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Word文档伯恩斯在华盛顿大学圣路易斯分校2022毕业典礼上的英语演讲稿ChancellorWrighton,membersoftheBoardofTrusteesandtheAdministration,distinguishedfaculty,Classof1965,hard-workingstaff,myfellowhonorees,proudandrelievedparents,calmandserenegrandparents,distractedbutsecretlypleasedsiblings,ladiesandgentlemen,boysandgirls,graduatingstudents,goodmorning.Iamdeeplyhonoredthatyouhaveaskedmeheretosayafewwordsatthismomentousoccasion,thatyoumightfindwhatIhavetosayworthyofyourattentiononsoimportantadayatthisremarkableinstitution.
IthadbeenmyintentionthismorningtoparceloutsomegoodadviceattheendoftheseremarksthegoodnessofthatbeingofcoursesubjectiveintheextremebutthenIrealizedthatthisisthelandofMarkTwain,andIcametotheconclusionthatanycommentarytodayoughttobeframedinthesublimeshadowofthisquoteofhis:Itsnotthattheworldisfulloffools,itsjustthatlighteningisntdistributedright.MoreonMr.Twainlater.
Iaminthebusinessofhistory.Itismyjobtotrytodiscernsomepatternsandthemesfromthepasttohelpusinterpretourdizzyinglyconfusingandsometimesdismayingpresent.Withoutaknowledgeofthatpast,howcanwepossiblyknowwhereweareand,mostimportant,wherewearegoing?OvertheyearsIvecometounderstandanimportantfact,Ithink:thatwearenotcondemnedtorepeat,astheclichgoesandwearefondofquoting,whatwedontremember.Thatsaclever,evenpoeticphrase,butnotevenclosetothetruth.Noraretherecyclesofhistory,astheacademiccommunityperiodicallypromotes.TheBible,Ecclesiastestobespecific,gotitright,Ithink:Whathasbeenwillbeagain.Whathasbeendonewillbedoneagain.Thereisnothingnewunderthesun.
Whatthatmeansisthathumannatureneverchanges.Oralmostneverchanges.Wehavecontinuallysuperimposedourcomplexandcontradictorynatureovertherandomcourseofhumanevents.Allofourinherentstrengthsandweaknesses,ourgreedandgenerosity,ourpuritanismandourprurienceparadebeforeoureyes,generationaftergenerationaftergeneration.Thisoftengivesustheimpressionthathistorydoesrepeatitself.Itdoesnt.Itjustrhymes,MarkTwainissupposedtohavesaidbuthedidnt(moreonhimlater).
Overthemanyyearsofpracticing,Ihavecometotherealizationthathistoryisnotafixedthing,acollectionofprecisedates,factsandevents(evencogentcommencementquotes)thatadduptoaquantifiable,certain,confidentlyknown,truth.Itisamysteriousandmalleablething.Andeachgenerationrediscoversandre-examinesthatpartofitspastthatgivesitspresent,andmostimportant,itsfuturenewmeaning,newpossibilitiesandnewpower.
Listen.FormostofthefortyyearsIvebeenmakinghistoricaldocumentaries,IhavebeenhauntedandinspiredbyahandfulofsentencesfromanextraordinaryspeechIcameacrossearlyinmyprofessionallifebyaneighborofyoursjustuptheroadinSpringfield,Illinois.InJanuaryof1838,shortlybeforehis29thbirthday,atall,thinlawyer,pronetoboutsofdebilitatingdepression,addressedtheYoungMensLyceum.Thetopicthatdaywasnationalsecurity.Atwhatpointshallweexpecttheapproachofdanger?heaskedhisaudience.ShallweexpectsometransatlanticmilitarygianttosteptheEarthandcrushusatablow?Thenheansweredhisownquestion:Never.AllthearmiesofEurope,Asia,andAfricacouldnotbyforcetakeadrinkfromtheOhio[River]ormakeatrackontheBlueRidgeinatrialofathousandyearsIfdestructionbeourlot,wemustourselvesbeitsauthorandfinisher.Asanationoffreemen,wemustlivethroughalltime,ordiebysuicide.Itisastunning,remarkablestatement.
Thatyoungmanwas,ofcourse,AbrahamLincoln,andhewouldgoontopresideovertheclosestthiscountryhasevercometonearnationalsuicide,ourCivilWarfoughtoverthemeaningoffreedominAmerica.Andyetembeddedinhisextraordinary,disturbingandprescientwordsisafundamentaloptimismthatimplicitlyacknowledgesthegeographicalforce-fieldtwomightyoceansandtworelativelybenignneighborsnorthandsouthhaveprovidedforussincetheBritishburnedtheWhiteHouseintheWarof1812.
