Barack Obama

it a privileg to be a part of todai convoc and an honor to receiv thi degre from howard __PUNCT__

there ar few other univers that have plai so central a role in break down yesterdai barrier and inch thi countri closer to the ideal we see inscrib on the monument throughout thi citi __PUNCT__

it wa howard that sent the first african __PUNCT__ american to the unit_state state_senat __PUNCT__

it wa howard that graduat the first african __PUNCT__ american to becom governor and the first to becom mayor of the largest_citi in the countri __PUNCT__

it wa here __PUNCT__ within the hall of thi campu __PUNCT__ where thurgood marshal huddl with the brilliant mind of hi dai to craft the argument in brown v __PUNCT__ board that ignit a movement that chang the world __PUNCT__

and it is becaus of these victori that a black_man name barack_obama can stand befor you todai as a candid for presid of the unit_state of america __PUNCT__

but i am not just run to make histori __PUNCT__

i run becaus i believ that togeth __PUNCT__ we can chang histori cours __PUNCT__

it not enough just to look back in wonder of how far we come __PUNCT__ i want us to look ahead with a fierc urgenc at how far we have left to go __PUNCT__

i believ it time for thi gener to make it own mark __PUNCT__ to write our own chapter in the american stori __PUNCT__

after all __PUNCT__ those who came befor us did not strike a blow against injustic onli so that we would allow injustic to fester in our time __PUNCT__

thurgood marshal did not argu brown so that we would accept a countri where too mani african __PUNCT__ american men end up in prison becaus we rather spend more to jail a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ year __PUNCT__ old than to educ a five __PUNCT__ year __PUNCT__ old __PUNCT__

dr __PUNCT__ king did not take us to the mountaintop so that we would allow a terribl storm to ravag those who were strand in the vallei __PUNCT__ he would not have expect that it would take a breach in our leve to reveal a breach in our compass __PUNCT__ that it would take a hurrican to reveal the hungri god ask us to feed __PUNCT__ the sick he ask us to care for __PUNCT__ the least of these he command us to treat as our own __PUNCT__

the teenag and colleg_student who left their home to march in the street of birmingham and montgomeri __PUNCT__ the mother who walk instead of take the bu after a long_dai of do somebodi els laundri and clean somebodi els kitchen __PUNCT__ thei didn't brave fire hose and billi club so that their grandchildren and their great __PUNCT__ grandchildren would still wonder at the begin of the __NUM___centuri whether their vote would be count __PUNCT__ whether their civil right would be protect by their govern __PUNCT__ whether justic would be equal and opportun would be their __PUNCT__

and i am certain that nine children did not walk through the door of a school in littl rock so that our children would have to see noos hang at a school in louisiana __PUNCT__

we have more work to do __PUNCT__

it a fit remind that the fiftieth anniversari of littl rock fell on thi week __PUNCT__

becaus when the door to that school final open __PUNCT__ a nation respond __PUNCT__

the presid sent the unit_state armi to stand on the side of justic __PUNCT__

the congress_pass the civil right act of __NUM__ __PUNCT__

the depart of justic creat a civil right divis __PUNCT__

and million of american took to the street in the follow month and year so that more children could walk through more door __PUNCT__

these were not easi choic to make at the time __PUNCT__

presid eisenhow wa warn by some that send the armi down to littl rock would be polit suicid __PUNCT__

the resist to civil right reform wa fierc __PUNCT__

and we know that those who march for freedom did so at great risk to themselv and their famili __PUNCT__

but thei did it becaus thei understood that sometim there ar moment when what truli riski is not to act __PUNCT__

what truli riski is to let the same injustic remain year after year __PUNCT__

what truli riski is to walk awai and pretend it never happen __PUNCT__

what truli riski is to accept thing as thei ar instead of work for what could be __PUNCT__

in a media __PUNCT__ driven cultur that more obsess with who beat who in washington and how long pari hilton is go to jail __PUNCT__ these moment ar harder to spot todai __PUNCT__

but everi so often __PUNCT__ thei do appear __PUNCT__

sometim it take a hurrican __PUNCT__

and sometim it take a travesti of justic like the on we seen in jena __PUNCT__ louisiana __PUNCT__

there ar some who will make jena about the fight itself __PUNCT__

and it true that we have to do more as parent to instil in our children that violenc is alwai wrong __PUNCT__

it wrong when it happen on the street of chicago and it wrong when it happen at a schoolyard in louisiana __PUNCT__

