This speech titled 2008.06.30 originally had 3824 tokens. You can view the original text here.
on a spring morn in __DATE__ of __NUM__ a simpl band of colonist __PUNCT__ farmer and merchant __PUNCT__ blacksmith and printer __PUNCT__ men and boi __PUNCT__ left their home and famili in lexington and concord to take up arm against the tyranni of an empir __PUNCT__
the odd against them were long and the risk enorm __PUNCT__ for even if thei surviv the battl __PUNCT__ ani ultim failur would bring charg of treason __PUNCT__ and death by hang __PUNCT__
and yet thei took that chanc __PUNCT__
thei did so not on behalf of a particular tribe or lineag __PUNCT__ but on behalf of a larger idea __PUNCT__
the idea of liberti __PUNCT__
the idea of god __PUNCT__ given __PUNCT__ inalien right __PUNCT__
and with the first shot of that fate dai __PUNCT__ a shot heard round the world __PUNCT__ the american_revolut __PUNCT__ and america experi with democraci __PUNCT__ began __PUNCT__
those men of lexington and concord were among our first patriot __PUNCT__
and at the begin of a week when we celebr the birth of our nation __PUNCT__ i think it is fit to paus for a moment and reflect on the mean of patriot __PUNCT__ their __PUNCT__ and our __PUNCT__
we do so in part becaus we ar in the midst of war __PUNCT__ more than on and a half_million of our finest young_men and women have now fought in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ over __NUM__ have been wound __PUNCT__ and over __NUM__ have been laid to rest __PUNCT__
the cost of war have been great __PUNCT__ and the debat surround our mission in iraq ha been fierc __PUNCT__
it is natur __PUNCT__ in light of such sacrific by so mani __PUNCT__ to think more deepli about the commit that bind us to our nation __PUNCT__ and to each other __PUNCT__
we reflect on these question as well becaus we ar in the midst of a presidenti_elect __PUNCT__ perhap the most consequenti in gener __PUNCT__ a contest that will determin the cours of thi nation for year __PUNCT__ perhap decad __PUNCT__ to come __PUNCT__
not onli is it a debat about big_issu __PUNCT__ health_care __PUNCT__ job __PUNCT__ energi __PUNCT__ educ __PUNCT__ and retir secur __PUNCT__ but it is also a debat about valu __PUNCT__
how do we keep ourselv safe and secur while preserv our liberti __PUNCT__ how do we restor trust in a govern that seem increasingli remov from it peopl and domin by special_interest __PUNCT__ how do we ensur that in an increasingli global_economi __PUNCT__ the winner maintain allegi to the less fortun __PUNCT__ and how do we resolv our differ at a time of increas divers __PUNCT__
final __PUNCT__ it is worth consid the mean of patriot becaus the question of who is __PUNCT__ or is not __PUNCT__ a patriot all too often poison our polit_debat __PUNCT__ in wai that divid us rather than bring us togeth __PUNCT__
i have come to know thi from my own experi on the campaign_trail __PUNCT__
throughout my life __PUNCT__ i have alwai taken my deep and abid love for thi countri as a given __PUNCT__
it wa how i wa rais __PUNCT__ it is what propel me into public_servic __PUNCT__ it is why i am run for presid __PUNCT__
and yet __PUNCT__ at certain time over the last sixteen month __PUNCT__ i have found __PUNCT__ for the first time __PUNCT__ my patriot challeng __PUNCT__ at time as a result of my own careless __PUNCT__ more often as a result of the desir by some to score polit point and rais fear about who i am and what i stand for __PUNCT__
so let me sai at thi at outset of my remark __PUNCT__
i will never question the patriot of other in thi campaign __PUNCT__
and i will not stand idli by when i hear other question mine __PUNCT__
my concern here aren't simpli person __PUNCT__ howev __PUNCT__
after all __PUNCT__ throughout our histori __PUNCT__ men and women of far greater statur and signific than me have had their patriot question in the midst of moment debat __PUNCT__
thoma_jefferson wa accus by the federalist of sell out to the french __PUNCT__
the anti __PUNCT__ federalist were just as convinc that john_adam wa in cahoot with the british and intent on restor monarch rule __PUNCT__
likewis __PUNCT__ even our wisest presid have sought to justifi question polici on the basi of patriot __PUNCT__
