JohnF.

Kennedy'sInauguralAddress
FromWikisource

VicePresidentJohnson,Mr.Speaker,Mr.ChiefJustice,PresidentEisenhower,
VicePresidentNixon,PresidentTruman,ReverendClergy,fellowcitizens:

Weobservetodaynotavictoryofpartybutacelebrationoffreedom,symbolizing
anendaswellasabeginning,signifyingrenewalaswellaschange.ForIhave
swornbeforeyouandAlmightyGodthesamesolemnoathourforbears
prescribednearlyacenturyandthreequartersago.

Theworldisverydifferentnow.Formanholdsinhismortalhandsthepowerto
abolishallformsofhumanpovertyandallformsofhumanlife.Andyetthesame
revolutionarybeliefsforwhichourforebearsfoughtarestillatissuearoundthe
JohnF.Kennedydeliveringhisinaugural
globethebeliefthattherightsofmancomenotfromthegenerosityofthestate
address
butfromthehandofGod.
(46.18MB,15m38s,help,fileinfoordownload)
Wedarenotforgettodaythatwearetheheirsofthatfirstrevolution.Letthe
wordgoforthfromthistimeandplace,tofriendandfoealike,thatthetorchhasbeenpassedtoanewgenerationof
Americans,borninthiscentury,temperedbywar,disciplinedbyahardandbitterpeace,proudofourancientheritage,and
unwillingtowitnessorpermittheslowundoingofthosehumanrightstowhichthisnationhasalwaysbeencommitted,andto
whichwearecommittedtodayathomeandaroundtheworld.

Leteverynationknow,whetheritwishesuswellorill,thatweshallpayanyprice,bearanyburden,meetanyhardship,
supportanyfriend,opposeanyfoetoassurethesurvivalandthesuccessofliberty.

Thismuchwepledgeandmore.

Tothoseoldallieswhoseculturalandspiritualoriginsweshare,wepledgetheloyaltyoffaithfulfriends.Unitedthereislittle
wecannotdoinahostofcooperativeventures.Dividedthereislittlewecandoforwedarenotmeetapowerfulchallengeat
oddsandsplitasunder.

Tothosenewstateswhomwewelcometotheranksofthefree,wepledgeourwordthatoneformofcolonialcontrolshallnot
havepassedawaymerelytobereplacedbyafarmoreirontyranny.Weshallnotalwaysexpecttofindthemsupportingour
view.Butweshallalwayshopetofindthemstronglysupportingtheirownfreedomandtorememberthat,inthepast,those
whofoolishlysoughtpowerbyridingthebackofthetigerendedupinside.

Tothosepeopleinthehutsandvillagesofhalftheglobestrugglingtobreakthebondsofmassmisery,wepledgeourbest
effortstohelpthemhelpthemselves,forwhateverperiodisrequirednotbecausethecommunistsmaybedoingit,not
becauseweseektheirvotes,butbecauseitisright.Ifafreesocietycannothelpthemanywhoarepoor,itcannotsavethefew
whoarerich.

Tooursisterrepublicssouthofourborder,weofferaspecialpledge:toconvertourgoodwordsintogooddeedsinanew
allianceforprogresstoassistfreemenandfreegovernmentsincastingoffthechainsofpoverty.Butthispeacefulrevolution
ofhopecannotbecomethepreyofhostilepowers.Letallourneighborsknowthatweshalljoinwiththemtooppose
aggressionorsubversionanywhereintheAmericas.AndleteveryotherpowerknowthatthisHemisphereintendstoremain
themasterofitsownhouse.

Tothatworldassemblyofsovereignstates,theUnitedNations,ourlastbesthopeinanagewheretheinstrumentsofwarhave
faroutpacedtheinstrumentsofpeace,werenewourpledgeofsupport,topreventitfrombecomingmerelyaforumfor
invective,tostrengthenitsshieldofthenewandtheweak,andtoenlargetheareainwhichitswritmayrun.

Finally,tothosenationswhowouldmakethemselvesouradversary,weoffernotapledgebutarequest:thatbothsidesbegin
anewthequestforpeace,beforethedarkpowersofdestructionunleashedbyscienceengulfallhumanityinplannedor
accidentalselfdestruction.

Wedarenottemptthemwithweakness.Foronlywhenourarmsaresufficientbeyonddoubtcanwebecertainbeyonddoubt
thattheywillneverbeemployed.

