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Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. And in time, I came to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world and in my own life. This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. America, our work will not be easy. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.
This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. But at the end of the day, we cannot walk away - not for the sake of passing a bill, but so that we can finally address the real concerns of Americans and the persistent hopes of all those brothers and sisters who want nothing more than their own chance at our common dream. Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America. And that's to be expected. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country.
But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts - that out of many, we are truly one. 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. We can do that. It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end.
But we also know that government initiatives are not enough. That's what compromise is about. But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. Palestinians must abandon violence.
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. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles.
Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you.