violenc is not the answer __PUNCT__

non __PUNCT__ violenc wa the soul of the civil right movement __PUNCT__ and we have to do a better job of teach our children that virtu __PUNCT__

but we also know that to truli understand jena __PUNCT__ you have to look at what happen both befor and after that fight __PUNCT__

you have to listen to the hate slur that flew through the hall of a school __PUNCT__

you have to know the full_measur of the damag done by that arson __PUNCT__

you have to look at those noos hang on that schoolyard tree __PUNCT__

and you have to understand how badli our system of justic fail those six boi in the dai after that fight __PUNCT__ the outrag charg __PUNCT__ the unreason and excess sentenc __PUNCT__ the public_defend who did not call a singl wit __PUNCT__

like katrina did with poverti __PUNCT__ jena expos glare inequ in our justic_system that were around long befor that schoolyard fight broke out __PUNCT__

it remind us of the fact that we have a system that lock awai too mani young __PUNCT__ first __PUNCT__ time __PUNCT__ non __PUNCT__ violent offend for the better part of their live __PUNCT__ a decis that made not by a judg in a courtroom __PUNCT__ but by politician in washington __PUNCT__

it remind us that we have certain sentenc that ar base less on the kind of crime you commit than on what you look like and where you come from __PUNCT__

it remind us that we have a justic_depart whose idea of prosecut civil right violat is try to rollback affirm_action program at our colleg and univers __PUNCT__ a justic_depart whose idea of prosecut vote right violat is to look for vote fraud in black and latino commun where it doesn't exist __PUNCT__

we know these inequ ar there __PUNCT__

we know thei wrong __PUNCT__

and yet thei go larg unnot until peopl find the courag to stand up and sai thei wrong __PUNCT__

until someon final sai __PUNCT__ it wrong that scooter libbi get no jail_time for compromis our nation_secur __PUNCT__ but a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ year __PUNCT__ old honor student is still sit in a georgia prison for someth that wasn't even a feloni __PUNCT__

that wrong __PUNCT__

it not alwai easi to stand up and sai thi __PUNCT__

i commend those of you here at howard who have spoken out on jena __NUM__ or travel to the ralli in louisiana __PUNCT__

i commend those of you who spoken out on the genarlow wilson case __PUNCT__

i know it can be lone protest thi kind of injustic __PUNCT__

i know there not a lot of glamour in it __PUNCT__

when i wa a state_senat in illinoi __PUNCT__ we had a death_penalti system that had sent thirteen innoc_peopl to death_row __PUNCT__

thirteen innoc men __PUNCT__ that we know of __PUNCT__

i want to reform the system __PUNCT__

and i wa told by almost everyon that it wasn't possibl __PUNCT__

that i wouldn't be abl to get polic_offic and civil right advoc __PUNCT__ democrat and republican to all agre that we should videotap confess to make sure thei weren't coerc __PUNCT__

folk told me that there wa too much polit risk involv __PUNCT__

but i believ that it wa too riski not to act __PUNCT__

and after awhil peopl with oppos view came togeth and start listen __PUNCT__

and we end up reform that death_penalti system __PUNCT__

and we did the same_thing when i pass a law to expos racial_profil __PUNCT__

so don't ever let anyon tell you that chang isn't possibl __PUNCT__

don't let them tell you that speak out and stand up against injustic is too riski __PUNCT__

what too riski is keep quiet __PUNCT__

what too riski is look the other wai __PUNCT__

i don't want to be stand here and talk about anoth jena four year from now becaus we didn't have the courag to act todai __PUNCT__

i don't want thi to be anoth issu that end up be ignor onc the camera ar turn off and the headlin disappear __PUNCT__

it time to seek a new dawn of justic in america __PUNCT__

from the dai i take offic as presid __PUNCT__ america will have a justic_depart that is truli dedic to the work it began in the dai after littl rock __PUNCT__

i will rid the depart of ideologu and polit croni __PUNCT__ and for the first time in eight year __PUNCT__ the civil right divis will actual be staf with civil right lawyer who prosecut civil right violat __PUNCT__ and employ discrimin __PUNCT__ and hate_crime __PUNCT__

and we have a vote right section that actual defend the right of everi american to vote without decept or intimid __PUNCT__

when flyer ar place in our neighborhood tell peopl to vote on the wrong dai __PUNCT__ that won't onli be an injustic __PUNCT__ it will be a crime __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will also work everi dai to ensur that thi countri ha a crimin_justic_system that inspir trust and confid in everi american __PUNCT__ regardless of ag __PUNCT__ or race __PUNCT__ or background __PUNCT__

