The most presidential lorem ipsum in history.
And this restlessness - this search for meaning - is familiar to me. Universities and states, including Illinois, are taking part in a divestment campaign to pressure the Sudanese government to stop the killings. Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety - the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.
And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality. And just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security; neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank. We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.
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. I thought of the 900 men and women - sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who won't be returning to their own hometowns. And as so many generations have come to realize over the course of the two-hundred and twenty one years since a band of patriots signed that document in Philadelphia, that is where the perfection begins. That promise is our greatest inheritance.
But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. John Kerry believes in America. We can pounce on some gaffe by a Hillary supporter as evidence that she's playing the race card, or we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us.
It came about as a choice, and not an epiphany. But we also know that government initiatives are not enough. They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear. What we have already achieved gives us hope - the audacity to hope - for what we can and must achieve tomorrow. Our government should work for us, not against us. Finally, the Arab States must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibilities.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.