2023年名人英語(yǔ)演講稿

2023年名人英語(yǔ)演講稿

名人英語(yǔ)演講稿篇2名人英語(yǔ)演講稿篇3

Daretocompete.Daretocare.Daretodream.Daretolove.Practicetheartofmakingpossible.Andnomatterwhathappens,evenifyouhearshoutsbehind,keepgoing.

ItissuchanhonorandpleasureformetobebackatYale,especiallyontheoccasionofthe300thanniversary.Ihavehadsomanymemoriesofmytimehere,andasNickwasspeakingIthoughtabouthowIendedupatYaleLawSchool.Andittellsalittlebitabouthowmuchprogresswevemade.

WhatIthinkmostaboutwhenIthinkofYaleisnotjustthepoliticallychargedatmosphereandnotevenjustthesuperblegaleducationthatIreceived.ItwasatYalethatIbeganworkthathasbeenatthecoreofwhatIhavecaredabouteversince.IbeganworkingwithNewHavenlegalservicesrepresentingchildren.AndIstudiedchilddevelopment,abuseandneglectattheYaleNewHavenHospitalandtheChildStudyCenter.IwasluckyenoughtoreceiveacivilrightsinternshipwithMarianWrightEdelmanattheChildrensDefenseFund,whereIwenttoworkafterIgraduated.Thoseexperiencesfueledinmeapassiontoworkforthebenefitofchildren,particularlythemostvulnerable.

Now,lookingback,thereisnowaythatIcouldhavepredictedwhatpathmylifewouldhavetaken.Ididntsitaroundthelawschool,saying,well,youknow,IthinkIllgraduateandthenIllgotoworkattheChildrensDefenseFund,andthentheimpeachmentinquiry,andNixonretiredorresigns,IllgotoArkansas.Ididntthinklikethat.Iwastakingeachdayatatime.

But,IvebeenveryfortunatebecauseIvealwayshadanideainmymindaboutwhatIthoughtwasimportantandwhatgavemylifemeaningandpurpose.Asetofvaluesandbeliefsthathavehelpedmenavigatetheshoals,thesometimesverytreacheroussea,toilluminatemyowntruedesires,despitethatotherssayaboutwhatlshouldcareaboutandbelievein.Apassiontosucceedatwhatlthoughtwasimportantandchildrenhavealwaysprovidedthatlonestar,thatguidinglight.Becauselhavethatabsoluteconvictionthateverychild,especiallyinthis,themostblessedofnationsthathaseverexistedonthefaceofearth,thateverychilddeservestheopportunitytoliveuptohisorherGod-givenpotential.

Butyouknowthatbeliefandconviction-itmaymakeforapersonalmissionstatement,butstandingalone,nottranslatedintoaction,itmeansverylittletoanyoneelse,particularlytothoseforwhomyouhavethoseconcerns.

WhenIwasthinkingaboutrunningfortheUnitedStatesSenate-whichwassuchanenormousdecisiontomake,oneInevercouldhavedreamedthatIwouldhavebeenmakingwhenIwashereoncampus-IvisitedaschoolinNewYorkCityandImetayoungwoman,whowasastarathlete.

IwastherebecauseofBillyJeanKingpromotinganHBOspecialaboutwomeninsportscalledDaretocompete.ItwasaboutTitleIXandhowwefinally,thankstogovernmentaction,providedopportunitiestogirlsandwomeninsports.

AndalthoughIplayednotverywellatintramuralsports,Ihavealwaysbeenastrongsupporterofwomeninsports.AndIwasintroducedbythisyoungwoman,andasIwenttoshakeherhandsheobviouslyhadbeenreadingthenewspapersaboutpeoplesayingIshouldorshouldntrunfortheSenate.AndIwascongratulatingheronthespeechshehadjustmadeandsheheldontomyhandandshesaid,Daretocompete,Mrs.Clinton.Daretocompete.

Itookthattoheartbecauseitishardtocompetesometimes,especiallyinpublicways,whenyourfailuresarethereforeveryonetoseeandyoudontknowwhatisgoingtohappenfromonedaytothenext.Andyetsomuchoflife,whetherweliketoacceptitornot,iscompetingwithourselvestobethebestwecanbe,beinginvolvedinclassesorprofessionsorjustlife,whereweknowwearecompetingwithothers.

