奥巴马出席西点军校毕业典礼发表演讲(4)

　　Wedosowithnoillusions.Weunderstandchangedoesn'tcomequick.WeunderstandthatneitherAmericanoranynationcandictateeveryoutcomebeyonditsborders.Weknowthataworldofmortalmenandwomenwillneverberidofoppressionorevil.Whatwecando,whatwemustdo,isworkandreachandfightfortheworldthatweseek——allofus,thoseinuniformandthosewhoarenot.
　　Andinpreparingfortoday,Iturnedtotheworld——tothewordsofOliverWendellHolmes.AndreflectingonhisCivilWarexperience,hesaid,andIquote,"Tofightoutawaryoumustbelieveinsomethingandwantsomethingwithallyourmight.Somustyoudotocarryanythingelsetoanendworthreaching."Holmeswenton,"Morethanthat,youmustbewillingtocommityourselftoacourse,perhapsalongandhardone,withoutbeingabletoforeseeexactlywhereyouwillcomeout."
　　Americadoesnotfightforthesakeoffighting.Weabhorwar.Asonewhohasneverexperiencedthefieldofbattle——andIsaythatwithhumility,knowing,asGeneralMacArthursaid,"thesoldieraboveallotherspraysforpeace"——wefightbecausewemust.Wefighttokeepourfamiliesandcommunitiessafe.Wefightforthesecurityofouralliesandpartners,becauseAmericabelievesthatwewillbesaferwhenourfriendsaresafer；thatwewillbestrongerwhentheworldismorejust.
　　Socadets,alongandhardroadawaitsyou.Yougoabroadbecauseyourserviceisfundamentaltooursecuritybackhome.Yougoabroadasrepresentativesofthevaluesthatthiscountrywasfoundedupon.Andwhenyouinevitablyfacesetbacks——whenthefightingisfierceoravillageelderisfearful；whentheendthatyouareseekingseemsuncertain——thinkbacktoWestPoint.
　　Here,inthispeacefulpartoftheworld,youhavedrilledandyouhavestudiedandcomeofageinthefootstepsofgreatmenandwomen——Americanswhofacedtimesoftrial,andwhoeveninvictorycouldnothaveforeseentheAmericatheyhelpedtobuild,theworldtheyhelpedtoshape.
　　GeorgeWashingtonwasabletofreeabandofpatriotsfromtheruleofanempire,buthecouldnothaveforeseenhiscountrygrowingtoinclude50statesconnectingtwooceans.
　　Grantwasabletosaveaunionandseetheslavesfreed,buthecouldnothaveforeseenjusthowmuchhiscountrywouldextendfullrightsandopportunitiestocitizensofeverycolor.
　　EisenhowerwasabletoseeGermanysurrenderandaformerenemygrowintoanally,buthecouldnothaveforeseentheBerlinWallcomingdownwithoutashotbeingfired.
　　Todayitisyourgenerationthathasborneaheavyburden——soldiers,graduatesofthisAcademylikeJohnMeyerandGregAmbrosiawhohavebravedenemyfire,protectedtheirunits,carriedouttheirmissions,earnedthecommendationofthisArmy,andofagratefulnation.
　　Fromthebirthofourexistence,Americahashadafaithinthefuture——abeliefthatwherewe'regoingisbetterthanwherewe'vebeen,evenwhenthepathaheadisuncertain.Tofulfillthatpromise,generationsofAmericanshavebuiltuponthefoundationofourforefathers——findingopportunity,fightinginjustice,forgingamoreperfectunion.OurachievementwouldnotbepossiblewithouttheLongGreyLinethathassacrificedforduty,forhonor,forcountry.（Applause.）
　　Andyearsfromnowwhenyoureturnhere,whenforyoutheshadowshavegrownlonger,Ihavenodoubtthatyouwillhaveaddedyournametothebookofhistory.Ihavenodoubtthatwewillhaveprevailedinthestrugglesofourtimes.IhavenodoubtthatyourlegacywillbeanAmericathathasemergedstronger,andaworldthatismorejust,becauseweareAmericans,andourdestinyisneverwrittenforus,itiswrittenbyus,andwearereadytoleadoncemore.
　　Thankyou.MayGodblessyou.AndmayGodblesstheUnitedStatesofAmerica.（Applause.）

(责任编辑：一枝笔写作)