adam __PUNCT__ alien and sedit act __PUNCT__ lincoln suspens of habea_corpu __PUNCT__ roosevelt intern of japanes american __PUNCT__ all were defend as express of patriot __PUNCT__ and those who disagre with their polici were sometim label as unpatriot __PUNCT__
in other word __PUNCT__ the us of patriot as a polit sword or a polit shield is as old as the republ __PUNCT__
still __PUNCT__ what is strike about todai patriot debat is the degre to which it remain root in the cultur_war of the 1960 __PUNCT__ in argument that go back forti_year or more __PUNCT__
in the earli_year of the civil right movement and opposit to the vietnam_war __PUNCT__ defend of the statu_quo often accus anybodi who question the wisdom of govern_polici of be unpatriot __PUNCT__
meanwhil __PUNCT__ some of those in the so __PUNCT__ call counter __PUNCT__ cultur of the sixti react not mere by critic particular govern polici __PUNCT__ but by attack the symbol __PUNCT__ and in extrem_case __PUNCT__ the veri idea __PUNCT__ of america itself __PUNCT__ by burn flag __PUNCT__ by blame america for all that wa wrong with the world __PUNCT__ and perhap most tragic __PUNCT__ by fail to honor those veteran come home from vietnam __PUNCT__ someth that remain a nation shame to thi dai __PUNCT__
most american never bought into these simplist world __PUNCT__ view __PUNCT__ these caricatur of left and right __PUNCT__
most american understood that dissent doe not make on unpatriot __PUNCT__ and that there is noth smart or sophist about a cynic disregard for america tradit and institut __PUNCT__
and yet the anger and turmoil of that period never entir drain awai __PUNCT__
all too often our polit still seem trap in these old __PUNCT__ threadbar argument __PUNCT__ a fact most evid dure our recent debat about the war in iraq __PUNCT__ when those who oppos administr_polici were tag by some as unpatriot __PUNCT__ and a gener provid hi best counsel on how to move_forward in iraq wa accus of betray __PUNCT__
given the enorm challeng that lie befor us __PUNCT__ we can no longer afford these sort of divis __PUNCT__
none of us expect that argument about patriot will __PUNCT__ or should __PUNCT__ vanish entir __PUNCT__ after all __PUNCT__ when we argu about patriot __PUNCT__ we ar argu about who we ar as a countri __PUNCT__ and more importantli __PUNCT__ who we should be __PUNCT__
but sure we can agre that no parti or polit_philosophi ha a monopoli on patriot __PUNCT__
and sure we can arriv at a definit of patriot that __PUNCT__ howev rough and imperfect __PUNCT__ captur the best of america common spirit __PUNCT__
what would such a definit look like __PUNCT__ for me __PUNCT__ as for most american __PUNCT__ patriot start as a gut instinct __PUNCT__ a loyalti and love for countri root in my earliest memori __PUNCT__
i not just talk about the recit of the pledg of allegi or the thanksgiv pageant at school or the firework on the fourth of __DATE__ __PUNCT__ as wonder as those thing mai be __PUNCT__
rather __PUNCT__ i refer to the wai the american_ideal wove it wai throughout the lesson my famili taught me as a child __PUNCT__
on of my earliest memori is of sit on my grandfath shoulder and watch the astronaut come to shore in hawaii __PUNCT__
i rememb the cheer and small flag that peopl wave __PUNCT__ and my grandfath explain how we american could do anyth we set our mind to do __PUNCT__
that my idea of america __PUNCT__
i rememb listen to my grandmoth tell stori about her work on a bomber assembl __PUNCT__ line dure world_war_ii __PUNCT__
i rememb my grandfath hand me hi dog __PUNCT__ tag from hi time in patton armi __PUNCT__ and understand that hi defens of thi countri mark on of hi greatest sourc of pride __PUNCT__
that my idea of america __PUNCT__
i rememb __PUNCT__ when live for four year in indonesia as a child __PUNCT__ listen to my mother read me the first line of the declar of independ __PUNCT__ we hold these truth to be self __PUNCT__ evid __PUNCT__ that all men ar creat_equal __PUNCT__
that thei ar endow by their creator with certain unalien right __PUNCT__ that among these ar life __PUNCT__ liberti and the pursuit of happi __PUNCT__
i rememb her explain how thi declar appli to everi american __PUNCT__ black and white and brown alik __PUNCT__ how those word __PUNCT__ and word of the unit_state state_constitut __PUNCT__ protect us from the injustic that we wit other peopl suffer dure those year abroad __PUNCT__
