The most presidential lorem ipsum in history.
John Edwards calls on us to hope. So when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed; when they're told that their fears about crime in urban neighborhoods are somehow prejudiced, resentment builds over time. Perhaps somebody told her along the way that the source of her mother's problems were blacks who were on welfare and too lazy to work, or Hispanics who were coming into the country illegally. This truth transcends nations and peoples - a belief that isn't new; that isn't black or white or brown; that isn't Christian, or Muslim or Jew.
And there's another issue we must confront as well. In my first book, Dreams From My Father, I described the experience of my first service at Trinity: That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. The obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear.
These enemies must be found. And until we do, our conscience cannot rest. And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. Now, that must be our work here on Earth.
But by the time he was a young adult, he was an atheist. And that it's not enough to just believe this - we have to do our part to make it a reality. I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. This history is well known.
Now, as children of God, we believe in the worth and dignity of every human being; it doesn't matter where that person came from or what documents they have. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.
Thank you.