英语演讲稿:1984 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address是一篇经典的英语演讲稿，你可以先模仿，然后融会贯通
发布时间：2017-04-17
thankyouverymuch.
onbehalfofthegreatempirestateandthewholefamilyofnewyork,letmethankyouforthegreatprivilegeofbeingabletoaddressthisconvention.pleaseallowmetoskipthestoriesandthepoetryandthetemptationtodealinnicebutvaguerhetoric.letmeinsteadusethisvaluableopportunitytodealimmediatelywiththequestionsthatshoulddeterminethiselectionandthatweallknowarevitaltotheamericanpeople.
tendaysago,presidentreaganadmittedthatalthoughsomepeopleinthiscountryseemedtobedoingwellnowadays,otherswereunhappy,evenworried,aboutthemselves,theirfamilies,andtheirfutures.thepresidentsaidthathedidn'tunderstandthatfear.hesaid,"why,thiscountryisashiningcityonahill."andthepresidentisright.inmanywaysweareashiningcityonahill.
butthehardtruthisthatnoteveryoneissharinginthiscity'ssplendorandglory.ashiningcityisperhapsallthepresidentseesfromtheporticoofthewhitehouseandtheverandaofhisranch,whereeveryoneseemstobedoingwell.butthere'sanothercity;there'sanotherparttotheshiningthecity;thepartwheresomepeoplecan'tpaytheirmortgages,andmostyoungpeoplecan'taffordone;wherestudentscan'taffordtheeducationtheyneed,andmiddle-classparentswatchthedreamstheyholdfortheirchildrenevaporate.
inthispartofthecitytherearemorepoorthanever,morefamiliesintrouble,moreandmorepeoplewhoneedhelpbutcan'tfindit.evenworse:thereareelderlypeoplewhotrembleinthebasementsofthehousesthere.andtherearepeoplewhosleepinthecitystreets,inthegutter,wheretheglitterdoesn'tshow.thereareghettoswherethousandsofyoungpeople,withoutajoboraneducation,givetheirlivesawaytodrugdealerseveryday.thereisdespair,mr.president,inthefacesthatyoudon'tsee,intheplacesthatyoudon'tvisitinyourshiningcity.
infact,mr.president,thisisanation--mr.presidentyououghttoknowthatthisnationismorea"taleoftwocities"thanitisjusta"shiningcityonahill."
maybe,maybe,mr.president,ifyouvisitedsomemoreplaces;maybeifyouwenttoappalachiawheresomepeoplestillliveinsheds;maybeifyouwenttolackawannawherethousandsofunemployedsteelworkerswonderwhywesubsidizedforeignsteel.maybe--maybe,mr.president,ifyoustoppedinatashelterinchicagoandspoketothehomelessthere;maybe,mr.president,ifyouaskedawomanwhohadbeendeniedthehelpsheneededtofeedherchildrenbecauseyousaidyouneededthemoneyforataxbreakforamillionaireorforamissilewecouldn'taffordtouse.
maybe--maybe,mr.president.buti'mafraidnot.becausethetruthis,ladiesandgentlemen,thatthisishowwewerewarneditwouldbe.presidentreagantoldusfromtheverybeginningthathebelievedinakindofsocialdarwinism.survivalofthefittest."governmentcan'tdoeverything,"weweretold,soitshouldsettlefortakingcareofthestrongandhopethateconomicambitionandcharitywilldotherest.maketherichricher,andwhatfallsfromthetablewillbeenoughforthemiddleclassandthosewhoaretryingdesperatelytoworktheirwayintothemiddleclass.
youknow,therepublicanscalledit"trickle-down"whenhoovertriedit.nowtheycallit"supplyside."butit'sthesameshiningcityforthoserelativefewwhoareluckyenoughtoliveinitsgoodneighborhoods.butforthepeoplewhoareexcluded,forthepeoplewhoarelockedout,alltheycandoisstarefromadistanceatthatcity'sglimmeringtowers.