that my idea of america __PUNCT__
as i got older __PUNCT__ that gut instinct __PUNCT__ that america is the greatest countri on earth __PUNCT__ would surviv my grow awar of our nation imperfect __PUNCT__ it ongo racial strife __PUNCT__ the pervers of our polit_system laid bare dure the waterg hear __PUNCT__ the wrench poverti of the mississippi delta and the hill of appalachia __PUNCT__
not onli becaus __PUNCT__ in my mind __PUNCT__ the joi of american_life and cultur __PUNCT__ it vital __PUNCT__ it varieti and it freedom __PUNCT__ alwai outweigh it imperfect __PUNCT__ but becaus i learn that what make_america america_great ha never been it perfect but the belief that it can be made better __PUNCT__
i came to understand that our revolut wa wage for the sake of that belief __PUNCT__ that we could be govern by law __PUNCT__ not men __PUNCT__ that we could be equal in the ey of those law __PUNCT__ that we could be free to sai what we want and assembl with whomev we want and worship as we pleas __PUNCT__ that we could have the right to pursu our individu dream but the oblig to help our fellow_citizen pursu their __PUNCT__
for a young_man of mix race __PUNCT__ without firm anchor in ani particular commun __PUNCT__ without even a father steadi hand __PUNCT__ it is thi essenti american_idea __PUNCT__ that we ar not constrain by the accid of birth but can make of our live what we will __PUNCT__ that ha defin my life __PUNCT__ just as it ha defin the life of so mani other american __PUNCT__
that is why __PUNCT__ for me __PUNCT__ patriot is alwai more than just loyalti to a place on a map or a certain kind of peopl __PUNCT__
instead __PUNCT__ it is also loyalti to america ideal __PUNCT__ ideal for which anyon can sacrific __PUNCT__ or defend __PUNCT__ or give their last full_measur of devot __PUNCT__
i believ it is thi loyalti that allow a countri teem with differ race and ethnic __PUNCT__ religion and custom __PUNCT__ to come togeth as on __PUNCT__
it is the applic of these ideal that separ us from zimbabw __PUNCT__ where the opposit_parti and their support have been silent hunt __PUNCT__ tortur or kill __PUNCT__ or burma __PUNCT__ where ten of thousand continu to struggl for basic_food and shelter in the wake of a monstrou storm becaus a militari junta fear open up the countri to outsid __PUNCT__ or iraq __PUNCT__ where despit the heroic effort of our militari __PUNCT__ and the courag of mani ordinari iraqi __PUNCT__ even limit cooper between variou faction remain far too elus __PUNCT__
i believ those who attack america flaw without acknowledg the singular great of our ideal __PUNCT__ and their proven capac to inspir a better world __PUNCT__ do not truli understand america __PUNCT__
of cours __PUNCT__ precis becaus america isn't perfect __PUNCT__ precis becaus our ideal constantli demand more from us __PUNCT__ patriot can never be defin as loyalti to ani particular leader or govern or polici __PUNCT__
as mark_twain __PUNCT__ that greatest of american satirist and proud son of missouri __PUNCT__ onc wrote __PUNCT__ patriot is support your countri all the time __PUNCT__ and your govern when it deserv it __PUNCT__
we mai hope that our leader and our govern stand up for our ideal __PUNCT__ and there ar mani time in our histori when that occur __PUNCT__
but when our law __PUNCT__ our leader or our govern ar out of align with our ideal __PUNCT__ then the dissent of ordinari_american mai prove to be on of the truest express of patriot __PUNCT__
the young preacher from georgia __PUNCT__ martin_luther_king __PUNCT__ jr __PUNCT__ who led a movement to help america confront our tragic histori of racial_injustic and live up to the mean of our creed __PUNCT__ he wa a patriot __PUNCT__
the young_soldier who first spoke about the prison abus at abu_ghraib __PUNCT__ he is a patriot __PUNCT__
recogn a wrong be commit in thi countri name __PUNCT__ insist that we deliv on the promis of our constitut __PUNCT__ these ar the act of patriot __PUNCT__ men and women who ar defend that which is best in america __PUNCT__
and we should never forget that __PUNCT__ especi when we disagre with them __PUNCT__ especi when thei make us uncomfort with their word __PUNCT__
