巴拉克·奥巴马-第7部分

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im　memories　that　we　didn't　need　to　feel　shame　about。。。memories　that　all　people　might　study　and　cherish　…　and　with　which　we　could　start　to　rebuild。〃
　　That　has　been　my　experience　at　Trinity。　Like　other　predominantly　black　churches　across　the　country；　Trinity　embodies　the　black　munity　in　its　entirety　…　the　doctor　and　the　welfare　mom；　the　model　student　and　the　former　gang…banger。　Like　other　black　churches；　Trinity's　services　are　full　of　raucous　laughter　and　sometimes　bawdy　humor。　They　are　full　of　dancing；　clapping；　screaming　and　shouting　that　may　seem　jarring　to　the　untrained　ear。　The　church　contains　in　full　the　kindness　and　cruelty；　the　fierce　intelligence　and　the　shocking　ignorance；　the　struggles　and　successes；　the　love　and　yes；　the　bitterness　and　bias　that　make　up　the　black　experience　in　America。
　　And　this　helps　explain；　perhaps；　my　relationship　with　Reverend　Wright。　As　imperfect　as　he　may　be；　he　has　been　like　family　to　me。　He　strengthened　my　faith；　officiated　my　wedding；　and　baptized　my　children。　Not　once　in　my　conversations　with　him　have　I　heard　him　talk　about　any　ethnic　group　in　derogatory　terms；　or　treat　whites　with　whom　he　interacted　with　anything　but　courtesy　and　respect。　He　contains　within　him　the　contradictions　…　the　good　and　the　bad　…　of　the　munity　that　he　has　served　diligently　for　so　many　years。
　　I　can　no　more　disown　him　than　I　can　disown　the　black　munity。　I　can　no　more　disown　him　than　I　can　my　white　grandmother　…　a　woman　who　helped　raise　me；　a　woman　who　sacrificed　again　and　again　for　me；　a　woman　who　loves　me　as　much　as　she　loves　anything　in　this　world；　but　a　woman　who　once　confessed　her　fear　of　black　men　who　passed　by　her　on　the　street；　and　who　on　more　than　one　occasion　has　uttered　racial　or　ethnic　stereotypes　that　made　me　cringe。　电子书　分享网站

更完善的联邦（9）
These　people　are　a　part　of　me。　And　they　are　a　part　of　America；　this　country　that　I　love。
　　Some　will　see　this　as　an　attempt　to　justify　or　excuse　ments　that　are　simply　inexcusable。　I　can　assure　you　it　is　not。　I　suppose　the　politically　safe　thing　would　be　to　move　on　from　this　episode　and　just　hope　that　it　fades　into　the　woodwork。　We　can　dismiss　Reverend　Wright　as　a　crank　or　a　demagogue；　just　as　some　have　dismissed　Geraldine　Ferraro；　in　the　aftermath　of　her　recent　statements；　as　harboring　some　deep…seated　racial　bias。
　　But　race　is　an　issue　that　I　believe　this　nation　cannot　afford　to　ignore　right　now。　We　would　be　making　the　same　mistake　that　Reverend　Wright　made　in　his　offending　sermons　about　America　…　to　simplify　and　stereotype　and　amplify　the　negative　to　the　point　that　it　distorts　reality。
　　The　fact　is　that　the　ments　that　have　been　made　and　the　issues　that　have　surfaced　over　the　last　few　weeks　reflect　the　plexities　of　race　in　this　country　that　we've　never　really　worked　through　…　a　part　of　our　union　that　we　have　yet　to　perfect。　And　if　we　walk　away　now；　if　we　simply　retreat　into　our　respective　corners；　we　will　never　be　able　to　e　together　and　solve　challenges　like　health　care；　or　education；　or　the　need　to　find　good　jobs　for　every　American。
　　Understanding　this　reality　requires　a　reminder　of　how　we　arrived　at　this　point。　As　William　Faulkner　once　wrote；　〃The　past　isn't　dead　and　buried。　In　fact；　it　isn't　even　past。〃　We　do　not　need　to　recite　here　the　history　of　racial　injustice　in　this　country。　But　we　do　need　to　remind　ourselves　that　so　many　of　the　disparities　that　exist　in　the　African…American　munity　today　can　be　directly　traced　to　inequalities　passed　on　from　an　earlier　generation　that　suffered　under　the　brutal　legacy　of　slavery　and　Jim　Crow。
　　Segregated　schools　were；　and　are；　inferior　schools；　we　still　haven't　fixed　them；　fifty　years　after　Brown　v。　Board　of　Education；　and　the　inferior　education　they　provided；　then　and　now；　helps　explain　the　pervasive　achievement　gap　between　today's　black　and　white　students。