WehavecountedonAbrahamLincolnformorethanacenturyandahalftogetitrightwhentheundertowinthetideofthosehumaneventshasthreatenedtooverwhelmandcapsizeus.WealwayscomebacktohimforthekindofsustainingvisionofwhyweAmericansstillagreetocohere,whyunlikeanyothercountryonearth,wearestillstitchedtogetherbywordsand,mostimportant,theirdangerousprogeny,ideas.Wereturntohimforasenseofunity,conscienceandnationalpurpose.ToescapewhatthelatehistorianArthurSchlesinger,Jr.,saidisourproblemtoday:toomuchpluribus,notenoughunum.
ItseemstomethatLincolngaveourfragileexperimentaconsciousshockthatenabledittooutgrowthemonumentalhypocrisyofslaveryinheritedatourfoundingandpermittedusall,slaveowneraswellasslave,tohaveliterally,asheputitatGettysburg,anewbirthoffreedom.
LincolnsSpringfieldspeechalsosuggestswhatissogreatandsogoodaboutthepeoplewhoinhabitthisluckyandexquisitecountryofours(thatstheworldyounowinherit):ourworkethic,ourrestlessness,ourinnovationandourimprovisation,ourcommunitiesandourinstitutionsofhigherlearning,oursuspicionofpower;thefactthatweseemresolutelydedicatedtoparsingthemeaningbetweenindividualandcollectivefreedom;thatwearededicatedtounderstandingwhatThomasJeffersonreallymeantwhenhewrotethatinscrutablephrasethepursuitofHappiness.
Butladiesandgentlemen,theisolationofthosetwomightyoceanshasalsohelpedtoincubatehabitsandpatternslessbeneficialtous:ourdevotiontomoneyandguns;ourcertaintyabouteverything;ourstubborninsistenceonourownexceptionalism,blindingustothatwhichneedsrepair,ourpreoccupationwithalwaysmakingtheotherwrong,atanindividualaswellasgloballevel.
Andthenthereistheissueofrace,whichwasforemostonthemindofLincolnbackin1838.Itisstillherewithustoday.ThejazztrumpeterWyntonMarsalistoldmethathealingthisquestionofracewaswhatthekingdomneededinordertobewell.Beforetheenormousstridesinequalityachievedinstatutesandlawsinthe150yearssincetheCivilWarthatLincolncorrectlypredictedwouldcomeareindangerofbeingundonebyourstillimperfecthumannatureandbypoliticianswhonowinsistonahypocriticalcolor-blindnessafterfourcenturiesofdiscrimination.Thatdiscriminationnowtakesonnew,sometimessubtler,lessobviousbutstillmalevolentformstoday.Thechainsofslaveryhavebeenbroken,thankGod,andsotoohasthefeudaldependenceofsharecroppersasthevengefulJimCrowerarecedes(sortof)intothedistantpast.ButnowinplaceslikebutnotlimitedtoyourotherneighborsafewmilesasthecrowfliesfromhereinFerguson,weseetheghastlyremnantsofourgreatshameemergingstill,theshameLincolnthoughtwouldleadtonationalsuicide,ourinabilitytoseebeyondthecolorofsomeonesskin.Ithasbeenwithussinceourfounding.
WhenThomasJeffersonwrotethatimmortalsecondsentenceoftheDeclarationthatbegins,Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,heownedmorethanahundredhumanbeings.Heneversawthecontradiction,heneversawthehypocrisy,andmoreimportantneversawfitinhislifetimetofreeanyoneofthosehumanbeings,ensuringaswewentforwardthattheyoungUnitedStatesbornwithsuchgloriouspromisewouldbebedeviledbyrace,thatitwouldtakeabloody,bloodyCivilWartoevenbegintoredresstheimbalance.
Buttheshamecontinues:prisonpopulationsexplodingwithyoungblackmen,youngblackmenkilledalmostweeklybypolicemen,wholecommunitiesofcolorburdenedbycorruptmunicipalitiesthatresemblemorethepredatorycompanystoreofasupposedlybygoneerathanaresponsiblelocalgovernment.Ourcitiesandtownsandsuburbscannotbecomemodernplantations.
Itisunconscionable,asyouemergefromthisprivilegedsanctuary,thatafewmilesfromhereandnearlyeverywhereelseinAmerica:Baltimore,NewYorkCity,NorthCharleston,Cleveland,Oklahoma,Sanford,Florida,nearlyeverywhereelsewearestillplayingout,sadly,anutterlyAmericanstory,thatthesamestultifyingconditionsandsentimentsthatbroughtonourCivilWararestillonsuchvividandunpleasantdisplay.Today,today.Theresnothingnewunderthesun.
ManyyearsafterourCivilWar,in1883,MarkTwaintookupwritinginearnestanovelhehadstartedandabandonedseveraltimesoverthelasthalf-dozenyears.ItwouldbeadifferentkindofstoryfromhiscelebratedTomSawyerbook,toldthistimeintheplainlanguageofhisMissouriboyhoodanditwouldbehismasterpiece.
