Obama Ipsum

So it's 1985, and I'm in Chicago, and I'm working with these churches, and with lots of laypeople who are much older than I am. That's not simply a matter of policy or ideology - it's a moral commitment. No, the word is very near.

But as Americans, we also know that this is a nation of laws, and we cannot have those laws broken when more than 2,000 people cross our borders illegally every day. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state; to recognize Israel's legitimacy; and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past. In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education.

I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. I didn't fall out in church, as folks sometimes do. Change comes to Washington.

Now don't get me wrong. And when these battles were overtaken by others and when the wars they opposed were waged and won, these faithful foot soldiers for justice kept marching. Last time we took up immigration reform, it failed. Now let there be no doubt. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our ideals. I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory.

They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this President. I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. But that is not yet the case.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.