　　Legalized　discrimination　…　where　blacks　were　prevented；　often　through　violence；　from　owning　property；　or　loans　were　not　granted　to　African…American　business　owners；　or　black　homeowners　could　not　access　FHA　mortgages；　or　blacks　were　excluded　from　unions；　or　the　police　force；　or　fire　departments　…　meant　that　black　families　could　not　amass　any　meaningful　wealth　to　bequeath　to　future　generations。　That　history　helps　explain　the　wealth　and　ine　gap　between　black　and　white；　and　the　concentrated　pockets　of　poverty　that　persists　in　so　many　of　today's　urban　and　rural　munities。
　　A　lack　of　economic　opportunity　among　black　men；　and　the　shame　and　frustration　that　came　from　not　being　able　to　provide　for　one's　family；　contributed　to　the　erosion　of　black　families　…　a　problem　that　welfare　policies　for　many　years　may　have　worsened。　And　the　lack　of　basic　services　in　so　many　urban　black　neighborhoods　…　parks　for　kids　to　play　in；　police　walking　the　beat；　regular　garbage　pick…up　and　building　code　enforcement　…　all　helped　create　a　cycle　of　violence；　blight　and　neglect　that　continue　to　haunt　us。
　　This　is　the　reality　in　which　Reverend　Wright　and　other　African…Americans　of　his　generation　grew　up。　They　came　of　age　in　the　late　fifties　and　early　sixties；　a　time　when　segregation　was　still　the　law　of　the　land　and　opportunity　was　systematically　constricted。　What's　remarkable　is　not　how　many　failed　in　the　face　of　discrimination；　but　rather　how　many　men　and　women　overcame　the　odds；　how　many　were　able　to　make　a　way　out　of　no　way　for　those　like　me　who　would　e　after　them。

更完善的联邦（10）
But　for　all　those　who　scratched　and　clawed　their　way　to　get　a　piece　of　the　American　Dream；　there　were　many　who　didn't　make　it　…　those　who　were　ultimately　defeated；　in　one　way　or　another；　by　discrimination。　That　legacy　of　defeat　was　passed　on　to　future　generations　…　those　young　men　and　increasingly　young　women　who　we　see　standing　on　street　corners　or　languishing　in　our　prisons；　without　hope　or　prospects　for　the　future。　Even　for　those　blacks　who　did　make　it；　questions　of　race；　and　racism；　continue　to　define　their　worldview　in　fundamental　ways。　For　the　men　and　women　of　Reverend　Wright's　generation；　the　memories　of　humiliation　and　doubt　and　fear　have　not　gone　away；　nor　has　the　anger　and　the　bitterness　of　those　years。　That　anger　may　not　get　expressed　in　public；　in　front　of　white　co…workers　or　white　friends。　But　it　does　find　voice　in　the　barbershop　or　around　the　kitchen　table。　At　times；　that　anger　is　exploited　by　politicians；　to　gin　up　votes　along　racial　lines；　or　to　make　up　for　a　politician's　own　failings。
　　And　occasionally　it　finds　voice　in　the　church　on　Sunday　morning；　in　the　pulpit　and　in　the　pews。　The　fact　that　so　many　people　are　surprised　to　hear　that　anger　in　some　of　Reverend　Wright's　sermons　simply　reminds　us　of　the　old　truism　that　the　most　segregated　hour　in　American　life　occurs　on　Sunday　morning。　That　anger　is　not　always　productive；　indeed；　all　too　often　it　distracts　attention　from　solving　real　problems；　it　keeps　us　from　squarely　facing　our　own　plicity　in　our　condition；　and　prevents　the　African…American　munity　from　forging　the　alliances　it　needs　to　bring　about　real　change。　But　the　anger　is　real；　it　is　powerful；　and　to　simply　wish　it　away；　to　condemn　it　without　understanding　its　roots；　only　serves　to　widen　the　chasm　of　misunderstanding　that　exists　between　the　races。