it'sanoldstory.it'sasoldasourhistory.thedifferencebetweendemocratsandrepublicanshasalwaysbeenmeasuredincourageandconfidence.therepublicans--therepublicansbelievethatthewagontrainwillnotmakeittothefrontierunlesssomeoftheold,someoftheyoung,someoftheweakareleftbehindbythesideofthetrail."thestrong"--"thestrong,"theytellus,"willinherittheland."
wedemocratsbelieveinsomethingelse.wedemocratsbelievethatwecanmakeitallthewaywiththewholefamilyintact,andwehavemorethanonce.eversincefranklinrooseveltliftedhimselffromhiswheelchairtoliftthisnationfromitsknees--wagontrainafterwagontrain--tonewfrontiersofeducation,housing,peace;thewholefamilyaboard,constantlyreachingouttoextendandenlargethatfamily;liftingthemupintothewagonontheway;blacksandhispanics,andpeopleofeveryethnicgroup,andnativeamericans--allthosestrugglingtobuildtheirfamiliesandclaimsomesmallshareofamerica.fornearly50yearswecarriedthemalltonewlevelsofcomfort,andsecurity,anddignity,evenaffluence.andrememberthis,someofusinthisroomtodayarehereonlybecausethisnationhadthatkindofconfidence.anditwouldbewrongtoforgetthat.
so,hereweareatthisconventiontoremindourselveswherewecomefromandtoclaimthefutureforourselvesandforourchildren.todayourgreatdemocraticparty,whichhassavedthisnationfromdepression,fromfascism,fromracism,fromcorruption,iscalledupontodoitagain--thistimetosavethenationfromconfusionanddivision,fromthethreatofeventualfiscaldisaster,andmostofallfromthefearofanuclearholocaust.
that'snotgoingtobeeasy.moudallisexactlyright--itwon'tbeeasy.andinordertosucceed,wemustanswerouropponent'spolishedandappealingrhetoricwithamoretellingreasonablenessandrationality.
wemustwinthiscaseonthemerits.wemustgettheamericanpublictolookpasttheglitter,beyondtheshowmanshiptothereality,thehardsubstanceofthings.andwe'lldoitnotsomuchwithspeechesthatsoundgoodaswithspeechesthataregoodandsound;notsomuchwithspeechesthatwillbringpeopletotheirfeetaswithspeechesthatwillbringpeopletotheirsenses.wemustmake--wemustmaketheamericanpeoplehearour"taleoftwocities."wemustconvincethemthatwedon'thavetosettlefortwocities,thatwecanhaveonecity,indivisible,shiningforallofitspeople.
now,wewillhavenochancetodothatifwhatcomesoutofthisconventionisababelofarguingvoices.ifthat'swhat'sheardthroughoutthecampaign,dissidentsoundsfromallsides,wewillhavenochancetotellourmessage.tosucceedwewillhavetosurrendersomesmallpartsofourindividualinterests,tobuildaplatformthatwecanallstandon,atonce,andcomfortably--proudlysingingout.weneed--weneedaplatformwecanallagreetosothatwecansingoutthetruthforthenationtohear,inchorus,itslogicsoclearandcommandingthatnoslickmadisonavenuecommercial,noamountofgeniality,nomartialmusicwillbeabletomufflethesoundofthetruth.
andwedemocratsmustunite.wedemocratsmustunitesothattheentirenationcanunite,becausesurelytherepublicanswon'tbringthiscountrytogether.theirpoliciesdividethenationintotheluckyandtheleft-out,intotheroyaltyandtherabble.therepublicansarewillingtotreatthatdivisionasvictory.theywouldcutthisnationinhalf,intothosetemporarilybetteroffandthoseworseoffthanbefore,andtheywouldcallthatdivisionrecovery.
now,weshouldnot--weshouldnotbeembarrassedordismayedorchagrinediftheprocessofunifyingisdifficult,evenwrenchingattimes.rememberthat,unlikeanyotherparty,weembracemenandwomenofeverycolor,everycreed,everyorientation,everyeconomicclass.inourfamilyaregatheredeveryonefromtheabjectpoorofessexcountyinnewyork,totheenlightenedaffluentofthegoldcoastsatbothendsofthenation.andinbetweenistheheartofourconstituency--themiddleclass,thepeoplenotrichenoughtobeworry-free,butnotpoorenoughtobeonwelfare;themiddleclass--thosepeoplewhoworkforalivingbecausetheyhaveto,notbecausesomepsychiatristtoldthemitwasaconvenientwaytofilltheintervalbetweenbirthandeternity.whitecollarandbluecollar.youngprofessionals.menandwomeninsmallbusinessdesperateforthecapitalandcontractsthattheyneedtoprovetheirworth.
