Obama Ipsum

But my journey is part of a larger journey - one shared by all who've ever sought to apply the values of their faith to our society. But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races. The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be part of a road to peace, and Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress. 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.

I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.

In that time, I've had the chance to talk with Americans all across this country. They weren't simply a religious leader's effort to speak out against perceived injustice. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect.

And yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride. She had this enormous capacity for wonder, and lived by the Golden Rule. A lack of economic opportunity among black men, and the shame and frustration that came from not being able to provide for one's family, contributed to the erosion of black families - a problem that welfare policies for many years may have worsened. But for all those who scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of the American Dream, there were many who didn't make it - those who were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination.

More work to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Ill., who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. But it is where we start. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.