克林顿2000元旦祝辞

名人演讲稿

"Ladiesandgentlemen,tonightwecelebrate.Thechangeofcenturies,thedawningofanewmillenniumarenowjustminutesaway.

"Wecelebratethepast.WehavehonoredAmerica''''sremarkableachievements,strugglesandtriumphsinthe20thcentury.Wecelebratethefuture,imagininganevenmoreremarkable21stcentury.

"Aswemarvelatthechangesofthelast100years,wedreamofwhatchangesthenext100andthenext1,000willbring.Andaspowerfulasourmemoriesare,ourdreamsmustbeevenstronger.Forwhenourmemoriesoutweighourdreams,webecomeold.AnditistheeternaldestinyofAmericatoremainforeveryoung-alwaysreachingbeyond,alwaysbecoming,asourFounderspledged,``amoreperfectunion.''''''''

"SoweAmericansmustnotfearchange.Instead,letuswelcomeit,embraceitandcreateit.

"Thegreatstoryofthe20thcenturyisthetriumphoffreedomandfreepeople.Astorytoldinthedramaofnewimmigrants,thestrugglesforequalrights,thevictoriesovertotalitarianism,thestunningadvancesineconomicwell-beingandcultureandhealthandspaceandtelecommunicationsandinbuildingaworldinwhichmorethanhalfthepeopleliveundergovernmentsoftheirownchoosingforthefirsttimeinallhistory.

"Wemustneverforgetthemeaningofthe20thcenturyorthegiftsofthosewhoworkedandmarched,whofoughtanddiedforthetriumphoffreedom.

"Soasweringinthisnewyearinanewcentury,inanewmillennium,wemustnowandalwaysechoDr.King,inthewordsoftheoldAmericanhymn,``Letfreedomring.''''''''

"Ifthestoryofthe20thcenturyisthetriumphoffreedom,whatwillthestoryofthe21stcenturybe?

"Letitbethetriumphoffreedomwiselyusedtobringpeacetoaworldinwhichwehonorourdifferencesandevenmoreourcommonhumanity.Suchatriumphwillrequiregreateffortsfromusall.

"Itwillrequireustostandagainsttheforcesofhatredandbigotry,terroranddestruction.Itwillrequireustocontinuetoprosper,toalleviatepoverty,tobetterbalancethedemandsofworkandfamilyandtoserve,eachofus,inourcommunities.版权所有

"Itwillrequireustotakebettercareofourenvironment.Itwillrequireustomakefurtherbreakthroughsinscienceandtechnology,tocuredreaddiseases,healbrokenbodies,lengthenlifeandunlocksecretsfromglobalwarmingtotheblackholesintheuniverse.

"Andperhapsmostimportant,itwillrequireustosharewithourfellowAmericansand,increasingly,withourfellowcitizensoftheworld,theeconomicbenefitsofglobalization,thepoliticalbenefitsofdemocracyandhumanrights,theeducationalandhealthbenefitsofallthingsmodern,fromtheInternettothegeneticencyclopediatothemysteriesbeyondoursolarsystem.

"Now,wemaynotbeabletoeliminateallhatefulintolerance,butwecandevelopahealthyintoleranceofbigotry,oppressionandabjectpoverty.

"Wemaynotbeabletoeliminatealltheharshconsequencesofglobalization.Butwecancommunicatemoreandtravelmoreandtrademoreinawaythatliftsthelivesofordinaryworkingfamilieseverywhereandthequalityofourglobalenvironment.

"Wemaynotbeabletoeliminateallthefailuresofgovernmentandinternationalinstitutions.Butwecancertainlystrengthendemocracysoallchildrenarepreparedforthe21stcenturyworldandprotectedfromitsharshestsideeffects.

"Andwecandosomuchmoretoworktogether,tocooperateamongourselves,toseizetheproblemsandtheopportunitiesofthisever-smallplanetweallcallhome.

"Inshort,ifwewantthestoryofthe21stcenturytobethetriumphofpeaceandharmony,wemustembraceourcommonhumanityandourshareddestiny.

"Now,we''''rejustmomentsfromthatnewmillennium.

"Twocenturiesago,astheFramerswerecraftingourConstitution,BenjaminFranklinwasoftenseeninIndependenceHall,lookingatapaintingofthesunlowonthehorizon.WhenatlonglasttheConstitutionfinallywassigned,Mr.Franklinsaid,''''Ihaveoftenwonderedwhetherthatsunwasrisingorsetting.Today,Ihavethehappinesstoknowitisarisingsun.''''

"Well,twocenturieslater,weknowthesunwillalwaysriseonAmericaaslongaseachnewgenerationlightsthefireoffreedom.Ourchildrenareready.Soagain,thetorchispassedtoanewcenturyofyoungAmericans."版权所有