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InauguralAddress(January20,1961)JohnF.Kennedy1Weobservetodaynotavictoryofpartybutacelebrationoffreedom,symbolizinganendaswellasabeginning,signifyingrenewalaswellaschange.ForIhaveswornbeforeyouandAlmightyGodthesamesolemnoathourforebearsprescribednearlyacenturyandthree-quartersago.2Theworldisverydifferentnow.Formanholdsinhismortalhandsthepowertoabolishallformsofhumanpovertyandallformsofhumanlife.Andyetthesamerevolutionarybeliefforwhichourforebearsfoughtisstillatissuearoundtheglobe,thebeliefthattherightsofmancomenotfromthegenerosityofthestatebutfromthehandofGod.3Wedarenotforgettodaythatwearetheheirsofthatfirstrevolution.Letthewordgoforthfromthistimeandplace,tofriendandfoealike,thatthetorchhasbeenpassedtoanewgenerationofAmericans,borninthiscentury,temperedbywar,disciplinedbyahardandbitterpeace,proudofourancientheritage,andunwillingtowitnessorpermittheslowundoingofthesehumanrightstowhichthisnationhasalwaysbeencommitted,andtowhichwearecommittedtodayathomeandaroundtheworld.4Leteverynationknow,whetheritwishesuswellori11,thatweshallpayanyprice,bearanyburden,meetanyhardship,supportanyfriend,opposeanyfoetoassurethesurvivalandthesuccessofliberty.5Thismuchwepledge--andmore.6Tothoseoldallieswhoseculturalandspiritualoriginsweshare,wepledgetheloyaltyoffaithfulfriends.United,thereislittlewecannotdoinahostofco-operativeventures.Divided,thereislittlewecando,forwedarenotmeetapowerfulchallengeatoddsandsplitasunder.7Tothosenewstateswhomwewelcometotheranksofthefree,wepledgeourwordthatoneformofcolonialcontrolshallnothavepassedawaymerelytobereplacedbyafarmoreirontyranny.Weshallnotalwaysexpecttofindthemsupportingourview.Butweshallalwayshopetofindthemstronglysupportingtheirownfreedom,andtorememberthat,inthepast,thosewhofoolishlysoughtpowerbyridingthebackofthetigerendedupinside.8Tothosepeoplesinthehutsandvillagesofhalftheglobestrugglingtobreakthebondsofmassmisery,wepledgeourbesteffortstohelpthemhelpthemselves,forwhateverperiodisrequired,notbecausetheCommunistsmaybedoingit,notbecauseweseektheirvotes,butbecauseitisright.Ifafreesocietycannothelpthemanywhoarepoor,itcannotsavethefewwhoarerich.9Tooursisterrepublicssouthofourborder,weofferaspecialpledge:toconvertourgoodwordsintogooddeeds,inanewallianceforprogress,toassistfreemenandfreegovernmentsincastingoffthechainsofpoverty.Butthispeacefulrevolutionofhopecannotbecomethepreyofhostilepowers.LetallourneighborsknowthatweshalljoinwiththemtoopposeaggressionorsubversionanywhereintheAmericas.Andleteveryotherpowerknowthatthishemisphereintendstoremainthemasterofitsownhouse.10Tothatworldassemblyofsovereignstates,theUnitedNations,ourlastbesthopeinanagewheretheinstrumentsofwarhavefaroutpacedtheinstrumentsofpeace,werenewourpledgeofsupport:topreventitfrombecomingmerelyaforumforinvective,tostrengthenitsshieldofthenewandtheweak,andtoenlargetheareainwhichitswritmayrun.11Finally,tothosenationswhowouldmakethemselvesouradversary,weoffernotapledgebutarequest:thatbothsidesbeginanewthequestforpeace,beforethedarkpowersofdestructionunleashedbyscienceengulfallhumanityinplannedoraccidentalself-destruction.12Wedarenottemptthemwithweakness.Foronlywhenourarmsaresufficientbeyonddoubtcanwebecertainbeyonddoubtthattheywillneverbeemployed.13Butneithercantwogreatandpowerfulgroupsofnationstakecomfortfromourpresentcourse--bothsidesoverburdenedbythecostofmodernweapons,bothrightlyalarmedbythesteadyspreadofthedeadlyatom,yetbothracingtoalterthatuncertainbalanceofterrorthatstaysthehandofmankind'sfinalwar.14Soletusbeginanew,rememberingonbothsidesthatcivilityisnotasignofweakness,andsincerityisalwayssubjecttoproof.Letusnevernegotiateoutoffear,butletusneverfeartonegotiate.15Letbothsidesexplorewhatproblemsuniteusinsteadofbelaboringthoseproblemswhichdivideus.16Letbothsides,forthefirsttime,formulateseriousandpreciseproposalsfortheinspectionandcontrolofarmsandbringtheabsolutepowertodestroyothernationsundertheabsolutecontrolofallnations.17Letbothsidesseektoinvokethewondersofscienceinsteadofitsterrors.Togetherletusexplorethestars,conquerthedeserts,eradicatedisease,taptheoceandepthsandencouragetheartsandcommerce.18LetbothsidesunitetoheedinallcornersoftheearththecommandofIsaiahtoundotheheavyburdens...(and)lettheoppressedgofree.19Andifabeachheadofco-operationmaypushbackthejungleofsuspicion,letbothsidesjoinincreatinganewendeavor,notanewbalanceofpower,butanewworldoflaw,wherethestrongarejustandtheweaksecureandthepeacepreserved.20Allthiswillnotbefinishedinthefirstonehundreddays.Norwillitbefinishedinthefirstonethousanddays,norinthelifeofthisAdministration,norevenperhapsinourlifetimeonthisplanet.Butletusbegin.21Inyourhands,myfellowcitizens,morethanmine,willrestthefinalsuccessorfailureofourcourse.Sincethiscountrywasfounded,eachgenerationofAmericanshasbeensummonedtogivetestimonytoitsnationalloyalty.ThegravesofyoungAmericanswhoansweredthecalltoservicesurroundtheglobe.22Nowthetrumpetsummonsusagain--notasacalltobeararms,thougharmsweneed;notasacalltobattle,thoughembattledweare;butacalltobeartheburdenofalongtwilightstruggle,yearinandyearout,rejoicinginhope,p