The most presidential lorem ipsum in history.
And until we stop the genocide that's being carried out in Darfur as I speak, our conscience cannot rest. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances.
We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we've got some gay friends in the Red States. 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. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom.
A common dream, born of two continents. 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. And until we stop the genocide that's being carried out in Darfur as I speak, our conscience cannot rest. Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways. You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead.
Some will see this as an attempt to justify or excuse comments that are simply inexcusable. In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships. I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. 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. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division, and to stand in the way of progress.
It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family. "If you're organizing churches," they said, "it might be helpful if you went to church once in a while." And I thought, "Well, I guess that makes sense." But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect.
Thank you.