Metacafe Header Takeover

JFK Inaugural Address 1 of 2

Tags:
Address Fitzgerald Inaugural John F. Kennedy President Speech
PaddyIrishMan2
  • Affiliate Submitter:
    PaddyIrishMan2
  • International International
  • Comments: 0
  • Views: 2,282
  • Added: 29-Oct-06

President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, January 20th 1961.

Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens, we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolising an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago.
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe — the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans — born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage — and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
This much we pledge and more.
To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do — for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom — and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required — not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge — to convert our good words into good deeds — in a new alliance for progress — to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbours know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.
To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support — to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective — to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak — and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.
But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course — both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.
So let us begin anew — remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belabouring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms — and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

  1. Categories: People & Stories
  2. Favorite On: Vladimir Derguti
Comments on

JFK Inaugural Address 1 of 2

26 Comments | Add Comment
  • the allied forces ...

    the allied forces were stopping the tyranny, liberating europe. i cannot understand how you are saying that they decided the way to go. F**king oathe they did - the right way. or would you prefer children, babies, INFANT babies being gassed for simply having a mark on their skin? no F**king sympathy at all from here. every single one of those F**king pyscho Germs got what was coming to him. and the world is a better place today for it. you should be thanking them, not accusing them of bloodshed

    By falloutdude222 [Affiliate User] 1204883094 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • so i dont get some ...

    so i dont get some people in here? sympathising with germany? huh WTF guys? german soldiers, yes, but the crazy fuckers of the Reich that started the outbreak of the war? WTF do you mean forcing a 'superpower like germany'? sympathising with them about treating them bad. and yeah, what did they go on to do. have you forgot about 6 million jews being genocided, have you forgot about nazi thugs executing innocent people across europe? open your eyes ffs, no one was bloodier than those krauts!

    By falloutdude222 [Affiliate User] 1204882888 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • lol bitch i got ...

    lol bitch i got family members who died in world war 2 and i am getting sent to iraq soon for your mother F**king "leaders" selfishness. Good Job you F****t and no i will say the same thing to any1s face cuz thats my fuckin opinion and i aint scared to F**king say it

    By GBallaJ [Affiliate User] 1204868907 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • what crawled up ...

    what crawled up your F**king ass and died?
    hey why dont you crawl whatever hole you came out of and die.hey how about this how about you fight in iraq or in the korean war or vietnam or WW II and WW I. cause you say that to my grandpa about what you say he'll kill you.
    he fought in vietnam, he lost his best friend in WW II in pearl harbor he was on the USS ARIZONA and died on there.
    you have the bigs to talk S**t on the computer.

    By imprezaowner [Affiliate User] 1204849668 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • F**k AMERICA!your ...

    F**k AMERICA!your all saying god bless america god bless america. right now oyu mother fuckers are no better than the people you call "bad guys" of world war 2. hitler only ordered the deaths of millions....your wmd's and selfish leaders are going to destroy mankind.god bless everyone except america i say.

    By GBallaJ [Affiliate User] 1204844903 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • who or hwat do you ...

    who or hwat do you pray to?it obviously aint doin S**t ...

    By GBallaJ [Affiliate User] 1204844700 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • like i think it was ...

    like i think it was einstein said world war 3 will be fought with nukes and wmd's,and world war 4 will be with sticks and stones

    By GBallaJ [Affiliate User] 1204844669 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • yaryaryar My ...

    yaryaryar

    My coutry was bombed!
    And i hate it!

    By kaijun1996 [Affiliate User] 1204836372 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • man have fallen man ...

    man have fallen man have tride to save the ones they love. many are forgotten many are hatted many are never love carde or knowen this is war..

    By riflelord2 [Affiliate User] 1204831051 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I think we should ...

    I think we should also think about the bad guys. All those german and kapanese soldiers, used by a brutal dictator and a bloody emperor. I am not used to say that, but god bless all of them, they've been through the same.

