Clark delivers his Vision for the future speech, must read

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Sat Jan-10-04 02:09 PM
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Clark delivers his Vision for the future speech, must read

excerpt...

"Working together, we can build a world in which the rule of law - not the rule of force - governs relations between states. A world in which leaders respect the rights of their people, and nations seek peace, not destruction or domination. And neither we nor anyone else should live in fear ever again.

As with science and technology, there could be a dark side of globalization, in which progress for some means poverty for others, as jobs and opportunities ebb and flow, securities and currencies fluctuate in value, and the tension between private profit and public good persists. But surely these are risks that we can manage in a world with an America more attuned to its larger purpose and responsibilities.

The final frontier is perhaps the most difficult, but it's also the most important -- and that's the frontier of the human spirit. For too long, people have allowed differences on the surface - differences of color, ethnicity, and gender - to tear apart the common bonds they share. And the human spirit suffers as a result.

Imagine a world in which we saw beyond the lines that divide us, and celebrated our differences, instead of hiding from them. Imagine a world in which we finally recognized that, fundamentally, we are all the same. And imagine if we allowed that new understanding to build relations between people and between nations.

Our goal for the next twenty years should be to finally recognize that our differences are our greatest strength. That's true not only here in America, but in all parts of the world, where we've allowed historic rifts to poison the well of opportunity. They've arisen from the natural prides and passion of humanity. Only when we recognize that - when we respect the human spirit - will we be a great nation and a great world. These are the steps we must take in the next twenty years, as we reach out for the newest frontiers.

In a poem commissioned for the 2002 Olympic Games, Waddie Mitchell wrote, "Since mankind started walking, it's been swifter, higher, stronger, as if pushed by some deep need to keep limits unconfined. Almost thriving, always striving, for things bigger, better, longer, in some unrelenting pursuit of perfection redefined." And that's the America I believe in. An America that takes risks, that dares to be bold. One that looks to the next frontier, ever swifter, higher, and stronger than the day before.

In these next two decades, I am confident that we will make those discoveries in science that will become the next great breakthroughs - and they'll be made here by you and your children. We'll build an educational system that truly unlocks our children's highest potential. And we'll use that potential to transform human understanding and create a world that brings us all closer together. And we'll strengthen the magic of the human spirit and, together, find our future here and in a world beyond.

That is the American way. That's what's made America great. What made our grandparents brave the ocean and undertake the long voyage to our shores. Our streets might not have been paved with gold, but America's future indeed was. And it still can be. But only if we act like Americans again. Only if we bring a higher standard of leadership to Washington. One that looks past the next election to what's best for the next generation...."

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http://www.clark04.com/speeches/027/