wespeakfortheminoritieswhohavenotyetenteredthemainstream.wespeakforethnicswhowanttoaddtheirculturetothemagnificentmosaicthatisamerica.wespeak--wespeakforwomenwhoareindignantthatthisnationrefusestoetchintoitsgovernmentalcommandmentsthesimplerule"thoushaltnotsinagainstequality,"arulesosimple--
iwasgoingtosay,andiperhapsdarenotbutiwill.it'sacommandmentsosimpleitcanbespelledinthreeletters:e.r.a.
wespeak--wespeakforyoungpeopledemandinganeducationandafuture.wespeakforseniorcitizens.wespeakforseniorcitizenswhoareterrorizedbytheideathattheironlysecurity,theirsocialsecurity,isbeingthreatened.wespeakformillionsofreasoningpeoplefightingtopreserveourenvironmentfromgreedandfromstupidity.andwespeakforreasonablepeoplewhoarefightingtopreserveourveryexistencefromamachointransigencethatrefusestomakeintelligentattemptstodiscussthepossibilityofnuclearholocaustwithourenemy.theyrefuse.theyrefuse,becausetheybelievewecanpilemissilessohighthattheywillpiercethecloudsandthesightofthemwillfrightenourenemiesintosubmission.
nowwe'reproudofthisdiversityasdemocrats.we'regratefulforit.wedon'thavetomanufactureitthewaytherepublicanswillnextmonthindallas,byproppingupmannequindelegatesontheconventionfloor.butwe,whilewe'reproudofthisdiversity,wepayapriceforit.thedifferentpeoplethatwerepresenthavedifferentpointsofview.andsometimestheycompeteandevendebate,andevenargue.that'swhatourprimarieswereallabout.butnowtheprimariesareoveranditistime,whenwepickourcandidatesandourplatformhere,tolockarmsandmoveintothiscampaigntogether.
ifyouneedanymoreinspirationtoputsomesmallpartofyourowndifferenceasidetocreatethisconsensus,thenallyouneedtodoistoreflectonwhattherepublicanpolicyofdivideandcajolehasdonetothislandsince1980.nowthepresidenthasaskedtheamericanpeopletojudgehimonwhetherornothe'sfulfilledthepromiseshemadefouryearsago.ibelieve,asdemocrats,weoughttoacceptthatchallenge.andjustforamomentletusconsiderwhathehassaidandwhathe'sdone.
inflation--inflationisdownsince1980,butnotbecauseofthesupply-sidemiraclepromisedtousbythepresident.inflationwasreducedtheold-fashionedway:witharecession,theworstsince1932.nowhowdidwe--wecouldhavebroughtinflationdownthatway.howdidhedoit?55,000bankruptcies;twoyearsofmassiveunemployment;200,000farmersandranchersforcedofftheland;morehomeless--morehomelessthanatanytimesincethegreatdepressionin1932;morehungry,inthisworldofenormousaffluence,theunitedstatesofamerica,morehungry;morepoor,mostofthemwomen.and--andhepaidoneotherthing,anearly200billiondollardeficitthreateningourfuture.
now,wemustmaketheamericanpeopleunderstandthisdeficitbecausetheydon't.thepresident'sdeficitisadirectanddramaticrepudiationofhispromisein1980tobalancethebudgetby1983.howlargeisit?thedeficitisthelargestinthehistoryoftheuniverse.it--presidentcarter'slastbudgethadadeficitlessthanone-thirdofthisdeficit.itisadeficitthat,accordingtothepresident'sownfiscaladviser,maygrowtoasmuch300billiondollarsayearfor"asfarastheeyecansee."and,ladiesandgentlemen,itisadebtsolarge--thatisalmostone-halfofthemoneywecollectfromthepersonalincometaxeachyeargoesjusttopaytheinterest.itisamortgageonourchildren'sfuturethatcanbepaidonlyinpainandthatcouldbringthisnationtoitsknees.