beyond a loyalti to america ideal __PUNCT__ beyond a willing to dissent on behalf of those ideal __PUNCT__ i also believ that patriot must __PUNCT__ if it is to mean anyth __PUNCT__ involv the willing to sacrific __PUNCT__ to give up someth we valu on behalf of a larger caus __PUNCT__
for those who have fought under the flag of thi nation __PUNCT__ for the young veteran i meet when i visit walter reed __PUNCT__ for those like john_mccain who have endur physic torment in servic to our countri __PUNCT__ no further proof of such sacrific is necessari __PUNCT__
and let me also add that no on should ever devalu that servic __PUNCT__ especi for the sake of a polit_campaign __PUNCT__ and that goe for support on both side __PUNCT__
we must alwai express our profound gratitud for the servic of our men and women in uniform __PUNCT__
period __PUNCT__
inde __PUNCT__ on of the good_thing to emerg from the current conflict in iraq ha been the widespread recognit that whether you support thi war or oppos it __PUNCT__ the sacrific of our troop is alwai worthi of honor __PUNCT__
for the rest of us __PUNCT__ for those of us not in uniform or without love on in the militari __PUNCT__ the call to sacrific for the countri greater_good remain an imper of citizenship __PUNCT__
sadli __PUNCT__ in recent_year __PUNCT__ in the midst of war on two front __PUNCT__ thi call to servic never came __PUNCT__
after 9/11 __PUNCT__ we were ask to shop __PUNCT__
the wealthiest among us saw their tax oblig declin __PUNCT__ even as the cost of war continu to mount __PUNCT__
rather than work togeth to reduc our depend on foreign_oil __PUNCT__ and therebi lessen our vulner to a volatil region __PUNCT__ our energi_polici remain unchang __PUNCT__ and our oil depend onli grew __PUNCT__
in spite of thi absenc of leadership from washington __PUNCT__ i have seen a new gener of american begin to take up the call __PUNCT__
i meet them everywher i go __PUNCT__ young_peopl peopl_involv in the project of american renew __PUNCT__ not onli those who have sign up to fight for our countri in distant land __PUNCT__ but those who ar fight for a better america here at home __PUNCT__ by teach in underserv school __PUNCT__ or care for the sick in understaf hospit __PUNCT__ or promot more sustain energi_polici in their local_commun __PUNCT__
i believ on of the task of the next administr is to ensur that thi movement toward servic grow and sustain itself in the year to come __PUNCT__
we should expand americorp and grow the peac corp __PUNCT__
we should encourag nation_servic by make it part of the requir for a new colleg assist_program __PUNCT__ even as we strengthen the benefit for those whose sens of duti ha alreadi led them to serv in our militari __PUNCT__
we must rememb __PUNCT__ though __PUNCT__ that true_patriot cannot be forc or legisl with a mere set of govern_program __PUNCT__
instead __PUNCT__ it must resid in the heart of our peopl __PUNCT__ and cultiv in the heart of our cultur __PUNCT__ and nurtur in the heart of our children __PUNCT__
as we begin our fourth_centuri as a nation __PUNCT__ it is easi to take the extraordinari natur of america for grant __PUNCT__
but it is our respons as american and as parent to instil that histori in our children __PUNCT__ both at home and at school __PUNCT__
the loss of qualiti civic educ from so mani of our classroom ha left too mani young_american without the most basic knowledg of who our forefath ar __PUNCT__ or what thei did __PUNCT__ or the signific of the found_document that bear their name __PUNCT__
too mani children ar ignor of the sheer effort __PUNCT__ the risk and sacrific made by previou_gener __PUNCT__ to ensur that thi countri surviv war and depress __PUNCT__ through the great struggl for civil __PUNCT__ and social __PUNCT__ and worker right __PUNCT__
it is up to us __PUNCT__ then __PUNCT__ to teach them __PUNCT__
it is up to us to teach them that even though we have face great_challeng and made our share of mistak __PUNCT__ we have alwai been abl to come togeth and make thi nation stronger __PUNCT__ and more prosper __PUNCT__ and more unit __PUNCT__ and more just __PUNCT__
it is up to us to teach them that america ha been a forc for good in the world __PUNCT__ and that other nation and other peopl have look to us as the last __PUNCT__ best hope of earth __PUNCT__
