American University Commencement Address肯尼迪在美国大学毕业

在美国大学毕业典礼上的演说AmericanUniversityCommencementAddress肯尼迪PresidentAnderson,membersofthefaculty,boardoftrustees,distinguishedguests,myoldcolleague,SenatorBobByrd,whohasearnedhisdegreethroughmanyyearsofattendingnightlawschool,whileIamearningmineinthenext30minutes,distinguishedguests,ladiesandgentlemen:ItiswithgreatpridethatIparticipateinthisceremonyoftheAmericanUniversity,sponsoredbytheMethodistChurch,foundedbyBishopJohnFletcherHurst,andfirstopenedbyPresidentWoodrowWilsonin1914.Thisisayoungandgrowinguniversity,butithasalreadyfulfilledBishopHurst'senlightenedhopeforthestudyofhistoryandpublicaffairsinacitydevotedtothemakingofhistoryandtotheconductofthepublic'sbusiness.Bysponsoringthisinstitutionofhigherlearningforallwhowishtolearn,whatevertheircolorortheircreed,theMethodistsofthisareaandtheNationdeservetheNation'sthanks,andIcommendallthosewhoaretodaygraduating.ProfessorWoodrowWilsononcesaidthateverymansentoutfromauniversityshouldbeamanofhisnationaswellasamanofhistime,andIamconfidentthatthemenandwomenwhocarrythehonorofgraduatingfromthisinstitutionwillcontinuetogivefromtheirlives,fromtheirtalents,ahighmeasureofpublicserviceandpublicsupport.Therearefewearthlythingsmorebeautifulthanauniversity,wroteJohnMasefieldinhistributetoEnglishuniversities--andhiswordsareequallytruetoday.Hedidnotrefertotowersortocampuses.Headmiredthesplendidbeautyofauniversity,becauseitwas,hesaid,aplacewherethosewhohateignorancemaystrivetoknow,wherethosewhoperceivetruthmaystrivetomakeotherssee.Ihave,therefore,chosenthistimeandplacetodiscussatopiconwhichignorancetoooftenaboundsandthetruthtoorarelyperceived.Andthatisthemostimportanttopiconearth:peace.WhatkindofpeacedoImeanandwhatkindofapeacedoweseek?NotaPaxAmericanaenforcedontheworldbyAmericanweaponsofwar.Notthepeaceofthegraveorthesecurityoftheslave.Iamtalkingaboutgenuinepeace,thekindofpeacethatmakeslifeonearthworthliving,andthekindthatenablesmenandnationstogrow,andtohope,andbuildabetterlifefortheirchildren--notmerelypeaceforAmericansbutpeaceforallmenandwomen,notmerelypeaceinourtimebutpeaceinalltime.Ispeakofpeacebecauseofthenewfaceofwar.Totalwarmakesnosenseinanagewheregreatpowerscanmaintainlargeandrelativelyinvulnerablenuclearforcesandrefusetosurrenderwithoutresorttothoseforces.ItmakesnosenseinanagewhereasinglenuclearweaponcontainsalmosttentimestheexplosiveforcedeliveredbyallthealliedairforcesintheSecondWorldWar.Itmakesnosenseinanagewhenthedeadlypoisonsproducedbyanuclearexchangewouldbecarriedbywindandwaterandsoilandseedtothefarcornersoftheglobeandtogenerationsyetunborn.Todaytheexpenditureofbillionsofdollarseveryyearonweaponsacquiredforthepurposeofmakingsureweneverneedthemisessentialtothekeepingofpeace.Butsurelytheacquisitionofsuchidlestockpiles--whichcanonlydestroyandnevercreate--isnottheonly,muchlessthemostefficient,meansofassuringpeace.Ispeakofpeace,therefore,asthenecessary,rationalendofrationalmen.Irealizethepursuitofpeaceisnotasdramaticasthepursuitofwar,andfrequentlythewordsofthepursuersfallondeafears.Butwehavenomoreurgenttask.Somesaythatitisuselesstospeakofpeaceorworldlaworworlddisarmament,andthatitwillbeuselessuntiltheleadersoftheSovietUnionadoptamoreenlightenedattitude.Ihopetheydo.Ibelievewecanhelpthemdoit.ButIalsobelievethatwemustreexamineourownattitudes,asindividualsandasaNation,forourattitudeisasessentialastheirs.Andeverygraduateofthisschool,everythoughtfulcitizenwhodespairsofwarandwishestobringpeace,shouldbeginbylookinginward,byexamininghisownattitudetowardsthepossibilitiesofpeace,towardstheSovietUnion,towardsthecourseofthecoldwarandtowardsfreedomandpeacehereathome.Firstexamineourattitudetowardspeaceitself.Toomanyofusthinkitisimpossible.Toomanythinkitisunreal.Butthatisadangerous,defeatistbelief.Itleadstotheconclusionthatwarisinevitable,thatmankindisdoomed,thatwearegrippedbyforceswecannotcontrol.Weneednotacceptthatview.Ourproblemsaremanmade;therefore,theycanbesolvedbyman.Andmancanbeasbigashewants.Noproblemofhumandestinyisbeyondhumanbeings.Man'sreasonandspirithaveoftensolvedtheseeminglyunsolvable,andwebelievetheycandoitagain.Iamnotreferringtotheabsolute,infiniteconceptofuniversalpeaceandgoodwillofwhichsomefantasiesandfanaticsdream.Idonotdenythevalueofhopesanddreamsbutwemerelyinvitediscouragementandincredulitybymakingthatouronlyandimmediategoal.Letusfocusinsteadonamorepractical,moreattainablepeace,basednotonasuddenrevolutioninhumannaturebutonagradualevolutioninhumaninstitutions--onaseriesofconcreteactionsandeffectiveagreementswhichareintheinterestofallconcerned.Thereisnosingle,simplekeytothispeace;nograndormagicformulatobeadoptedbyoneortwopowers.Genuinepeacemustbetheproductofmanynations,thesumofmanyacts.Itmustbedynamic,notstatic,changingtomeetthechallengeofeachnewgeneration.Forpeaceisaprocess--awayofsolvingproblems.Withsuchapeace,therewillstillbequarrelsandconflictinginterests,astherearewithinfamiliesandnations.Worldpeace,likecommunitypeace,doesnotrequirethateachmanlovehisneighbor,itrequiresonlythattheylivetogetherinmutualtolerance,submittingtheirdisputestoajustandpeacefulsettlement.Andhisto