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It is that fundamental belief, it is that fundamental belief, I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper that makes this country work. And I'm glad to see that. But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren't simply controversial. Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church? And I confess that if all that I knew of Reverend Wright were the snippets of those sermons that have run in an endless loop on the television and You Tube, or if Trinity United Church of Christ conformed to the caricatures being peddled by some commentators, there is no doubt that I would react in much the same way On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough." America, our work will not be easy.
It's been several months now since I announced I was running for president. They want a sense of purpose, a narrative arc to their lives. Religious leaders like my friends Rev. Jim Wallis and Rabbi David Saperstein and Nathan Diament are working for justice and fighting for change. 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. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. 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.
God is still speaking. We can do that.
They must be pursued - and they must be defeated. So let's rededicate ourselves to a new kind of politics - a politics of conscience. This time we want to talk about the shuttered mills that once provided a decent life for men and women of every race, and the homes for sale that once belonged to Americans from every religion, every region, every walk of life. We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, heart, and soul.
And yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with great pride. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments - provided they govern with respect for all their people.
Thank you very much everybody.