From Obama’s Speech

I listened to the speech of the re-elected president, Barack Obama yesterday, hoping that a large number of Egyptians had listened to and followed the speech, especially because it was broadcast live on air by many television channels. However, for those who did not listen or read Obama’s speech, I will cite here some phrases included in the speech (with a simple act required for the context) and leave it to the reader to ponder and compare.

“Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.”

“This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.”

“What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.”

“I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm. And I saw just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his eight-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had it not been for healthcare reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care.”

“I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own. And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright. That’s who we are. That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your president.”