there no reason that everi singl_person accus of a crime shouldn't have a qualifi public attornei to defend them __PUNCT__

we recruit more public_defend to the profess by forgiv colleg and law_school loan __PUNCT__ and i will ask some of the brilliant mind here at howard to take advantag of that offer __PUNCT__

there also no reason we can't pass a racial_profil law like i did in illinoi __PUNCT__ or encourag state to reform the death_penalti so that innoc_peopl do not end up on death_row __PUNCT__

when i presid __PUNCT__ we will no longer accept the fals_choic between be tough on crime and vigil in our pursuit of justic __PUNCT__

dr __PUNCT__ king said it not either __PUNCT__ or __PUNCT__ it both __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__

we can have a crime polici that both tough and smart __PUNCT__

if you convict of a crime involv drug __PUNCT__ of cours you should be punish __PUNCT__

but let not make the punish for crack cocain that much more sever than the punish for powder cocain when the real differ between the two is the skin_color of the peopl us them __PUNCT__

judg think that wrong __PUNCT__

republican think that wrong __PUNCT__

democrat think that wrong __PUNCT__ and yet it been approv by republican and democrat_presid becaus no on ha been will to brave the polit and make it right __PUNCT__

that will end when i am presid __PUNCT__

i think it time we also took a hard look at the wisdom of lock up some first __PUNCT__ time __PUNCT__ non __PUNCT__ violent drug_user for decad __PUNCT__

someon onc said that __PUNCT__ __URL__ minimum sentenc for first __PUNCT__ time user mai not be the best wai to occupi jail space and/or heal peopl from their diseas __PUNCT__

that someon wa georg w __PUNCT__ bush __PUNCT__ six year_ago __PUNCT__

i don't sai thi veri often __PUNCT__ but i agre with the presid __PUNCT__

the differ is __PUNCT__ he hasn't done anyth about it __PUNCT__

when i presid __PUNCT__ i will __PUNCT__

we will review these sentenc to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduc the blind and counterproduct wareh of non __PUNCT__ violent offend __PUNCT__

and we will give first __PUNCT__ time __PUNCT__ non __PUNCT__ violent drug_offend a chanc to serv their sentenc __PUNCT__ where appropri __PUNCT__ in the type of drug rehabilit program that have proven to work better than a prison term in chang bad_behavior __PUNCT__

so let reform thi system __PUNCT__

let do what smart __PUNCT__

let do what just __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ there is no doubt that take these step will restor a measur of justic and equal to america __PUNCT__

thei will also restor a sens of confid to the american_peopl that the system doesn't just work __PUNCT__ it work for everyon __PUNCT__

but there is a broader point i want to make todai __PUNCT__

if i have the opportun to lead thi nation __PUNCT__ i will alwai be a presid who hear your voic and understand your concern __PUNCT__ a presid whose stori is like so mani of your own __PUNCT__ whose life_work ha been the unfinish work of our long_march toward justic __PUNCT__

and i will stand up for you __PUNCT__ and fight for you __PUNCT__ and wake up everi dai think about how to make your live better __PUNCT__

but the truth is __PUNCT__ on man cannot make a movement __PUNCT__

no singl law can eras the prejudic in the heart of a child who hang a noos on a tree __PUNCT__ or the callous of a prosecutor who bypass justic in the pursuit of vengeanc __PUNCT__

no on leader __PUNCT__ no matter how shrewd or experienc __PUNCT__ can prevent teenag from kill other teenag on the street of our citi __PUNCT__ or free our neighborhood from the grip of hopeless __PUNCT__ or make_real the promis of opportun and equal for everi citizen __PUNCT__

onli a countri can do these thing __PUNCT__

onli thi countri can do these thing __PUNCT__

and that is why if you give me the chanc to serv thi nation __PUNCT__ the most import_thing i will do as your presid is ask you to serv it too __PUNCT__

the most import thing i do is call on you everi dai to take a risk and do your part to carri thi movement forward __PUNCT__

against great odd and amidst deep cynic __PUNCT__ i will ask you to believ again that we can right the wrong we see in america __PUNCT__

i would not have driven out to chicago after colleg to organ jobless neighborhood if i didn't believ thi wa possibl __PUNCT__