it is up to us to teach them that it is good to give back to on commun __PUNCT__ that it is honor to serv in the militari __PUNCT__ that it is vital to particip in our democraci and make our voic_heard __PUNCT__
and it is up to us to teach our children a lesson that those of us in polit too often forget __PUNCT__ that patriot involv not onli defend thi countri against extern threat __PUNCT__ but also work constantli to make_america a better place for futur_gener __PUNCT__
when we pile up mountain of debt for the next gener to absorb __PUNCT__ or put off chang to our energi_polici __PUNCT__ know full well the potenti consequ of inact __PUNCT__ we ar place our short __PUNCT__ term_interest ahead of the nation long __PUNCT__ term well __PUNCT__ be __PUNCT__
when we fail to educ effect million of our children so that thei might compet in a global_economi __PUNCT__ or we fail to invest in the basic scientif_research that ha driven innov in thi countri __PUNCT__ we risk leav behind an america that ha fallen in the rank of the world __PUNCT__
just as patriot involv each of us make a commit to thi nation that extend beyond our own immedi self __PUNCT__ interest __PUNCT__ so must that commit extend beyond our own time here on earth __PUNCT__
our greatest leader have alwai understood thi __PUNCT__
thei defin patriot with an ey toward poster __PUNCT__
georg_washington is rightli rever for hi leadership of the continent_armi __PUNCT__ but on of hi greatest act of patriot wa hi insist on step down after two term __PUNCT__ therebi set a pattern for those that would follow __PUNCT__ remind futur_presid that thi is a govern of and by and for the peopl __PUNCT__
abraham_lincoln did not simpli win a war or hold the union togeth __PUNCT__
in hi unwilling to demon those against whom he fought __PUNCT__ in hi refus to succumb to either the hatr or self __PUNCT__ righteous that war can unleash __PUNCT__ in hi ultim insist that in the aftermath of war the nation would no longer remain half slave and half free __PUNCT__ and hi trust in the better angel of our natur __PUNCT__ he displai the wisdom and courag that set a standard for patriot __PUNCT__
and it wa the most famou son of independ __PUNCT__ harri s truman __PUNCT__ who sat in the white_hous dure hi final_dai in offic and said in hi farewel_address __PUNCT__ when franklin_roosevelt di __PUNCT__ i felt there must be a million men better qualifi than i __PUNCT__ to take up the presidenti task __PUNCT__ but through all of it __PUNCT__ through all the year i have work here in thi room __PUNCT__ i have been well awar than i did not realli work alon __PUNCT__ that you were work with me __PUNCT__
no presid could ever hope to lead our countri __PUNCT__ or to sustain the burden of thi offic __PUNCT__ save the peopl help with their support __PUNCT__
in the end __PUNCT__ it mai be thi qualiti that best describ patriot in my mind __PUNCT__ not just a love of america in the abstract __PUNCT__ but a veri particular love for __PUNCT__ and faith in __PUNCT__ the american_peopl __PUNCT__
that is why our heart swell with pride at the sight of our flag __PUNCT__ why we shed a tear as the lone note of tap sound __PUNCT__
for we know that the great of thi countri __PUNCT__ it victori in war __PUNCT__ it enorm wealth __PUNCT__ it scientif and cultur achiev __PUNCT__ all result from the energi and imagin of the american peopl __PUNCT__ their toil __PUNCT__ drive __PUNCT__ struggl __PUNCT__ restless __PUNCT__ humor and quiet heroism __PUNCT__
that is the liberti we defend __PUNCT__ the liberti of each of us to pursu our own dream __PUNCT__
that is the equal we seek __PUNCT__ not an equal of result __PUNCT__ but the chanc of everi singl on of us to make it if we try __PUNCT__
that is the commun we strive to build __PUNCT__ on in which we trust in thi sometim messi democraci of our __PUNCT__ on in which we continu to insist that there is noth we cannot do when we put our mind to it __PUNCT__ on in which we see ourselv as part of a larger stori __PUNCT__ our own fate wrap up in the fate of those who share allegi to america happi and singular creed __PUNCT__
thank you __PUNCT__ god_bless you __PUNCT__ and mai god bless the unit_state of america __PUNCT__