英语演讲原文We Shall Overcome.docx
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英语演讲原文We Shall Overcome.docx
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英语演讲原文WeShallOvercome
WeShallOvercome
Inthisveryeloquent1speechtothefullCongress,PresidentLyndonB.Johnsonusedthephrase"weshallovercome,"borrowedfromAfrican-Americanleadersstrugglingforequalrights.
ThespeechwasmadeonMarch15,1965,aweekafterdeadlyracialviolenceeruptedinSelma,Alabama,asAfrican-AmericanswereattackedbypolicewhilepreparingtomarchtoMontgomerytoprotestvotingrightsdiscrimination.
Discriminationtooktheformofliteracy,knowledgeorcharactertestsadministeredsolely2toAfrican-Americanstokeepthemfromregisteringtovote.
CivilrightsleaderRev3.MartinLutherKingandover500supportersplannedtomarchfromSelmatoMontgomerytoregisterAfrican-Americanstovote.ThepoliceviolencethateruptedresultedinthedeathofaKingsupporter,awhiteUnitarianMinisterfromBostonnamedJamesJ.Reeb.
AsecondattempttomarchtoMontgomerywasalsoblockedbypolice.IttookFederalintervention4withthe'federalizing'oftheAlabamanationalguardandtheadditionofover2000otherguardstoensureprotectionandallowthemarchtobegin.
OnMarch21,1965themarchtoMontgomeryfinallybeganwithover3000participants,undertheglareofworldwidenewspublicity5.
IspeaktonightforthedignityofmanandthedestinyofDemocracy.Iurgeeverymemberofbothparties,Americansofallreligionsandofallcolors,fromeverysectionofthiscountry,tojoinmeinthatcause.
Attimes,historyandfatemeetatasingletimeinasingleplacetoshapeaturningpointinman'sunendingsearchforfreedom.SoitwasatLexingtonandConcord6.SoitwasacenturyagoatAppomattox.SoitwaslastweekinSelma,Alabama.There,longsufferingmenandwomenpeacefullyprotestedthedenialoftheirrightsasAmericans.Manyofthemwerebrutally8assaulted.Onegoodman--amanofGod--waskilled.
ThereisnocauseforprideinwhathashappenedinSelma.Thereisnocauseforself-satisfactioninthelongdenialofequalrightsofmillionsofAmericans.ButthereiscauseforhopeandforfaithinourDemocracyinwhatishappeningheretonight.Forthecriesofpainandthehymns9andprotestsofoppressedpeoplehavesummonedintoconvocationallthemajesty10ofthisgreatgovernment--thegovernmentofthegreatestnationonearth.Ourmissionisatoncetheoldestandthemostbasicofthiscountry--torightwrong,todojustice,toserveman.Inourtimewehavecometolivewiththemomentsofgreatcrises.Ourliveshavebeenmarkedwithdebateaboutgreatissues,issuesofwarandpeace,issuesofprosperityanddepression.
ButrarelyinanytimedoesanissuelaybarethesecretheartofAmericaitself.Rarelyarewemetwithachallenge,nottoourgrowthorabundance,orourwelfareoroursecurity,butrathertothevaluesandthepurposesandthemeaningofourbelovednation.TheissueofequalrightsforAmericanNegroesissuchanissue.Andshouldwedefeateveryenemy,andshouldwedoubleourwealthandconquerthestars,andstillbeunequaltothisissue,thenwewillhavefailedasapeopleandasanation.For,withacountryaswithaperson,"whatisamanprofitedifheshallgainthewholeworld,andlosehisownsoul?
"
ThereisnoNegroproblem.ThereisnoSouthernproblem.ThereisnoNorthernproblem.ThereisonlyanAmericanproblem.
AndwearemetheretonightasAmericans--notasDemocrats11orRepublicans;we'remethereasAmericanstosolvethatproblem.Thiswasthefirstnationinthehistoryoftheworldtobefoundedwithapurpose.
ThegreatphrasesofthatpurposestillsoundineveryAmericanheart,NorthandSouth:
"Allmenarecreatedequal.""Governmentbyconsentofthegoverned.""Givemelibertyorgivemedeath."Andthosearenotjustcleverwords,andthosearenotjustemptytheories.IntheirnameAmericanshavefoughtanddiedfortwocenturiesandtonightaroundtheworldtheystandthereasguardians12ofourlibertyriskingtheirlives.Thosewordsarepromisedtoeverycitizenthatheshallshareinthedignityofman.Thisdignitycannotbefoundinaman'spossessions.Itcannotbefoundinhispowerorinhisposition.Itreallyrestsonhisrighttobetreatedasamanequalinopportunitytoallothers.Itsaysthatheshallshareinfreedom.Heshallchoosehisleaders,educatehischildren,provideforhisfamilyaccordingtohisabilityandhismeritsasahumanbeing.
Toapplyanyothertest,todenyamanhishopesbecauseofhiscolororraceorhisreligionortheplaceofhisbirthisnotonlytodoinjustice14,itistodenyAmericansandtodishonorthedeadwhogavetheirlivesforAmericanfreedom.Ourfathersbelievedthatifthisnobleviewoftherightsofmanwastoflourishitmustberootedindemocracy.Thismostbasicrightofallwastherighttochooseyourownleaders.Thehistoryofthiscountryinlargemeasureisthehistoryofexpansionoftherighttoallofourpeople.