Butneithercantwogreatandpowerfulgroupsofnationstakecomfortfromourpresentcoursebothsidesoverburdenedby
thecostofmodernweapons,bothrightlyalarmedbythesteadyspreadofthedeadlyatom,yetbothracingtoalterthat
uncertainbalanceofterrorthatstaysthehandofmankind'sfinalwar.
Soletusbeginanewrememberingonbothsidesthatcivilityisnotasignofweakness,andsincerityisalwayssubjectto
proof.Letusnevernegotiateoutoffear.Butletusneverfeartonegotiate.

Letbothsidesexplorewhatproblemsuniteusinsteadofbelaboringthoseproblemswhichdivideus.

Letbothsides,forthefirsttime,formulateseriousandpreciseproposalsfortheinspectionandcontrolofarmsandbring
theabsolutepowertodestroyothernationsundertheabsolutecontrolofallnations.

Letbothsidesseektoinvokethewondersofscienceinsteadofitsterrors.Togetherletusexplorethestars,conquerthe
deserts,eradicatedisease,taptheoceandepthsandencouragetheartsandcommerce.

LetbothsidesunitetoheedinallcornersoftheEarththecommandofIsaiahto"undotheheavyburdens...(and)letthe
oppressedgofree."

Andifabeachheadofcooperationmaypushbackthejungleofsuspicion,letbothsidesjoinincreatinganewendeavor,nota
newbalanceofpower,butanewworldoflaw,wherethestrongarejustandtheweaksecureandthepeacepreserved.

Allthiswillnotbefinishedinthefirstonehundreddays.Norwillitbefinishedinthefirstonethousanddays,norinthelife
ofthisAdministration,norevenperhapsinourlifetimeonthisplanet.Butletusbegin.

Inyourhands,myfellowcitizens,morethanmine,willrestthefinalsuccessorfailureofourcourse.Sincethiscountrywas
founded,eachgenerationofAmericanshasbeensummonedtogivetestimonytoitsnationalloyalty.Thegravesofyoung
Americanswhoansweredthecalltoservicesurroundtheglobe.

Nowthetrumpetsummonsusagainnotasacalltobeararms,thougharmsweneednotasacalltobattle,thoughembattled
wearebutacalltobeartheburdenofalongtwilightstruggle,yearinandyearout,"rejoicinginhope,patientintribulation"
astruggleagainstthecommonenemiesofman:tyranny,poverty,diseaseandwaritself.

Canweforgeagainsttheseenemiesagrandandglobalalliance,NorthandSouth,EastandWest,thatcanassureamore
fruitfullifeforallmankind?Willyoujoininthathistoriceffort?

Inthelonghistoryoftheworld,onlyafewgenerationshavebeengrantedtheroleofdefendingfreedominitshourof
maximumdanger.IdonotshrinkfromthisresponsibilityIwelcomeit.Idonotbelievethatanyofuswouldexchangeplaces
withanyotherpeopleoranyothergeneration.Theenergy,thefaith,thedevotionwhichwebringtothisendeavorwilllight
ourcountryandallwhoserveitandtheglowfromthatfirecantrulylighttheworld.

Andso,myfellowAmericans:asknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyouaskwhatyoucandoforyourcountry.

Myfellowcitizensoftheworld:asknotwhatAmericawilldoforyou,butwhattogetherwecandoforthefreedomofman.

Finally,whetheryouarecitizensofAmericaorcitizensoftheworld,askofusherethesamehighstandardsofstrengthand
sacrificewhichweaskofyou.Withagoodconscienceouronlysurereward,withhistorythefinaljudgeofourdeeds,letus
goforthtoleadthelandwelove,askingHisblessingandHishelp,butknowingthathereonEarthGod'sworkmusttrulybe
ourown.

Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=John_F._Kennedy%27s_Inaugural_Address&oldid=6628225"

ThisworkisinthepublicdomainintheUnitedStatesbecauseitisaworkoftheUnitedStatesfederal
government(see17U.S.C.105).

Categories: 1961works Workswithvideos PDUSGov PDUSGovPOTUS U.S.PresidentialInauguralAddresses

Thispagewaslastmodifiedon25January2017,at23:29.
TextisavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionShareAlikeLicenseadditionaltermsmay
apply.Byusingthissite,youagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.