State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016Obama, Barack
General
State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
When we lead nearly 200 nations to the most ambitious agreement in
history to fight climate change, yes, that helps vulnerable countries,
but it also protects our kids. When we help Ukraine defend its
democracy or Colombia resolve a decades-long war, that strengthens the
international order we depend on. When we help African countries feed
their people and care for the sick, it's the right thing to do, and it
prevents the next pandemic from reaching our shores. Right now we're on
track to end the scourge of HIV/AIDS. That's within our grasp. And we
have the chance to accomplish the same thing with malaria, something
I'll be pushing this Congress to fund this year.
That's American strength. That's American leadership. And that kind of
leadership depends on the power of our example. That's why I will keep
working to shut down the prison at Guantanamo. It is expensive, it is
unnecessary, and it only serves as a recruitment brochure for our
enemies. There's a better way.
And that's why we need to reject any politics--any politics--that targets
people because of race or religion. Let me just say this. This is not a
matter of political correctness, this is a matter of understanding just
what it is that makes us strong. The world respects us not just for our
arsenal, it respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way
we respect every faith.
His Holiness Pope Francis told this body from the very spot that I'm
standing on tonight that "to imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants
and murderers is the best way to take their place." When politicians
insult Muslims, whether abroad or our fellow citizens, when a mosque is
vandalized or a kid is called names, that doesn't make us safer. That's
not telling it what--telling it like it is. It's just wrong. It
diminishes us in the eyes of the world. It makes it harder to achieve
our goals. It betrays who we are as a country. "We the People." Our
Constitution begins with those three simple words, words we've come to
recognize mean all the people, not just some; words that insist we rise
and fall together, that that's how we might perfect our Union. And that
brings me to the fourth and maybe most important thing that I want to
say tonight.
The future we want--all of us want--opportunity and security for our
families, a rising standard of living, a sustainable, peaceful planet
for our kids--all that is within our reach. But it will only happen if
we work together. It will only happen if we can have rational,
constructive debates. It will only happen if we fix our politics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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