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And yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride. We have real enemies in the world. They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear. This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich.
It's been several months now since I announced I was running for president. 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. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.
It's that we all have it within our power to make this a better world. There is one story in particularly that I'd like to leave you with today - a story I told when I had the great honor of speaking on Dr.
And yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I'm sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed. Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations. As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart. But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.
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. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security. I know there are many - Muslim and non-Muslim - who question whether we can forge this new beginning.
Thank you.