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PresidentBush'sSecondInauguralAddressVicePresidentCheney,Mr.ChiefJustice,PresidentCarter,PresidentBush,PresidentClinton,membersofUnitedStates'Congress,reverendclergy,distinguishedguests,fellowcitizens:Onthisday,prescribedbylawandmarkedbyceremony,wecelebratethedurablewisdomofourConstitution,andrecallthedeepcommitmentsthatuniteourcountry.Iamgratefulforthehonorofthishour,mindfuloftheconsequentialtimesinwhichwelive,anddeterminedtofulfilltheoaththatIhaveswornandyouhavewitnessed.Atthissecondgathering,ourdutiesaredefinednotbythewordsIuse,butbythehistorywehaveseentogether.Forahalfcentury,Americadefendedourownfreedombystandingwatchondistantborders.Aftertheshipwreckofcommunismcameyearsofrelativequiet,yearsofrepose,yearsofsabbatical-andthentherecameadayoffire.Wehaveseenourvulnerability-andwehaveseenitsdeepestsource.Foraslongaswholeregionsoftheworldsimmerinresentmentandtyranny-pronetoideologiesthatfeedhatredandexcusemurder-violencewillgather,andmultiplyindestructivepower,andcrossthemostdefendedborders,andraiseamortalthreat.Thereisonlyoneforceofhistorythatcanbreakthereignofhatredandresentment,andexposethepretensionsoftyrants,andrewardthehopesofthedecentandtolerant,andthatistheforceofhumanfreedom.Weareled,byeventsandcommonsense,tooneconclusion:Thesurvivaloflibertyinourlandincreasinglydependsonthesuccessoflibertyinotherlands.Thebesthopeforpeaceinourworldistheexpansionoffreedominalltheworld.America'svitalinterestsandourdeepestbeliefsarenowone.FromthedayofourFounding,wehaveproclaimedthateverymanandwomanonthisearthhasrights,anddignity,andmatchlessvalue,becausetheybeartheimageoftheMakerofHeavenandearth.Acrossthegenerationswehaveproclaimedtheimperativeofself-government,becausenooneisfittobeamaster,andnoonedeservestobeaslave.AdvancingtheseidealsisthemissionthatcreatedourNation.Itisthehonorableachievementofourfathers.Nowitistheurgentrequirementofournation'ssecurity,andthecallingofourtime.SoitisthepolicyoftheUnitedStatestoseekandsupportthegrowthofdemocraticmovementsandinstitutionsineverynationandculture,withtheultimategoalofendingtyrannyinourworld.Thisisnotprimarilythetaskofarms,thoughwewilldefendourselvesandourfriendsbyforceofarmswhennecessary.Freedom,byitsnature,mustbechosen,anddefendedbycitizens,andsustainedbytheruleoflawandtheprotectionofminorities.Andwhenthesoulofanationfinallyspeaks,theinstitutionsthatarisemayreflectcustomsandtraditionsverydifferentfromourown.Americawillnotimposeourownstyleofgovernmentontheunwilling.Ourgoalinsteadistohelpothersfindtheirownvoice,attaintheirownfreedom,andmaketheirownway.Thegreatobjectiveofendingtyrannyistheconcentratedworkofgenerations.Thedifficultyofthetaskisnoexcuseforavoidingit.America'sinfluenceisnotunlimited,butfortunatelyfortheoppressed,America'sinfluenceisconsiderable,andwewilluseitconfidentlyinfreedom'scause.Mymostsolemndutyistoprotectthisnationanditspeoplefromfurtherattacksandemergingthreats.SomehaveunwiselychosentotestAmerica'sresolve,andhavefounditfirm.Wewillpersistentlyclarifythechoicebeforeeveryrulerandeverynation:Themoralchoicebetweenoppression,whichisalwayswrong,andfreedom,whichiseternallyright.Americawillnotpretendthatjaileddissidentsprefertheirchains,orthatwomenwelcomehumiliationandservitude,orthatanyhumanbeingaspirestoliveatthemercyofbullies.Wewillencouragereforminothergovernmentsbymakingclearthatsuccessinourrelationswillrequirethedecenttreatmentoftheirownpeople.America'sbeliefinhumandignitywillguideourpolicies,yetrightsmustbemorethanthegrudgingconcessionsofdictators;theyaresecuredbyfreedissentandtheparticipationofthegoverned.Inthelongrun,thereisnojusticewithoutfreedom,andtherecanbenohumanrightswithouthumanliberty.Some,Iknow,havequestionedtheglobalappealofliberty-thoughthistimeinhistory,fourdecadesdefinedbytheswiftestadvanceoffreedomeverseen,isanoddtimefordoubt.Americans,ofallpeople,shouldneverbesurprisedbythepowerofourideals.Eventually,thecalloffreedomcomestoeverymindandeverysoul.Wedonotaccepttheexistenceofpermanenttyrannybecausewedonotacceptthepossibilityofpermanentslavery.Libertywillcometothosewholoveit.Today,Americaspeaksanewtothepeoplesoftheworld:Allwholiveintyrannyandhopelessnesscanknow:theUnitedStateswillnotignoreyouroppression,orexcuseyouroppressors.Whenyoustandforyourliberty,wewillstandwithyou.Democraticreformersfacingrepression,prison,orexilecanknow:Americaseesyouforwhoyouare:thefutureleadersofyourfreecountry.TherulersofoutlawregimescanknowthatwestillbelieveasAbrahamLincolndid:Thosewhodenyfreedomtoothersdeserveitnotforthemselves;and,undertheruleofajustGod,cannotlongretainit.Theleadersofgovernmentswithlonghabitsofcontrolneedtoknow:Toserveyourpeopleyoumustlearntotrustthem.Startonthisjourneyofprogressandjustice,andAmericawillwalkatyourside.AndallthealliesoftheUnitedStatescanknow:wehonoryourfriendship,werelyonyourcounsel,andwedependonyourhelp.Divisionamongfreenationsisaprimarygoaloffreedom'senemies.Theconcertedeffortoffreenationstopromotedemocracyisapreludetoourenemies'defeat.Today,Ialsospeakanewtomyfellowcitizens:Fromallofyou,IhaveaskedpatienceinthehardtaskofsecuringA