Manyoftheissuesofcivilrightsareverycomplexandmostdifficult.Butaboutthistherecanandshouldbenoargument:
everyAmericancitizenmusthaveanequalrighttovote.Thereisnoreasonwhichcanexcusethedenialofthatright.Thereisnodutywhichweighsmoreheavilyonusthanthedutywehavetoinsurethatright.YettheharshfactisthatinmanyplacesinthiscountrymenandwomenarekeptfromvotingsimplybecausetheyareNegroes.
Everydeviceofwhichhumaningenuity15iscapable,hasbeenusedtodenythisright.TheNegrocitizenmaygotoregisteronlytobetoldthatthedayiswrong,orthehourislate,ortheofficialinchargeisabsent.Andifhepersistsand,ifhemanagestopresenthimselftotheregistrar16,hemaybedisqualifiedbecausehedidnotspellouthismiddlename,orbecauseheabbreviated17awordontheapplication.Andifhemanagestofilloutanapplication,heisgivenatest.Theregistraristhesolejudgeofwhetherhepassesthistest.HemaybeaskedtorecitetheentireConstitution,orexplainthemostcomplexprovisionsofstatelaw.
Andevenacollegedegreecannotbeusedtoprovethathecanreadandwrite.Forthefactisthattheonlywaytopassthesebarriersistoshowawhiteskin.Experiencehasclearlyshownthattheexistingprocessoflawcannotovercomesystematic18andingeniousdiscrimination.Nolawthatwenowhaveonthebooks,andIhavehelpedtoputthreeofthemthere,caninsuretherighttovotewhenlocalofficialsaredetermined19todenyit.Insuchacase,ourdutymustbecleartoallofus.TheConstitutionsaysthatnopersonshallbekeptfromvotingbecauseofhisraceorhiscolor.
WehaveallswornanoathbeforeGodtosupportandtodefendthatConstitution.Wemustnowactinobedience20tothatoath.Wednesday,IwillsendtoCongressalawdesignedtoeliminateillegalbarrierstotherighttovote.ThebroadprinciplesofthatbillwillbeinthehandsoftheDemocraticandRepublicanleaderstomorrow.Aftertheyhavereviewedit,itwillcomehereformallyasabill.Iamgratefulforthisopportunitytocomeheretonightattheinvitationoftheleadershiptoreasonwithmyfriends,togivethemmyviewsandtovisitwithmyformercolleagues.
IhavehadpreparedamorecomprehensiveanalysisofthelegislationwhichIhadintendedtotransmittotheclerktomorrow,butwhichIwillsubmittotheclerkstonight.ButIwanttoreallydiscussthemainproposalsofthislegislation.Thisbillwillstrikedownrestrictions21tovotinginallelections,federal,stateandlocal,whichhavebeenusedtodenyNegroestherighttovote.
Thisbillwillestablishasimple,uniformstandardwhichcannotbeused,howeveringenioustheeffort,toflout22ourConstitution.ItwillprovideforcitizenstoberegisteredbyofficialsoftheUnitedStatesGovernment,ifthestateofficialsrefusetoregisterthem.Itwilleliminatetedious,unnecessarylawsuits23whichdelaytherighttovote.Finally,thislegislationwillinsurethatproperlyregisteredindividualsarenotprohibitedfromvoting.IwillwelcomethesuggestionsfromallthemembersofCongress--IhavenodoubtthatIwillgetsome--onwaysandmeanstostrengthenthislawandtomakeiteffective.
ButexperiencehasplainlyshownthatthisistheonlypathtocarryoutthecommandoftheConstitution.Tothosewhoseektoavoidactionbytheirnationalgovernmentintheirhomecommunities,whowanttoandwhoseektomaintainpurely24localcontroloverelections,theanswerissimple:
openyourpollingplacestoallyourpeople.Allowmenandwomentoregisterandvotewhateverthecoloroftheirskin.Extendtherightsofcitizenship25toeverycitizenofthisland.ThereisnoConstitutionalissuehere.ThecommandoftheConstitutionisplain.Thereisnomoralissue.Itiswrong--deadlywrong--todenyanyofyourfellowAmericanstherighttovoteinthiscountry.
Thereisnoissueofstate'srightsornationalrights.Thereisonlythestruggleforhumanrights.Ihavenottheslightestdoubtwhatwillbeyouranswer.ButthelasttimeaPresidentsentacivilrightsbilltotheCongressitcontainedaprovisiontoprotectvotingrightsinFederalelections.Thatcivilrightsbillwaspassedaftereightlongmonthsofdebate.AndwhenthatbillcametomydeskfromtheCongressforsignature,theheartofthevotingprovisionhadbeeneliminated.
Thistime,onthisissue,theremustbenodelay,ornohesitation26,ornocompromisewithourpurpose.Wecannot,wemustnot,refusetoprotecttherightofeveryAmericantovoteineveryelectionthathemaydesiretoparticipatein.
Andweoughtnot,andwecannot,andwemustnotwaitanothereightmont
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