　　In　fact；　a　similar　anger　exists　within　segments　of　the　white　munity。　Most　working…　and　middle…class　white　Americans　don't　feel　that　they　have　been　particularly　privileged　by　their　race。　Their　experience　is　the　immigrant　experience　…　as　far　as　they're　concerned；　no　one's　handed　them　anything；　they've　built　it　from　scratch。　They've　worked　hard　all　their　lives；　many　times　only　to　see　their　jobs　shipped　overseas　or　their　pension　dumped　after　a　lifetime　of　labor。　They　are　anxious　about　their　futures；　and　feel　their　dreams　slipping　away；　in　an　era　of　stagnant　wages　and　global　petition；　opportunity　es　to　be　seen　as　a　zero　sum　game；　in　which　your　dreams　e　at　my　expense。　So　when　they　are　told　to　bus　their　children　to　a　school　across　town；　when　they　hear　that　an　African　American　is　getting　an　advantage　in　landing　a　good　job　or　a　spot　in　a　good　college　because　of　an　injustice　that　they　themselves　never　mitted；　when　they're　told　that　their　fears　about　crime　in　urban　neighborhoods　are　somehow　prejudiced；　resentment　builds　over　time。
　　Like　the　anger　within　the　black　munity；　these　resentments　aren't　always　expressed　in　polite　pany。　But　they　have　helped　shape　the　political　landscape　for　at　least　a　generation。　Anger　over　welfare　and　affirmative　action　helped　forge　the　Reagan　Coalition。　Politicians　routinely　exploited　fears　of　crime　for　their　own　electoral　ends。　Talk　show　hosts　and　conservative　mentators　built　entire　careers　unmasking　bogus　claims　of　racism　while　dismissing　legitimate　discussions　of　racial　injustice　and　inequality　as　mere　political　correctness　or　reverse　racism。。　最好的txt下载网

更完善的联邦（11）
Just　as　black　anger　often　proved　counterproductive；　so　have　these　white　resentments　distracted　attention　from　the　real　culprits　of　the　middle　class　squeeze　…　a　corporate　culture　rife　with　inside　dealing；　questionable　accounting　practices；　and　short…term　greed；　a　Washington　dominated　by　lobbyists　and　special　interests；　economic　policies　that　favor　the　few　over　the　many。　And　yet；　to　wish　away　the　resentments　of　white　Americans；　to　label　them　as　misguided　or　even　racist；　without　recognizing　they　are　grounded　in　legitimate　concerns　…　this　too　widens　the　racial　divide；　and　blocks　the　path　to　understanding。
　　This　is　where　we　are　right　now。　It's　a　racial　stalemate　we've　been　stuck　in　for　years。　Contrary　to　the　claims　of　some　of　my　critics；　black　and　white；　I　have　never　been　so　na？ve　as　to　believe　that　we　can　get　beyond　our　racial　divisions　in　a　single　election　cycle；　or　with　a　single　candidacy　…　particularly　a　candidacy　as　imperfect　as　my　own。
　　But　I　have　asserted　a　firm　conviction　…　a　conviction　rooted　in　my　faith　in　God　and　my　faith　in　the　American　people　…　that　working　together　we　can　move　beyond　some　of　our　old　racial　wounds；　and　that　in　fact　we　have　no　choice　if　we　are　to　continue　on　the　path　of　a　more　perfect　union。
　　For　the　African…American　munity；　that　path　means　embracing　the　burdens　of　our　past　without　being　victims　of　our　past。　It　means　continuing　to　insist　on　a　full　measure　of　justice　in　every　aspect　of　American　life。　But　it　also　means　binding　our　particular　grievances　…　for　better　health　care；　and　better　schools；　and　better　jobs　…　to　the　larger　aspirations　of　all　Americans　……　the　white　woman　struggling　to　break　the　glass　ceiling；　the　white　man　whose　been　laid　off；　the　immigrant　trying　to　feed　his　family。　And　it　means　taking　full　responsibility　for　own　lives　…　by　demanding　more　from　our　fathers；　and　spending　more　time　with　our　children；　and　reading　to　them；　and　teaching　them　that　while　they　may　face　challenges　and　discrimination　in　their　own　lives；　they　must　never　succumb　to　despair　or　cynicism；　they　must　always　believe　that　they　can　write　their　own　destiny。
　　Ironically；　this　quintessentially　American　…　and　yes；　conservative　…　notion　of　self…help　found　frequent　expression　in　Reverend　Wright's　sermons。　But　what　my　former　pastor　too　often　failed　to　understand　is　that　embarking　on　a　program　of　self…help　also　requires　a　belief　that　society　can　change。
　　The　profound　mistake　of　Reverend　Wri