    By Wesh67300 [Affiliate User] 1204807698 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • world war 2 is such ...

    world war 2 is such a terrible joke. treating a super power like germany in 1918 so bad, forcing it to sign the treaty of versailles, had only one result ... revenge, fight for your pride, your people, your country.

    england, france and america, you decided which way we had to go. you took the bloody one.

    By hackguide [Affiliate User] 1204782818 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • And the fact that ...

    And the fact that the world cries when some celebrity dies is the most crazy thing in the world and that we keep starting wars all ofer again, were just gonna destroy the world, or start a World War 3 and then 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and soon all human kind will be destroed, please war people look inside you'r hearts and stop the madness in the world, Pease forever, out!!!

    By JoiBless [Affiliate User] 1204739088 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • God bless all our ...

    God bless all our allied soldiers who died in the name of freedom, if it wasn´t for them the world would be under German control. I allways get so sad when i thing of the disease i had and how the cure was invented just by testing it on jewish people and how they died just for the medicine that saved my life, i pray to god and these people about 3 times a day, if i could Sacrifice myself just take all this back i would, may god bless all you soldiers and people who died in WW2

    By JoiBless [Affiliate User] 1204738695 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • i cant imagine the ...

    i cant imagine the pain that those soldiers went through.not a day goes by that i cant stop thinking about them.
    i had just seen the movie saving private ryan and when the soldier layed on the ground and yelled mamma!mamma! i practicly fell on my knees and cried.

    By trudeau123 [Affiliate User] 1204730703 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • God bless All of ...

    God bless All of them. they fought hard. if we didnt have them, we would be under command of the Nazis or japs. God bless the fallen. and GOD BLESS AMERICA.

    By marines345 [Affiliate User] 1204728501 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Plus jamais ça. ...

    Plus jamais ça.
    Never again.

    By Wesh67300 [Affiliate User] 1204728203 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I agree, saying all ...

    I agree, saying all Germans are racist bigots is like saying all Americans are materialist sabre-rattlers. It's not right.

    By RobertAlly [Affiliate User] 1204709632 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • for a long time the ...

    for a long time the war was trasmitted in white and black color on tv, today whats different? war is covered by red of bloody in colors.

    By zakkkwylde [Affiliate User] 1204702935 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Where did you get ...

    Where did you get the pictures?

    By ww2troop [Affiliate User] 1204659786 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • "Mankind must put ...

    "Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind"

    -JFK

    By ncbaseball92 [Affiliate User] 1204656543 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • True, I am not nazi ...

    True, I am not nazi, I am Ukrainian, and alot of Americans cosidre me as a Commie. We both may had a terrible past, but we must not forget that our countries have done some of the greatest acomplishments to the world. Germany is a great country, I've never been there, but I'd love to be some day. Every country has a dark past, but that doesn't make it less great.

    By Dmitry03 [Affiliate User] 1204654988 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • the war area is ...

    the war area is closed....i think all americans should stop thinking that all germans are nazis.. im german and i hate my past...and i hate the people who thinks we are nazis... if you are thinking that all germnas are nazis...read a little bit about germany...we hate nazis in germnay too..and in america are more nazis than in germany...think about that.....!!!

    By mats932005 [Affiliate User] 1204625519 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • lol. well anything ...

    lol. well anything sounds "sad" when you play this music.

    By obezana [Affiliate User] 1204588602 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • and when he gets to ...

    and when he gets to heaven,
    to saint peter he will tell,
    "one more soldier reporting sir,
    ive served my time in hell"....

    By dinofreak1 [Affiliate User] 1204551057 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • jesus christ, that ...

    jesus christ, that b17 blown clean in half.....

    By gayvethegayatron1 [Affiliate User] 1204544420 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Yea that would be a ...

    Yea that would be a great fantasy. Just like if I could do Alsea Keys! The sad truth is that as long as man exists, so will war.

    By DaHunterKiller [Affiliate User] 1204540285 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
26 Comments | Add Comment