i wouldn't have organ a voter_registr drive __PUNCT__ or becom a civil right lawyer __PUNCT__ or a constitut_law law_professor __PUNCT__ or a state_senat __PUNCT__ or a u. __PUNCT__ senat if i didn't believ thi wa possibl __PUNCT__

i would not be stand here todai if i didn't believ thi wa possibl __PUNCT__

and i know that you believ it possibl too __PUNCT__

on of the most inspir thing about the respons to jena wa that it did not begin with the action of ani on leader __PUNCT__

the call went out to thousand across the internet and black radio and on colleg_campus like thi on __PUNCT__

and like the young_american of anoth era __PUNCT__ you left your home __PUNCT__ and got on buse __PUNCT__ and travel south __PUNCT__

it what happen two year_earlier when student here at howard and american from everi walk of life took it upon themselv to try and rescu a citi that wa drown __PUNCT__

it how real chang and true justic have alwai come about __PUNCT__

it take a movement to lift a nation __PUNCT__

it will take a movement to go into our citi and sai that it not enough to just fix our crimin_justic_system __PUNCT__ what we realli need is to make sure that our kid don't end up there in the first place __PUNCT__

we need to set up child_care and after school program and job_train and drug counsel to give our children a place to turn to __PUNCT__

and we need parent to start act like parent and spend more time with their children and read to them onc in awhil __PUNCT__

it will take a movement to finish what began in topeka __PUNCT__ kansa and littl rock __PUNCT__ arkansa __PUNCT__

it will take a movement of american from everi citi and town __PUNCT__ of everi race and background to stand up and sai that no matter what you look like or where you come from __PUNCT__ everi child in america should have the opportun to receiv the best educ thi countri ha to offer __PUNCT__

everi child __PUNCT__

it will take a movement to demand that we rebuild our crumbl school __PUNCT__ that we invest in earli_childhood childhood_educ __PUNCT__ that we recruit an armi of new teacher __PUNCT__ and pai them better __PUNCT__ and support them more __PUNCT__

it will take a movement to ensur that everi young_person get the chanc that howard gave all of you __PUNCT__ to sai that at the begin of the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__ a colleg_educ is no longer a luxuri for those who can afford it __PUNCT__ it is the birthright of everi american __PUNCT__

so when you go back to your classroom and your dorm_room and you begin anoth year at howard univers __PUNCT__ i ask you to rememb how far we come __PUNCT__ but i urg you to think hard about where we need to go __PUNCT__

i urg you to think about the risk you will take and the role you will plai in build the movement that will get us there __PUNCT__

and i ask you rememb the stori of mose and joshua __PUNCT__

most of you know that mose wa call by god to lead hi peopl to the promis_land __PUNCT__

and in the face of a pharaoh and hi armi __PUNCT__ across an unforgiv desert and along the wall of an angri sea __PUNCT__ he succeed in lead hi peopl out of bondag in egypt __PUNCT__

he led them through great danger __PUNCT__ and thei got far enough so that mose could point the wai toward freedom on the far bank of the river jordan __PUNCT__

and yet __PUNCT__ it wa not in god_plan to have mose cross the river __PUNCT__

instead he would call on joshua to finish the work that mose began __PUNCT__

he would ask joshua to take hi peopl that final distanc __PUNCT__

everyon in thi room stand on the shoulder of mani mose __PUNCT__

thei ar the courag men and women who march and fought and bled for the right and freedom we enjoi todai __PUNCT__

thei have taken us mani mile over an imposs journei __PUNCT__

but you ar member of the joshua gener __PUNCT__

and it is now up to you to finish the work that thei began __PUNCT__

it is up to you to cross the river __PUNCT__

when joshua discov the challeng he face __PUNCT__ he had hi doubt and hi worri __PUNCT__

but the lord told joshua not to fear __PUNCT__

he said __PUNCT__ be strong and have courag __PUNCT__ for i am with you wherev you go __PUNCT__

those ar the word i will leav you with todai __PUNCT__

be strong and have courag __PUNCT__

be strong and have courag in the face of injustic __PUNCT__

be strong and have courag in the face of prejudic and hatr __PUNCT__

be strong and have courag in the face of jobless and helpless and hopeless __PUNCT__

be strong and have courag __PUNCT__ in the face of our doubt and fear __PUNCT__ in the face of skeptic __PUNCT__ in the face of cynic __PUNCT__ in the face of a mighti river __PUNCT__

be strong and have courag and let us cross over to that promis_land togeth __PUNCT__

congratul on anoth year __PUNCT__ and thank you so much __PUNCT__