ItookheradviceandIdidcompetebecauseIchosetodoso.Andthebiggestchoicesthatyoullfaceinyourlifewillbeyoursalonetomake.Imsureyoullreceivegoodadvice.Youregotagreateducationtogobackandreflectaboutwhatisrightforyou,butyoueventuallywillhavetochooseandIhopethatyouwilldaretocompete.AndbythatIdontmeanthekindofcutthroatcompetitionthatistoooftencharacterizedbywhatisdrivingAmericatoday.Imeanthesmallvoiceinsideyouthatsaystoyou,youcandoit,youcantakethisrisk,youcantakethisnextstep.

Anditdoesntmeanthatoncehavingmadethatchoiceyouwillalwayssucceed.Infact,youwont.Therearesetbacksandyouwillexperiencedifficultdisappointments.Youwillbesloweddownandsometimesthebreathwilljustbeknockedoutofyou.Butifyoucarrywithyouthevaluesandbeliefsthatyoucanmakeadifferenceinyourownlife,firstandforemost,andtheninthelivesofothers.Youcangetbackup,youcankeepgoing.

Butitisalsoimportant,asIhavefound,nottotakeyourselftooseriously,becauseafterall,everyoneofusheretoday,noneofusisdeservingoffullcredit.Ithinkeverydayoftheblessingsmybirthgavemewithoutanydoingofmyown.Ichoseneithermyfamilynormycountry,buttheyasmuchasanythingIveeverdone,determinedmycourse.

Youcomparemyoryourcircumstanceswiththoseofthemajorityofpeoplewhoveeverlivedorwhoarelivingrightnow,theytoooftenarebornknowingtoowellwhattheirfutureswillbe.Theylackthefreedomtochoosetheirlifespath.Theyreimprisonedbycircumstancesofpovertyandignorance,bigotry,disease,hunger,oppressionandwar.

So,daretocompete,yes,butmaybeevenmoredifficult,daretocare.Daretocareaboutpeoplewhoneedourhelptosucceedandfulfilltheirownlives.Therearesomanyoutthereandsometimesallittakesisthesimplestofgesturesorhelpinghandsandmanyofyouunderstandthatalready.Iknowthatthenumbersofgraduatesinthelast20yearshaveworkedincommunityorganizations,havetutored,havecommittedthemselvestoreligiousactivities.

Youhavebeentheretryingtoservebecauseyouhavebelievedboththatitwastherightthingtodoandbecauseitgavesomethingbacktoyou.Youhavedaredtocare.

Well,daretocaretofightforequaljusticeforall,forequalpayforwomen,againsthatecrimesandbigotry.Daretocareaboutpublicschoolswithoutqualifiedteachersoradequateresources.Daretocareaboutprotectingourenvironment.Daretocareaboutthe10millionchildreninourcountrywholackhealthinsurance.Daretocareabouttheoneandahalfmillionchildrenwhohaveaparentinjail.ThesevenmillionpeoplewhosufferfromHIV/AIDS.AndthankyouforcaringenoughtodemandthatournationdomoretohelpthosethataresufferingthroughoutthisworldwithHIV/AIDS,topreventthispandemicfromspreadingevenfurther.

AndIllalsoadd,dareenoughtocareaboutourpoliticalprocess.Youknow,asIgoandspeakwithstudentsImimpressedsomuch,notonlyinformalsettings,oncampuses,butwithmydaughterandherfriends,abouthowmuchyoucare,abouthowwillingyouaretovolunteerandserve.Youmayhavemissedthelastwaveoftherevolution,butyouveunderstoodthatthemunityrevolutionisthereforyoueverysingleday.Andyouvebeenwillingtobepartofremarkinglivesinourcommunity.

Andyet,thereisarealresistance,aturningawayfromthepoliticalprocess.Ihopethatsomeofyouwillbepublicservantsandwillevenrunforofficeyourself,nottowinapositiontomakeandimpressiononyourfriendsatyour20threunion,butbecauseyouunderstandhowimportantitisforeachofusascitizenstomakeacommitmenttoourdemocracy.

Yourgeneration,thefirstonebornafterthesocialupheavalsofthe60sand70s,inthemidstofthetechnologicaladvancesofthe80sand90s,areinheritinganeconomy,asocietyandagovernmentthathasyettounderstandfully,orevencometogripswith,ourrapidlychangingworld.

