The most presidential lorem ipsum in history.
It wasn't until after college, when I went to Chicago to work as a community organizer for a group of Christian churches, that I confronted my own spiritual dilemma. Even for those blacks who did make it, questions of race, and racism, continue to define their worldview in fundamental ways. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change. These are my heroes. These are the policies I will pursue. That is the world we seek.
As such, Reverend Wright's comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems - two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all. They've worked hard all their lives, many times only to see their jobs shipped overseas or their pension dumped after a lifetime of labor. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit - for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear.
They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. 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. The issues that I have described will not be easy to address.
And John Kerry believes that in a dangerous world war must be an option sometimes, but it should never be the first option. I have a plan that would have already begun redeploying our troops with the goal of bringing all our combat brigades home by March 31st of next year. It's that we all have it within our power to make this a better world. So I've got news for you, John McCain. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores - that includes nearly seven million American Muslims in our country today who enjoy incomes and education that are higher than average. I know there are many - Muslim and non-Muslim - who question whether we can forge this new beginning.
We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we've got some gay friends in the Red States. And I found that I recognized in these folks a part of myself. And I heard Reverend Jeremiah A. It comes from Deuteronomy 30 when Moses talks to his followers about the challenges they'll find when they reach the Promised Land without him. For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by its opposition to my country, and there is indeed a tumultuous history between us. That is why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah's Interfaith dialogue and Turkey's leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations.
Thank you, and God bless America.