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Obama: 'Our journey is not complete'

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  • Description

    President delivers second inaugural address

  • Duration 18:25
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This transcript is automatically generated

-- -- just -- speed.

Members of the United States congress.

Distinguished.

Guests.

And fellow citizens.

Each time we gathered to inaugurate -- president.

We bear witness.

To the enduring strength.

Of our constitution.

Reaffirmed the promise of our democracy.

-- -- called the what binds this nation together is not the color of the bars again.

Or the tenants of our -- -- the origins.

Of our names.

What makes this exceptional.

What makes us American.

Is our allegiance to an idea articulated.

In a declaration that made more than two centuries ago.

We hold these truths.

To be self evident.

But all men.

Are created equal.

The bear -- and now by their creator.

With certain unalienable rights.

That among bass pro life.

Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Today.

We continue a never ending journey to bridge the meaning of -- words.

The realities of our time.

For history tells us.

The wall -- -- maybe self evident.

They have never been that self -- security.

The -- freedom is a gift from god.

The most we've secured by his people here on earth.

The patriots 1776.

Did not fight to replace the turning a McCain.

-- -- -- -- -- -- Or the rule -- job.

They gave to us a republic.

A government -- and by and for the people.

And trusting each generation to keep -- our founding -- For more.

The 200 years we had.

Through blood drawn -- -- and blood -- my sword we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality.

Could survive half slave and half free.

We made ourselves -- new.

And vowed to move forward together.

Together we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce.

Schools and colleges to train our workers.

Together we discovered that a free market only thrives when our rules to ensure competition.

And fair play.

Together.

We resolved -- a great nation must care for the vulnerable.

The protect its people from wife's worst hazards and misfortune.

-- at all we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority.

Nor -- we succumb to the friction that all society's ills can be cured through government along.

Our celebration of initiative and enterprise.

Our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility.

These are Constance in our character.

We have always understood that when times change.

So must we.

The fidelity to our founding principles requires no responses to new challenges.

The preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires.

Collective action.

It.

For the American people can no more meet the demands of today's world my acting alone -- American soldiers -- -- the forces of fascism or communism.

-- -- it's a malicious.

No single person can train all the math and science teachers won't need to quit our children for the future.

-- build the road to networks and research labs and bring new jobs and businesses to our shores.

Now.

More than ever.

We must do these things together.

As one nation and one people.

This generation of Americans has been.

Tested my crises that steeled our resolve and -- our resilience.

The decade of war is now and it.

Economic recovery.

We got.

America's possibilities are limitless forward -- all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands.

You -- drive.

Diversity.

And open us.

An endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention.

My fellow Americans we are made for this moment and we will -- it.

So long as we see fit together.

-- -- The people.

Understand that our country cannot succeed -- a shrinking few.

Do very well and a growing many barely make it.

We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of -- rising middle class.

We know that Americans -- -- every person can find independence and pride in the work.

When the -- of Nevada's labor -- families from the brink of hardship.

We are true to our creed went a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that could she have the same chance to succeed as anybody else because she -- an American.

She is free and -- -- -- not just.

But also in our -- Understand it -- more programs are inadequate to the needs of our time.

So we must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government.

Breed -- tax go.

Reform our schools.

And empower citizens -- the skills they need to work harder learn more or reach higher.

But -- the means little change.

Our purpose indoors.

The nation and the rewards work and determination showed up every single American.

That is what this moment requires that is what -- will give the real meaning to our frequent.

We.

The people.

Still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity.

We must make.

The hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit.

But we were just.

The belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country.

And investing in the generation to a bill that's future.

-- we remember the lessons of our past.

When twilight years were spent to -- god.

And parents of the child with a disability had nowhere to turn.

We do not believe that in this country freedom is reserved for the locker room.

-- happiness for the few who.

We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives.

Anyone of us.

At any time.

May face a job -- -- a sudden illness.

-- homes swept away at a terrible storm.

The commitments we make -- job.

Through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security these things do not sap.

Make us a nation of takers they did Maria.

-- to take the risks that make this country great.

The people.

Still believe and obligations as Americans.

Are not just to ourselves but all posterity.

We will respond to the threat of climate change it.

Knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children.

And future generations.

