克林顿总统向国人认错

名人演讲稿

PresidentBillClinton:

Thankyouverymuch,ladiesandgentlemen.WelcometotheWhiteHouseandtothisdaytowhichHillaryandthevicepresidentandIlookforwardsomucheveryyear.

Thisisalwaysanimportantdayforourcountry,forthereasonsthatthevicepresidentsaid.Itisanunusualand,Ithink,unusuallyimportantdaytoday.ImaynotbequiteaseasywithmywordstodayasIhavebeeninyearspast,andIwasupratherlatelastnightthinkingaboutandprayingaboutwhatIoughttosaytoday.Andratherunusualforme,Iactuallytriedtowriteitdown.Soifyouwillforgiveme,IwilldomybesttosaywhatitisIwanttosaytoyou-andImayhavetotakemyglassesouttoreadmyownwriting.

First,Iwanttosaytoallofyouthat,asyoumightimagine,Ihavebeenonquiteajourneytheselastfewweekstogettotheendofthis,totherockbottomtruthofwhereIamandwhereweallare.

IagreewiththosewhohavesaidthatinmyfirststatementafterItestifiedIwasnotcontriteenough.Idon''''tthinkthereisafancywaytosaythatIhavesinned.

ItisimportanttomethateverybodywhohasbeenhurtknowthatthesorrowIfeelisgenuine:firstandmostimportant,myfamily;alsomyfriends,mystaff,myCabinet,MonicaLewinskyandherfamily,andtheAmericanpeople.Ihaveaskedallfortheirforgiveness.

ButIbelievethattobeforgiven,morethansorrowisrequired-atleasttwomorethings.First,genuinerepentance-adeterminationtochangeandtorepairbreachesofmyownmaking.Ihaverepented.Second,whatmybiblecallsa''''''''brokenspirit'''''''';anunderstandingthatImusthaveGod''''shelptobethepersonthatIwanttobe;awillingnesstogivetheveryforgivenessIseek;arenunciationoftheprideandtheangerwhichcloudjudgment,leadpeopletoexcuseandcompareandtoblameandcomplain.公务员之家版权所有

Now,whatdoesallthismeanformeandforus?First,Iwillinstructmylawyerstomountavigorousdefense,usingallavailableappropriatearguments.ButlegallanguagemustnotobscurethefactthatIhavedonewrong.Second,Iwillcontinueonthepathofrepentance,seekingpastoralsupportandthatofothercaringpeoplesothattheycanholdmeaccountableformyowncommitment.

Third,Iwillintensifymyeffortstoleadourcountryandtheworldtowardpeaceandfreedom,prosperityandharmony,inthehopethatwithabrokenspiritandastillstrongheartIcanbeusedforgreatergood,forwehavemanyblessingsandmanychallengesandsomuchworktodo.

Inthis,Iaskforyourprayersandforyourhelpinhealingournation.AndthoughIcannotmovebeyondorforgetthis-indeed,Imustalwayskeepitasacautionlightinmylife-itisveryimportantthatournationmoveforward.

Iamverygratefulforthemany,manypeople-clergyandordinarycitizensalike-whohavewrittenmewithwisecounsel.IamprofoundlygratefulforthesupportofsomanyAmericanswhosomehowthroughitallseemtostillknowthatIcareaboutthemagreatdeal,thatIcareabouttheirproblemsandtheirdreams.Iamgratefulforthosewhohavestoodbymeandwhosaythatinthiscaseandmanyothers,theboundsofprivacyhavebeenexcessivelyandunwiselyinvaded.Thatmaybe.Nevertheless,inthiscase,itmaybeablessing,becauseIstillsinned.Andifmyrepentanceisgenuineandsustained,andifIcanmaintainbothabrokenspiritandastrongheart,thengoodcancomeofthisforourcountryaswellasformeandmyfamily.(Applause)

Thechildrenofthiscountrycanlearninaprofoundwaythatintegrityisimportantandselfishnessiswrong,butGodcanchangeusandmakeusstrongatthebrokenplaces.Iwanttoembodythoselessonsforthechildrenofthiscountry-forthatlittleboyinFloridawhocameuptomeandsaidthathewantedtogrowupandbePresidentandtobejustlikeme.IwanttheparentsofallthechildreninAmericatobeabletosaythattotheirchildren.

AcoupleofdaysagowhenIwasinFloridaaJewishfriendofminegavemethisliturgybookcalled''''''''GatesofRepentance.''''''''AndtherewasthisincrediblepassagefromtheYomKippurliturgy.Iwouldliketoreadittoyou:

''''''''Nowisthetimeforturning.Theleavesarebeginningtoturnfromgreentoredtoorange.Thebirdsarebeginningtoturnandareheadingoncemoretowardthesouth.Theanimalsarebeginningtoturntostoringtheirfoodforthewinter.Forleaves,birdsandanimals,turningcomesinstinctively.Butforus,turningdoesnotcomesoeasily.Ittakesanactofwillforustomakeaturn.Itmeansbreakingoldhabits.Itmeansadmittingthatwehavebeenwrong,andthisisnevereasy.Itmeanslosingface.Itmeansstartingalloveragain.Andthisisalwayspainful.ItmeanssayingIamsorry.Itmeansrecognizingthatwehavetheabilitytochange.Thesethingsareterriblyhardtodo.Butunlessweturn,wewillbetrappedforeverinyesterday''''sways.Lordhelpustoturn,fromcallousnesstosensitivity,fromhostilitytolove,frompettinesstopurpose,fromenvytocontentment,fromcarelessnesstodiscipline,fromfeartofaith.Turnusaround,OLord,andbringusbacktowardyou.Reviveourlivesasatthebeginning,andturnustowardeachother,Lord,forinisolationthereisnolife.''''''''

Ithankmyfriendforthat.Ithankyouforbeinghere.IaskyoutosharemyprayerthatGodwillsearchmeandknowmyheart,trymeandknowmyanxiousthoughts,seeifthereisanyhurtfulnessinme,andleadmetowardthelifeeverlasting.IaskthatGodgivemeacleanheart,letmewalkbyfaithandnotsight.

Iaskonceagaintobeabletolovemyneighbor-allmyneighbors-asmyself,tobeaninstrumentofGod''''speace;toletthewordsofmymouthandthemeditationsofmyheartand,intheend,theworkofmyhands,bepleasing.ThisiswhatIwantedtosaytoyoutoday.

Thankyou.Godblessyou.

PresidentBillClinton-September11,1998公务员之家版权所有