The most presidential lorem ipsum in history.
He is a man who served his country as a U.S. Marine; who has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country, and who for over thirty years led a church that serves the community by doing God's work here on Earth - by housing the homeless, ministering to the needy, providing day care services and scholarships and prison ministries, and reaching out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS. The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information, but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence. Fear that because of modernity we will lose of control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly our identities - those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions, and our faith.
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. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward.
In a sense, what brought me to Chicago in the first place was a hunger for some sort of meaning in my life. Religious leaders like my friends Rev. Jim Wallis and Rabbi David Saperstein and Nathan Diament are working for justice and fighting for change. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. We know that is God's vision.
They're looking to relieve a chronic loneliness. I was too young to be involved in that movement, but I felt I could play a small part in the continuing battle for justice by helping rebuild some of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. And God is still speaking. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia.
That's why pastors, friends of mine like Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes and organizations like World Vision and Catholic Charities are wielding their enormous influence to confront poverty, HIV/AIDS, and the genocide in Darfur. But they have helped shape the political landscape for at least a generation. Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise. Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task.
Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you.