Andsobringyourvaluesandexperiencesandinsightsintopolitics.Daretohelpmake,notjustadifferenceinpolitics,butcreateadifferentpolitics.Somehavecalledyouthegenerationofchoice.Youvebeenraisedwithmultiplechoicetests,multiplechannels,multiplewebsitesandmultiplelifestyles.Youvegrownupchoosingamongalternativesthatwereeithernotimagined,createdoravailabletopeopleinpriorgenerations.

Youvebeeninvestedwithfarmorepersonalpowertocustomizeyourlife,tomakemorefreechoicesabouthowtolivethanwaseverthoughtpossible.AndIthinkasIlookatallthesurveysandresearchthatisdone,yourchoicesreflectnotonlyfreedom,butpersonalresponsibility.

Thesocialindicators,nottheheadlines,thesocialindicatorstellapositivestory:druguseandcheatingandarrestsbeingdown,beenpregnancyandsuicides,drunkdrivingdeathsbeingdown.Communityserviceandreligiousinvolvementbeingup.Butifyoulookattheareaofvotingamong18to29yearolds,thenumberstellafarmoretroublingtale.ManyofyouIknowbelievethatserviceandcommunityvolunteerismisabetterwayofsolvingtheissuesfacingourcountrythanpoliticalengagement,becauseyoubelieve-chooseoneofthefollowingmultiplesorchoosethemall-governmenteithercantunderstandorwontmaketherightchoicesbecauseofpoliticalpressures,inefficiency,incompetenceorbigmoneyinfluence.

Well,Iadmitthereisenoughtruthinthatcritiquetojustifyfeelingdisconnectedandalienated.Butatbottom,thatsapersonalcop-outandanationalperil.Politicalconditionsmaximizetheconditionsforindividualopportunityandresponsibilityaswellascommunity.AmericorpsandthePeaceCorpsexistbecauseofpoliticaldecisions.Ourair,water,landandfoodwillbecleanandsafebecauseofpoliticalchoices.OurabilitytocurediseaseorlogontotheInternethavebeenadvancedbecauseofpoliticallydeterminedinvestments.EthniccleansinginKosovoendedbecauseofpoliticalleadership.Yourparentsandgrandparentstraveledherebymeansofgovernmentbuiltandsubsidizedtransportationsystems.ManyusedGIBillsorgovernmentloans,asIdid,toattendcollege.

Now,Icould,asyoumightguess,goonandon,butthepointistoremindusallthatgovernmentisusandeachgenerationhastostakeitsclaim.And,asstakeholders,youwillhavetodecidewhetherornottomakethechoicetoparticipate.Itishardanditis,bringingchangeinademocracy,particularlynow.Theressomuchaboutourmoderntimesthatconspiretoloweroursights,toweakenourvision-asindividualsandcommunitiesandevennations.

Itisnotthevastconspiracyyoumayhaveheardabout;ratheritsasilentconspiracyofcynicismandindifferenceandalienationthatweseeeveryday,inourpopularcultureandinourprodigiousconsumerism.

ButasmanyhavesaidbeforeandasVaclavHavelhassaidtomemorably,Itcannotsufficejusttoinventnewmachines,newregulationsandnewinstitutions.ItisnecessarytounderstanddifferentlyandmoreperfectlythetruepurposeofourexistenceonthisEarthandofourdeeds.AndIthinkwearecalledontoreject,inthistimeofblessingsthatweenjoy,thosewhowilltearusapartandtearusdownandinsteadtoliberateourGod-givenspirit,bybeingwillingtodaretodreamofabetterworld.

Duringmycampaign,whentimesweretoughanddayswerelongIusedtothinkabouttheexampleofHarrietTubman,aheroicNewYorker,a19thcenturyMoses,whoriskedherlifetobringhundredsofslavestofreedom.ShewouldsaytothosewhoshegatheredupintheSouthwhereshekeptgoingbackyearafteryearfromthesafetyofAuburn,NewYork,thatnomatterwhathappens,theyhadtokeepgoing.Iftheyheardshoutsbehindthem,theyhadtokeepgoing.Iftheyheardgunfireordogs,theyhadtokeepgoingtofreedom.Well,thosearenttherisksweface.Itismorethesilenceandapathyandindifferencethatdogsourheels.

Thirty-twoyearsago,IspokeatmyowngraduationfromWellesley