Setnearhere,beforetheCivilWarandemancipation,theAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnisthestoryoftworunawaysawhiteboy,TomSawyersoldfriendHuck,fleeingcivilization,andablackman,Jim,whoisrunningawayfromslavery.TheyescapetogetheronaraftgoingdowntheMississippi.ThenovelreachesitsmoralclimaxwhenHuckisfacedwithaterriblechoice.HebelieveshehascommittedagrievoussininhelpingJimescape,andhefinallywritesoutaletter,tellingJimsownerwhereherrunawaypropertycanbefound.Huckfeelsgoodaboutdoingthisatfirst,hesays,andmarvelsathowcloseIcametobeinglostandgoingtohell.
Butthenhehesitates,thinkingabouthowkindJimhasbeentohimduringtheiradventure.Somehow,Hucksays,Icouldntseemtostrikenoplacetohardenmeagainsthim,butonlytheotherkind.Idseehimstandingmywatchontopofhisn,steadofcallingme,soIcouldgoonsleeping;andseehowgladhewaswhenIcomebackoutofthefog;andsuchliketimes;andwouldalwayscallmehoneyanddoeverythinghecouldthinkofforme,andhowgoodhealwayswas
Then,Huckrememberstheletterhehaswritten.Itookitup,andhelditinmyhand,hesays.Iwasa-tremblingbecauseIdgottodecide,forever,betwixttwothings,andIknowedit.Istudiedaminute,sortofholdingmybreath,andthensaystomyself:Allrightthen,Illgotohellandtoreitup.
ThatmaybethefinestmomentinallofAmericanliterature.ErnestHemingwaythoughtallofAmericanliteraturebeganatthatmoment.
Twain,himself,writingaftertheCivilWarandafterthecollapseofReconstruction,amisunderstoodperioddevotedtotryingtoenforcecivilrights,wasactuallyexpressinghisprofounddisappointmentthatracialdifferencesstillpersistedinAmerica,thatracismstillfesteredinthisfavoredland,foundedasitwasonthemostnobleprincipleyetadvancedbyhumankindthatallmenarecreatedequal.Thatcivilwarhadnotcleansedouroriginalsin,asinwecontinuetoconfronttoday,daily,inthissupposedlyenlightenedpost-racialtime.
Itisintothisdisorientingandsometimesdisappointingworldthatyounowplummet,Imafraid,unprotectedfromtheshelteroffamilyandschool.YouhavefreshprospectsandrealdreamsandIwisheachandeveryoneofyoutheverybest.ButIamdraftingyounowintoanewUnionArmythatmustbecommittedtopreservingthevalues,thesenseofhumor,thesenseofcohesionthathavelongbeenapartofourAmericannature,too.Youhavenochoice,youvebeencalledup,anditisyourdifficult,butgreatandchallengingresponsibilitytohelpchangethingsandsetusrightagain.
Letmeapologizetoyouinadvanceonbehalfofallthepeopleuphere.Webrokeit,butyouvegottofixit.Yourejoiningamovementthatmustbededicatedaboveallelsecareerandpersonaladvancementtothepreservationofthiscountrysmostenduringideals.Youhavetolearn,andthenre-teachtherestofusthatequalityrealequalityisthehallmarkandbirthrightofALLAmericans.Thankfully,youwillbecomeavanguardagainstanewseparatismthatseemstohaveinfectedourranks,avanguardagainstthoseforcesthat,inthenameofourgreatdemocracy,havemanagedtodiminishit.Then,youcanchangehumannaturejustabit,toappeal,asLincolnalsoimploredus,toappealtothebetterangelsofournature.Thatstheobjective.AndIknow,Iknowyoucandoit.
Ok.Roundingthird.
Letmespeakdirectlytothegraduatingclass.(Watchout.Herecomestheadvice.)
Remember:Blacklivesmatter.Alllivesmatter.
Rejectfundamentalismwhereveritraisesitsuglyhead.Itsnotcivilized.ChoosetoliveintheBedfordFallsofItsaWonderfulLife,notitsoppressiveopposite,Pottersville.
Donotdescendtoodeeplyintospecialism.Educateallofyourparts.Youwillbehealthier.
Replacecynicismwithitsold-fashionedantidote,skepticism.
Dontconfusemonetarysuccesswithexcellence.ThepoetRobertPennWarrenoncewarnedmethatcareerismisdeath.
Trynottomaketheotherwrong.
Becurious,notcool.
Remember,insecuritymakesliarsofusall.
Listentojazz.Alot,alot.Itisourmusic.
Read.Thebookisstillthegreatestmanmademachineofallnotthecar,nottheTV,notthecomputerorthesmartphone.
Donotallowoursocialmediatosegregateusintoeversmallertribesandclans,fiercelyandsometimesapprop
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