国人民共同给出的答案--无论老少贫富,无论是民主党还是共和党,无论是黑人、白人、拉美裔、亚裔、原住民,是同性恋者还是异性恋者、残疾人还是健全人--我们从来不是“红州”和“蓝州”的对立阵营,我们是美利坚合众国这个整体,永远都是。
长久以来,很多人一再受到告诫,要对我们所能取得的成绩极尽讽刺、担忧和怀疑之能事,但这个答案让这些人伸出手来把握历史,再次让它朝向美好明天的希望延伸。
已经过去了这么长时间,但今晚,由于我们在今天、在这场大选中、在这个具有决定性的时刻所做的,美国已经迎来了变革。
我刚刚接到了麦凯恩参议员极具风度的致电。他在这场大选中经过了长时间的努力奋斗,而他为自己所深爱的这个国家奋斗的时间更长、过程更艰辛。他为美国做出了我们大多数人难以想像的牺牲,我们的生活也因这位勇敢无私的领袖所做出的贡献而变得更美好。我向他和佩林州长所取得的成绩表示祝贺,我也期待着与他们一起在未来的岁月中为复兴这个国家的希望而共同努力。
我要感谢我在这次旅程中的伙伴--已当选美国副总统的拜登。他全心参与竞选活动,为普通民众代言,他们是他在斯克兰顿从小到大的伙伴,也是在他回特拉华的火车上遇到的男男女女。
如果没有一个人的坚决支持,我今晚就不会站在这里,她是我过去16年来最好的朋友、是我们一家人的中坚和我一生的挚爱,更是我们国家的下一位第一夫人:米歇尔?奥巴马(Michelle Obama)。萨莎(Sasha)和玛丽亚(Malia),我太爱你们两个了,你们已经得到了一条新的小狗,它将与我们一起入驻白宫。虽然我的外祖母已经不在了,但我知道她与我的亲人肯定都在看着我,因为他们,我才能拥有今天的成就。今晚,我想念他们,我知道自己欠他们的无可计量。
我的竞选经理大卫?普劳夫(David Plouffe)、首席策略师大卫?艾克斯罗德(David Axelrod)以及政治史上最好的竞选团队--是你们成就了今天,我永远感激你们为实现今天的成就所做出的牺牲。
但最重要的是,我永远不会忘记这场胜利真正的归属--它属于你们。
我从来不是最有希望的候选人。一开始,我们没有太多资金,也没有得到太多人的支持。我们的竞选活动并非诞生于华盛顿的高门华第之内,而是始于得梅因、康科德、查尔斯顿这些地方的普通民众家中。
我们的竞选活动能有今天的规模,是因为辛勤工作的人们从自己的微薄积蓄中拿出钱来,捐出一笔又一笔5美元、10美元、20美元。而竞选活动的声势越来越大则是源自那些年轻人,他们拒绝接受认为他们这代人冷漠的荒诞说法;他们离开家、离开亲人,从事报酬微薄、极其辛苦的工作;同时也源自那些已经不算年轻的人们,他们冒着严寒酷暑,敲开陌生人的家门进行竞选宣传;更源自数百万的美国民众,他们自动自发地组织起来,证明了在两百多年以后,民有、民治、民享的政府并未从地球上消失。这是你们的胜利。
我知道你们的所做所为并不只是为了赢得大选,我也知道你们做这一切并不是为了我。你们这样做是因为你们明白摆在面前的任务有多艰巨。因为即便我们今晚欢呼庆祝,我们也知道明天将面临我们一生之中最为艰巨的挑战--两场战争、一个面临危险的星球,还有百年来最严重的金融危机。今晚站在此地,我们知道伊拉克的沙漠里和阿富汗的群山中还有勇敢的美国士兵醒来,甘冒生命危险保护着我们。会有在孩子熟睡后仍难以入眠的父母,担心如何偿还按揭月供、付医药费或是存够钱送孩子上大学。我们亟待开发新能源、创造新的工作机会;我们需要修建新学校,还要应对众多威胁、修复与许多国家的关系。
前方的道路会十分漫长艰辛。我们可能无法在一年甚至一届任期之内实现上述目标,但我从未像今晚这样满怀希望,相信我们会实现。我向你们承诺--我们作为一个整体将会达成目标。
我们会遭遇挫折和不成功的开端。对于我作为总统所做的每项决定和政策,会有许多人持有异议,我们也知道政府并不能解决所有问题。但我会向你们坦陈我们所面临的挑战。我会聆听你们的意见,尤其是在我们意见相左之时。最重要的是,我会请求你们参与重建这个国家,以美国221年来从未改变的唯一方式--一砖一瓦、胼手胝足。
21个月前那个寒冬所开始的一切不应该在今天这个秋夜结束。今天的选举胜利并不是我们所寻求的改变--这只是我们进行改变的机会。而且如果我们仍然按照旧有方式行事,我们所寻求的改变不可能出现。没有你们,也不可能有这种改变。