Some may still -- the overwhelming judgment of science.

But not gonna mourn the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought.

And more powerful storms.

The path towards sustainable energy sources won't be long and sometimes difficult.

But America cannot resist this transition.

We must leave it there.

We cannot -- it to other nations the technology that will power new job a new industry and we must claimed its promise.

That's how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure.

Our forests and waterways.

Are crop lands and snow capped peaks.

That is how we will preserve our planet.

Commanded to our care by government.

That's what will -- meaning to the creed and our fathers once declared.

We.

The people.

Still believe it indoor and security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war.

Our brave men and women in uniform.

Tempered by the flames of battle are unmatched in skill and courage.

Our citizens.

Seared by the memory of those we lost know too well the prices paid for liberty.

The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant.

Against those who would do -- song.

But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just a war.

Who turns sworn enemies in the insurers to friends and we must carry -- lessons into this time as well.

We will defend our people and uphold our values drew strength from arms and the rule of.

Yeah and.

We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully and not because we are naive about the dangers we face.

But because engagement can more burly left suspicion and treated.

America will remain the anchor of strong alliances and every corner of the globe.

And we already knew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis -- for no one has a greater stake.

-- peaceful world -- most powerful nation.

-- support democracy from Asia to Africa.

From the Americas to the Middle East because our interest and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom.

And we must be a source of hopeful.

To the poor the sick.

The marginalize.

The victims of prejudice.

Not out of mere charity but because he's in our time required the constant advance of those principles that are common creed describes.

Tolerance and opportunity.

Human dignity.

And justice.

We.

The people.

Declared today that the most evident the troops god.

-- all of us are created big.

Good response -- -- stupid.

-- -- guide and our forebears to -- fall and Selma and Stonewall.

Just that got it all those men and women that song and on some level footprints along this great -- Stay here -- preachers say that we cannot walk alone.

Did hear -- -- proclaimed that I.

Individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom.

Up every so long term.

Generations task to carry wrong.

What those five years beginning.

For our journey is not complete until our -- Our mothers and daughters could earn a living equal to their efforts.

Our journey is not complete until our gay Brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.

-- -- -- -- -- The love we commit to one another must be equal as well.

Our journey is not complete until no citizen has forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.

Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving -- immigrants who still see America.

-- -- the land of opportunity.

I'll tell bright young students and engineers are listed -- our work -- rather than expelled from.

For my country.

Our journey is not completely.

Until all our children.

From the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown.

-- they are careful.

And cherished.

-- -- -- -- -- That.

Is our generation's task.

To make these -- these rights these values.

Of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Real report every America.

Being true -- our founding documents does not require us to.

Agree on every contour of life.

Does not mean we all the final liberty and exactly the same way.

Or follow the same precise path to happiness.

Progress does not compel us to settle centuries long debates about the role of government for all time.

But it does require us to.

Acted in our time.

We're not decisions are upon us.

And we cannot afford to let him.

We cannot mistake absolutism for principal.

Results -- spectacle for politics.

Retreat name calling as reasoned debate.

We must.

We must act knowing.

That our work will be -- perfect.

We must act knowing that today's victory is there will be only partially.

And there will be up to those who stand here and for years and forty years and 400 years hence.

To advance the time -- spirit once confirmed to us.

And a spare Philadelphia home.

My fellow Americans.

The holding.

I have sworn before you today.

Like the one recited by.

Others who serve in this cabinet.

Was oath to god and country.

Not party or faction.

And we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service.

But the words I spoke today are not so different from nobody is taken each time -- soldiers sign up for do.

Born immigrant realizes ordering them.

My all there's not so different from the planet we all make it to the flag but where is above and the our hearts with -- They -- the words of citizens.

And they represent our greatest hope.

You when I -- citizens.

The power to -- this conference -- You or not.

As citizens.

Have the obligation to -- the debates a hard time not.

Only -- the votes we -- when the voices we live in defense of our most range in value and enduring ideals.

Let us each -- us now -- brisk.

With solid building.

An awesome -- What is our lasting -- right.

With common effort.

And common purpose.

With passion and dedication.

Let us answer the call of history and -- into an uncertain future that crushes light of freedom.

Thank you god blessing.

And maybe forever bless these United States of America.

-- a.

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