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I'm talking about something more substantial. I learned that everyone's got a sacred story when you take the time to listen. This was one of the tasks we set forth at the beginning of this campaign - to continue the long march of those who came before us, a march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America. Segregated schools were, and are, inferior schools; we still haven't fixed them, fifty years after Brown v. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't.
Again and again, we've seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available. I'd been inspired by the civil rights movement - by all the clear-eyed, straight-backed, courageous young people who'd boarded buses and traveled down South to march and sit at lunch counters, and lay down their lives in some cases for freedom. And until we do, our conscience cannot rest. 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'm hearing from progressives who understand that if we want to communicate our hopes and values to Americans, we can't abandon the field of religious discourse.
They're deciding that their work, their possessions, their diversions, their sheer busyness, is not enough. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits.
Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place, America, that shone as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before. And so in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.
John Kerry understands the ideals of community, faith, and service because they've defined his life. Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us. And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld - whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt.
Thank you, and God bless America.