nowdon'ttakemywordforit--i'mademocrat.asktherepublicaninvestmentbankersonwallstreetwhattheythinkthechancesofthisrecoverybeingpermanentare.yousee,ifthey'renottooembarrassedtotellyouthetruth,they'llsaythatthey'reappalledandfrightenedbythepresident'sdeficit.askthemwhattheythinkofoureconomy,nowthatit'sbeendrivenbythedistortedvalueofthedollarbacktoitscolonialcondition.nowwe'reexportingagriculturalproductsandimportingmanufacturedones.askthoserepublicaninvestmentbankerswhattheyexpecttherateofinteresttobeayearfromnow.andaskthem--iftheydaretellyouthetruth--you'lllearnfromthem,whattheypredictfortheinflationrateayearfromnow,becauseofthedeficit.
now,howimportantisthisquestionofthedeficit.thinkaboutitpractically:whatchancewouldtherepublicancandidatehavehadin1980ifhehadtoldtheamericanpeoplethatheintendedtopayforhisso-calledeconomicrecoverywithbankruptcies,unemployment,morehomeless,morehungry,andthelargestgovernmentdebtknowntohumankind?ifhehadtoldthevotersin1980thattruth,wouldamericanvotershavesignedtheloancertificateforhimonelectionday?ofcoursenot!thatwasanelectionwonunderfalsepretenses.itwaswonwithsmokeandmirrorsandillusions.andthat'sthekindofrecoverywehavenowaswell.
butwhataboutforeignpolicy?theysaidthattheywouldmakeusandthewholeworldsafer.theysaytheyhave.bycreatingthelargestdefensebudgetinhistory,onethateventheynowadmitisexcessive--byescalatingtoafrenzythenucleararmsrace;byincendiaryrhetoric;byrefusingtodiscusspeacewithourenemies;bythelossof279youngamericansinlebanoninpursuitofaplanandapolicythatnoonecanfindordescribe.
wegivemoneytolatinamericangovernmentsthatmurdernuns,andthenwelieaboutit.wehavebeenlessthanzealousinsupportofouronlyrealfriend--itseemstome,inthemiddleeast--theonedemocracythere,ourfleshandbloodally,thestateofisrael.our--ourpolicy--ourforeignpolicydriftswithnorealdirection,otherthananhystericalcommitmenttoanarmsracethatleadsnowhere--ifwe'relucky.andifwe'renot,itcouldleadusintobankruptcyorwar.
ofcoursewemusthaveastrongdefense!ofcoursedemocratsareforastrongdefense.ofcoursedemocratsbelievethattherearetimesthatwemuststandandfight.andwehave.thousandsofushavepaidforfreedomwithourlives.butalways--whenthiscountryhasbeenatitsbest--ourpurposeswereclear.nowthey'renot.nowouralliesareasconfusedasourenemies.nowwehavenorealcommitmenttoourfriendsortoourideals--nottohumanrights,nottotherefuseniks,nottosakharov,nottobishoptutuandtheothersstrugglingforfreedominsouthafrica.
we--wehaveinthelastfewyearsspentmorethanwecanafford.wehavepoundedourchestsandmadeboldspeeches.butwelost279youngamericansinlebanonandwelivebehindsandbagsinwashington.howcananyonesaythatwearesafer,stronger,orbetter?
that--thatistherepublicanrecord.thatitsdisastrousqualityisnotmorefullyunderstoodbytheamericanpeopleicanonlyattributetothepresident'samiabilityandthefailurebysometoseparatethesalesmanfromtheproduct.
and,now--now--nowit'suptous.nowit'suptoyouandtometomakethecasetoamerica.andtoremindamericansthatiftheyarenothappywithallthatthepresidenthasdonesofar,theyshouldconsiderhowmuchworseitwillbeifheislefttohisradicalproclivitiesforanotherfouryearsunrestrained.unrestrained.
