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And as a consequence, so did I. And slowly, I came to realize that something was missing as well - that without an anchor for my beliefs, without a commitment to a particular community of faith, at some level I would always remain apart, and alone. And you know what - it's worked before. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new Science Envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, and grow new crops.
Tonight is a particular honor for me because - let's face it - my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. These are the policies I will pursue. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers - Thomas Jefferson - kept in his personal library.
Our Party has chosen a man to lead us who embodies the best this country has to offer. We shouldn't use the obstacles we face as an excuse for cynicism. But it also means binding our particular grievances - for better health care, and better schools, and better jobs - to the larger aspirations of all Americans - the white woman struggling to break the glass ceiling, the white man whose been laid off, the immigrant trying to feed his family. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know. Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about blind optimism here - the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. Their experience is the immigrant experience - as far as they're concerned, no one's handed them anything, they've built it from scratch. She sought out allies in her fight against injustice. It is time for these settlements to stop. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments - provided they govern with respect for all their people.
That's why pastors, friends of mine like Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes and organizations like World Vision and Catholic Charities are wielding their enormous influence to confront poverty, HIV/AIDS, and the genocide in Darfur. But we have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world we seek - a world where extremists no longer threaten our people, and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own, and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes; a world where governments serve their citizens, and the rights of all God's children are respected.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.