因此,让我们发扬新的爱国精神,树立新的服务意识和责任感,让我们每个人下定决心全情投入、更加努力地工作,并彼此关爱。让我们铭记这场金融危机带来的教训:我们不可能在金融以外的领域备受煎熬的同时拥有繁荣兴旺的华尔街--在这个国家,我们患难与共。
让我们抵制重走老路的诱惑,避免重新回到令美国政治长期深受毒害的党派纷争和由此引发的遗憾和不成熟表现。让我们牢记,正是伊利诺伊州的一名男子首次将共和党的大旗扛到了白宫。共和党是建立在自强自立、个人自由以及全民团结的价值观上,这也是我们所有人都珍视的价值。虽然民主党今天晚上赢得了巨大的胜利,但我们是以谦卑的态度和弥合阻碍我们进步的分歧的决心赢得这场胜利的。林肯在向远比我们眼下分歧更大的国家发表讲话时说,我们不是敌人,而是朋友„„虽然激情可能褪去,但是这不会割断我们感情上的联系。对于那些现在并不支持我的美国人,我想说,或许我没有赢得你们的选票,但是我听到了你们的声音,我需要你们的帮助,而且我也将是你们的总统。
那些彻夜关注美国大选的海外人士,从国会到皇宫,以及在这个世界被遗忘的角落里挤在收音机旁的人们,我们的经历虽然各有不同,但是我们的命运是相通的,新的美国领袖诞生了。那些想要颠覆这个世界的人们,我们必将击败你们。那些追求和平和安全的人们,我们支持你们。那些所有怀疑美国能否继续照亮世界发展前景的人们,今天晚上我们再次证明,我们国家真正的力量并非来自我们武器的威力或财富的规模,而是来自我们理想的持久力量:民主、自由、机会和不屈的希望。
这才是美国真正的精华--美国能够改变。我们的联邦会日臻完善。我们取得的成就为我们将来能够取得的以及必须取得的成就增添了希望。
这次大选创造了多项“第一”,也诞生了很多将世代流传的故事。但是今天晚上令我难忘的却是在亚特兰大投票的一名妇女:安?尼克松?库波尔(Ann Nixon Cooper)。她和其他数百万排队等待投票的选民没有什么差别,除了一点:她已是106岁的高龄。
她出生的那个时代奴隶制度刚刚结束;那时路上没有汽车,天上也没有飞机;当时像她这样的人由于两个原因不能投票--一是她是女性,另一个原因是她的肤色。
今天晚上,我想到了她在美国过去一百年间所经历的种种:心痛和希望;挣扎和进步;那些我们被告知我们办不到的世代,以及那些坚信美国信条──是的,我们能做到──的人们。
曾几何时,妇女没有发言权,她们的希望化作泡影,但是安?尼克松?库波尔活了下来,看到妇女们站了起来,看到她们大声发表自己的见解,看到她们去参加大选投票。是的,我们能做到。
当30年代的沙尘暴和大萧条引发人们的绝望之情时,她看到一个国家用罗斯福新政、新就业机会以及对新目标的共同追求战胜恐慌。是的,我们能做到。
当炸弹袭击了我们的海港、独裁专制威胁到全世界,她见证了美国一代人的伟大崛起,见证了一个民主国家被拯救。是的,我们能做到。
她看到蒙哥马利通了公共汽车、伯明翰接上了水管、塞尔马建了桥,一位来自亚特兰大的传教士告诉人们:我们能成功。是的,我们能做到。
人类登上月球、柏林墙倒下,世界因我们的科学和想像被连接在一起。今年,就在这次选举中,她用手指触碰屏幕投下自己的选票,因为在美国生活了106年之后,经历了最好的时光和最黑暗的时刻之后,她知道美国如何能够发生变革。是的,我们能做到。
美国,我们已经走过漫漫长路。我们已经历了很多。但是我们仍有很多事情要做。因此今夜,让我们自问--如果我们的孩子能够活到下个世纪;如果我们的女儿有幸活得和安一样长,他们将会看到怎样的改变?我们将会取得怎样的进步?
现在是我们回答这个问题的机会。这是我们的时刻。这是我们的时代--让我们的人民重新就业,为我们的后代敞开机会的大门;恢复繁荣发展,推进和平事业;让“美国梦”重新焕发光芒,再次证明这样一个基本的真理:我们是一家人;一息尚存,我们就有希望;当我们遇到嘲讽和怀疑,当有人说我们办不到的时候,我们要以这个永恒的信条来回应他们:
是的,我们能做到。感谢你们。上帝保佑你们。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。