搜索
UniversityofMassachusettsatBostonCommencementAddressBoston,MA|June2,2006GoodmorningPresidentWilson,ChancellorCollins,theBoardofTrustees,faculty,parents,family,friends,andtheClassof2006.Congratulationsonyourgraduation,andthankyouforallowingmethehonortobeapartofit.It’salwaysgreattobebackinBoston.Assomeofyoumayhaveheard,Iwashereafewyearsagotogivethekeynoteaddressatthe2004DemocraticConvention.Itwasanamazingexperienceforme.Ahumblinghonor.Atremendousopportunity.AndifyouhadcomeuptomeafewyearsearlierandtoldmeI’dbethere,Iwould’vepolitelytoldyouthatyouwereoutofyourmind.LetmetellyouwhathappenedatthelastconventionIhadbeento.Itwastheyear2000,andIhadjustgottenmyrear-endhandedtomeinmyveryfirstraceforCongress.Didn’tevenmakeitpasttheprimary.Iwasalittledepressed,andmorethanalittlebroke,butsomefriendssuggestedthatIgetmymindoffitbygoingtoLosAngeles,wherethatyear’sDemocraticConventionwasbeingheld.SoIdecidedtogo.AndwhenmyplanelandedinLA,Igotmyluggage,walkedonovertotheHertzcounter,filledoutalltheformstorentacar,gavemycreditcardtothenicewomanbehindthecounterwho,momentslater,handeditbacktomeandsaid,“Mr.Obama,itseemswehaveaproblem.”That’sright,mycreditcardwasdenied.Afterthirtymoreminutesofhaggling,Ifinallymadeittotheconvention,onlytolearnthatIwasthoughtofsohighlybytheDemocraticPartythatmycredentialsbarelygrantedmeaccesstothemen’sroom-letalonebackstagewherealltheactionwas.Andso,beingtheVIPthatIwas,Ispenttherestoftheweekastheguyintheroomwhonobodyknew,buteveryoneknewdidn’tbelong.Needlesstosay,whentheyaskedmetobetheconvention’skeynotespeakerjustfouryearslater,ImadesureIwasgettingacar.Alljokingaside,receivingthathonorwasawelcomechange-and,asMasterCardcouldattest,morethanalittleunlikely.Butofcourse,Americaisanunlikelyplace-acountrybuiltondefianceoftheodds；onabeliefintheimpossible.AndIremindyouofthisbecauseasyousetouttoliveyourownstoriesofsuccessandachievement,it’snowyourturntohelpkeepitthisway.It’syourturntokeepthisdaringlyradicalbutunfailinglysimplenotionofAmericaalive-thatnomatterwhereyou’rebornorhowmuchyourparentshave；nomatterwhatyoulooklikeorwhatyoubelievein,youcanstillrisetobecomewhateveryouwant；stillgoontoachievegreatthings；stillpursuethehappinessyouhopefor.Today,thisdreamsoundscommon-perhapsevencliché-yetformostofhumanhistoryit’sbeenanythingbut.AsaservantofRome,apeasantinChina,orasubjectofKingGeorge,therewereveryfewunlikelyfutures.Nomatterhowhardyouworkedorstruggledforsomethingbetter,youknewyou’dspendyourlifeforcedtobuildsomebodyelse’sempire；tosacrificeforsomeoneelse’scause.Butasthecenturiespassed,thepeopleoftheworldgrewrestless.Theyweretiredoftyrannyandwearyoftheirlotinlife.Andastheysawmerchantsstarttosailacrossoceansandexplorerssetoffinsearchofnewworlds,theyfollowed.Itwasrighthere,inthewatersaroundus,wheretheAmericanexperimentbegan.AstheearliestsettlersarrivedontheshoresofBostonandSalemandPlymouth,theydreamedofbuildingaCityuponaHill.Andtheworldwatched,waitingtoseeifthisimprobableideacalledAmericawouldsucceed.Forovertwohundredyears,ithas.Notbecauseourdreamhasprogressedperfectly.Ithasn’t.Ithasbeenscarredbyourtreatmentofnativepeoples,betrayedbyslavery,cloudedbythesubjugationofwomen,woundedbyracism,shakenbywaranddepression.Yet,thetruetestofourunionisnotwhetherit’sperfect,butwhetherweworktoperfectit.Whetherwerecognizeourfailings,identifyourshortcomings,andthenrisetomeetthechallengesofourtime.Andsowe’vebroadenedtheAmericanfamilybywinningcivilrightsandvotingrightsforwomenandthenAfricanAmericans；bychoosingtowelcomewavesofnewimmigrantstoourshores.We’vepushedtheboundariesofopportunitybyprovidingfreeeducationforourchildrenandhealthcareforourseniorsandourpoor；andwe’vewonbargainingrightsandwagehikesandretirementsecurityforourworkers.Noneofthisprogresshappenedonitsown.Muchofitseemedimpossibleatthetime.ButallofitcameaboutbecauseordinarymenandwomenhadfaiththathereinAmerica,ourimperfectdreamcouldbeperfected.Now,theremaybesomewhodoubtthatmuchhaschanged-thosewhodoubtthatthingsarebettertodaythantheywereyesterday.TothemIsaytakealookatthisclassof2006.Morethanhalfofyourepresenttheveryfirstmemberofyourfamilytoeverattendcollege.InthemostdiverseuniversityinallofNewEngland,IlookoutataseaoffacesthatareAfrican-AmericanandHispanic-AmericanandAsian-AmericanandArab-American.Iseestudentsthathavecomeherefromover100differentcountries,believinglikethosefirstsettlersthattheytoocouldfindahomeinthisCityonaHill-thattheytoocouldfindsuccessinthisunlikeliestofplaces.,AllofthishasoccurredinthemidstofacitywhereNoIrishNeedApplysignsoncehungfromstores.Allofthisinacitywhere,justthirtyyearsago,busesofblackstudentswerepeltedwithrocksastheypulledintoschoolsinSouthBoston；wheretheRedSoxwereoncetheteamwhorefusedtosignthegreatJackieRobinson.Buttheproblemisn’tthatwe’vemadeprogress.Theproblemisthatprogressisn’tgoodenough.Thereismoreworktobedone,morejusticetobehad,morebarrierstobreak.Andnowit’syourgeneration’sturntobringthesechangesabout.ThelastcenturywasundoubtedlyanAmericancentury.Ourvictoryoverfascismliberatedmillions.Athome,webuiltasharedprosperitythatcreatedthelargestmiddle-classin