now,if--ifjuly--ifjulybringsbackanngorsuchburford--whatcanweexpectofdecember?wherewould--wherewouldanotherfouryearstakeus?wherewouldfouryearsmoretakeus?howmuchlargerwillthedeficitbe?howmuchdeeperthecutsinprogramsforthestrugglingmiddleclassandthepoortolimitthatdeficit?howhighwilltheinterestratesbe?howmuchmoreacidrainkillingourforestsandfoulingourlakes?
and,ladiesandgentlemen,pleasethinkofthis--thenationmustthinkofthis:whatkindofsupremecourtwillwehave?
please.[beckonsaudiencetosettledown]
we--wemustaskourselveswhatkindofcourtandcountrywillbefashionedbythemanwhobelievesinhavinggovernmentmandatepeople'sreligionandmorality;themanwhobelievesthattreespollutetheenvironment;themanthatbelievesthat--thatthelawsagainstdiscriminationagainstpeoplegotoofar;amanwhothreatenssocialsecurityandmedicaidandhelpforthedisabled.howhighwillwepilethemissiles?howmuchdeeperwillthegulfbebetweenusandourenemies?and,ladiesandgentlemen,willfouryearsmoremakemeanerthespiritoftheamericanpeople?thiselectionwillmeasuretherecordofthepastfouryears.butmorethanthat,itwillanswerthequestionofwhatkindofpeoplewewanttobe.
wedemocratsstillhaveadream.westillbelieveinthisnation'sfuture.andthisisouranswertothequestion.thisisourcredo:
webelieveinonlythegovernmentweneed,butweinsistonallthegovernmentweneed.
webelieveinagovernmentthatischaracterizedbyfairnessandreasonableness,areasonablenessthatgoesbeyondlabels,thatdoesn'tdistortorpromisetodothingsthatweknowwecan'tdo.
webelieveinagovernmentstrongenoughtousewordslike"love"and"compassion"andsmartenoughtoconvertournoblestaspirationsintopracticalrealities.
webelieveinencouragingthetalented,butwebelievethatwhilesurvivalofthefittestmaybeagoodworkingdescriptionoftheprocessofevolution,agovernmentofhumansshouldelevateitselftoahigherorder.
we--our--ourgovernment--ourgovernmentshouldbeabletorisetothelevelwhereitcanfillthegapsthatareleftbychanceorbyawisdomwedon'tfullyunderstand.wewouldratherhavelawswrittenbythepatronofthisgreatcity,themancalledthe"world'smostsinceredemocrat,"st.francisofassisi,thanlawswrittenbydarwin.
webelieve--webelieveasdemocrats,thatasocietyasblessedasours,themostaffluentdemocracyintheworld'shistory,onethatcanspendtrillionsoninstrumentsofdestruction,oughttobeabletohelpthemiddleclassinitsstruggle,oughttobeabletofindworkforallwhocandoit,roomatthetable,shelterforthehomeless,carefortheelderlyandinfirm,andhopeforthedestitute.andweproclaimasloudlyaswecantheutterinsanityofnuclearproliferationandtheneedforanuclearfreeze,ifonlytoaffirmthesimpletruththatpeaceisbetterthanwarbecauselifeisbetterthandeath.
webelieveinfirm--webelieveinfirmbutfairlawandorder.
webelieveproudlyintheunionmovement.
webelieveina--webelieve--webelieveinprivacyforpeople,opennessbygovernment.
webelieveincivilrights,andwebelieveinhumanrights.
webelieveinasingle--webelieveinasinglefundamentalideathatdescribesbetterthanmosttextbooksandanyspeechthaticouldwritewhatapropergovernmentshouldbe:theideaoffamily,mutuality,thesharingofbenefitsandburdensforthegoodofall,feelingoneanother'spain,sharingoneanother'sblessings--reasonably,honestly,fairly,withoutrespecttorace,orsex,orgeography,orpoliticalaffiliation.
webelievewemustbethefamilyofamerica,recognizingthatattheheartofthematterweareboundonetoanother,thattheproblemsofaretiredschoolteacherinduluthareourproblems;thatthefutureofthechild--thatthefutureofthechildinbuffaloisourfuture;thatthestruggleofadisabledmaninbostontosurviveandlivedecentlyisourstruggle;thatthehungerofawomaninlittlerockisourhunger;thatthefailureanywheretoprovidewhatreasonablywemight,toavoidpain,isourfailure.
nowfor50years--for50yearswedemocratscreatedabetterfutureforourchildren,usingtraditionaldemocraticprinciplesasafixedbeacon,givingusdirectionandpurpose,butconstantlyinnovating,adaptingtonewrealities:roosevelt'salphabetprograms;truman'snatoandthegibillofrights;kennedy'sintelligenttaxincentivesandtheallianceforprogress;johnson'scivilrights;carter'shumanrightsandthenearlymiraculouscampdavidpeaceaccord.
democratsdidit--democratsdiditanddemocratscandoitagain.wecanbuildafuturethatdealswithourdeficit.rememberthis,that50yearsofprogressunderourprinciplesnevercostuswhatthelastfouryearsofstagnationhave.andwecandealwiththedeficitintelligently,bysharedsacrifice,withallpartsofthenation'sfamilycontributing,buildingpartnershipswiththeprivatesector,providingasounddefensewithoutdeprivingourselvesofwhatweneedtofeedourchildrenandcareforourpeople.wecanhaveafuturethatprovidesforalltheyoungofthepresent,bymarryingcommonsenseandcompassion.
weknowwecan,becausewediditfornearly50yearsbefore1980.andwecandoitagain,ifwedonotforget--ifwedonotforgetthatthisentirenationhasprofitedbytheseprogressiveprinciples;thattheyhelpedliftupgenerationstothemiddleclassandhigher;thattheygaveusachancetowork,togotocollege,toraiseafamily,toownahouse,tobesecureinouroldageand,beforethat,toreachheightsthatourownparentswouldnothavedareddreamof.
thatstruggletolivewithdignityistherealstoryoftheshiningcity.andit'sastory,ladiesandgentlemen,thatididn'treadinabook,orlearninaclassroom.isawitandlivedit,likemanyofyou.iwatchedasmallmanwiththickcallusesonbothhishandswork15and16hoursaday.isawhimonceliterallybleedfromthebottomsofhisfeet,amanwhocamehereuneducated,alone,unabletospeakthelanguage,whotaughtmeallineededtoknowaboutfaithandhardworkbythesimpleeloquenceofhisexample.ilearnedaboutourkindofdemocracyfrommyfather.andilearnedaboutourobligationtoeachotherfromhimandfrommymother.theyaskedonlyforachancetoworkandtomaketheworldbetterfortheirchildren,andthey--theyaskedtobeprotectedinthosemomentswhentheywouldnotbeabletoprotectthemselves.thisnationandthisnation'sgovernmentdidthatforthem.
andthattheywereabletobuildafamilyandliveindignityandseeoneoftheirchildrengofrombehindtheirlittlegrocerystoreinsouthjamaicaontheothersideofthetrackswherehewasborn,tooccupythehighestseat,inthegreateststate,inthegreatestnation,intheonlyworldwewouldknow,isanineffablybeautifultributetothedemocraticprocess.
and--andladiesandgentlemen,onjanuary20,1985,itwillhappenagain--onlyonamuch,muchgranderscale.wewillhaveanewpresidentoftheunitedstates,ademocratbornnottothebloodofkingsbuttothebloodofpioneersandimmigrants.andwewillhaveamerica'sfirstwomanvicepresident,thechildofimmigrants,andshe--she--shewillopenwithonemagnificentstroke,awholenewfrontierfortheunitedstates.
now,itwillhappen.itwillhappenifwemakeithappen;ifyouandimakeithappen.andiaskyounow,ladiesandgentlemen,brothersandsisters,forthegoodofallofus,fortheloveofthisgreatnation,forthefamilyofamerica,fortheloveofgod:please,makethisnationrememberhowfuturesarebuilt.
thankyouandgodblessyou.
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