FirstInauguralAddress

JohnF.Keedy(1917-1963)JohnF.Keedywasawarhero,aPulitzerPrize-wiingauthor,aU.S.senatorformostofthe1950s.inNovember1960,attheageof43,JohnF.hebecamethe

youngestmanever

electedpresidentoftheUnitedStates.onNov.22,1963,KeedywasshottodeathinDallas,Tex.,thefourthUnitedStatespresidenttodiebyanaain'sbullet.************************

Weoervetodaynotavictoryofpartybutacelebrationoffreedom.Symbolizinganend,aswellasabegiing,signify-ingrenewal,aswellaschange.ForIhaveswornbetbreyou,andalmightyGod,thesamesolemnoathourforbearsprescribednearlyacenturyandthreequartersago.Theworriedisverydifferentnowformanholdsinhismortalhandsthepowertoabolishallformsofhumanpoverty,andallformsofhumanlife.Andyet,thesamerevolutionarybeliefsforwhichourforbearsfoughtarestillatiuearoundtheglobe.Thebeliefthattherightsofmancomenotfromthegenerosityofthestate,butfromthehandofGod.Wedarenotforgettodaythatwearetheheirsofthatfirst,revolution.Letthewordgoforth,fromthistimeandplace,tofriendandfoealike,thatthetorchhasbeenpaedtoanew

generationofAmerica,borninthiscenturytemperedbywar,disciplinedbyahardandbitterpeace,proudofourancientheritageandunwillingtowitne,orpermit,theslowundoingofthosehumanrightstowhichthisnationhasalwaysbeencommitted,andtowhich.wearecommittedtodayathomeandaroundtheworld.Leteverynationknowwhetheritwishesuswellorill,thatweshallpayanyprice,bearanyburden,meetanyhardship,suortanyfriend,ooseanyfoe,toaurethesurvivaland

succeofliberty

Thismuchwepledgeandmore.Tothoseoldallies,whoseculturalandiritualorigiweshare,wepledgetheloyaltyoffaithfulfriends.Unitedthereislittlewecaotdo,inahostofcooperativeventures.Divided

thereislittlewecando.Forwedarenotmeetapowerfulchallengeatoddsandlitusasunder.Tothosenewstateswhomwewelcometotheranksofthefree,wepledgeourwordsthatoneformofcolonialcontrolshallnothavepaedawaymerelytobereplacedbyafarmoreirontyrayWesha1lnotalwaysexpecttotindthemsuortingourview,butweshallalwayshopetofindthemstronglysuortingtheirownfreedom,andtorememberthatinthepast,thosewhofoolishly

soughtpowerbyridingthebackofthetigerendedupiide.Tothosepeopleinthehutsandvillagesofhalftheglobe,strugglingtobreakthebondsofmamisery,wepledgeourbesteffortstohelpthemhelpthemselves,forwhateverperiodisrequired,notbecausetheCommunistsmaybedoingit,notbecauseweseektheirvotes,butbecauseitisright.Ifafreesocietycaothelpthemanywhoarepoor,it'scao

tsavethe

fewwhoarerich.Tooursisterrepublicssouthofourborder,weofferaecialpledge,toconvertourgoodwordsinto,gooddeeds,inanewallianceforprogretoaist,freemenandfreegovernmentsincastingoffthechaiofpovertyButthispeacefulrevolutionofhopecaotbecomethepreyofhostilepowers.LetalourneighborsknowthatweshalljoinwiththemtoooseaggreionorsubversionanywhereilltheAmericas.Andleteveryotherpowerknowthatthishemihereintendstoremainthemasterofitsownhouse.Tothatworldaemblyofsovereignstates,theUnitedNatio,ourlastandbesthopeinanageagewheretheitrumentsofwarhavefaroutpacedtheitrumentsofpeace,werenewourpledgeofsuorttopreventitfrombecomingmerelyaformforinvective,tostrengthenitsshieldofthenewandtheweak,andtoenlargetheareainwhichit'swrittenandrun.Finallytothosenatiowhowouldmakethemselvesouradversaryweoffernotapledge,butarequest,thatbothsidesbeginanewquestforpeace,beforethedarkpowersofdestructionunleashedbyscienceengulfallhumanityinplaedoraccidentalselfdestruction.Wedarenottemptthemwithweakne,foronlywhenourarmsaresufficientbeyonddoubt,canwebecertainbeyonddoubt,thattheywillneverbeemployed.Butneithercantwogreatandpowerfulgrouofnationtakecomfortfromourpresentcourse,bothsidesover-burdenedbythecostofmodernweapo,bothrightlyalarmedbythesteadyreadofthedeadlyatom,andyetbothracingtoalterthatuncertainbalanceofterrorthatstaysthehandofmankind'sfinalwar.SoletusbeginaneWrememberingonbothsidesthatstabilityisnotasignofweakne,andsincerityisalwayssubjecttoproofLetusnevernegotiateoutoffear,butletusneverfeartonegotiate.Letbothsidesexplorewhatproblemsuniteus,iteadofbelaboringthoseproblemswhichpideus.Letbothsides,forthefirsttime,formulateseriousandpreciseproposals,fortheiectionandcontrolofarms,andbringtheaolutepowertodestroyothernatioundertheaolutecontrolofallnatio.Letbothsidesseektoinvokethewondersofscienceiteadofitsterrors.Together,letusexplorethestars,conquerthedeserts,eradicatedisease,taptheoceandepths,andencourage

theartsandcommerce.Letbothsidesunitetoheed,inallcornersoftheearth,thecommandofIsaiah,tordotheherrnybrrrderrndlettheoreedgohee.And,ifabeachheadofcooperationmaypushbackthejungleofsuicion,letbothsidesjoinincreatinganewendeavornotanewbalanceofpowenbutanewworldoflaw,whel-ethe

strongarejust,andtheweaksecured,andthepeacepreserved.Allthiswillnotbefinishedinthefirstonehundrcddays,norwillitbefinishedinthefirstonethousanddays,norinthelifeofthisadministration,norevenperhainourlifietimeonthisplanet.Butletusbegin.Inyourhands,myfellowcitize,morethanmine,willrestthefinalsucceorfailureofourcause.Sincethiscountrywasfounded,eachgenerationofAmericahasbeensummonedto

givetestimonytoitsnationalloyaltyThegravesofyoungAmerica,whoaweredthecaI1toservice,surroundtheglobe.Nowthetrumpetsummousagain,notasacal1tobeararms,thougharmsweneed,notasacalltobattle,thoughinbattleweare,butacalltobeartheburdenofalong,twilight

struggle,yearinandyearout,rejoicinginhope,patientintribulation,astruggleagaitthecommonenemiesofman:tyraypovertydisease,andwaritself

Canweforgeagaittheseenemies,agrandandglobalalliance,northandsouth,eastandwest,thatcanaureamorefruitfullifeforallmankind?Willyoujoininthathistoric

effort?

Inthelonghistoryoftheworld,onlyafewgeneratiohavebeengrantedtheroleofdefendingfreedominitshourofmaximumdanger.IdonotshrinkfromthisreoibilityI

welcomeit.Idonotbelievethatanyofuswouldexchangeplaceswithanyotherpeople,oranyothergeneration.Theenergythefaith,thedevotion,whichwebringtothisendeavor,willlightourcountryandallwhoserveit,andtheglowfromthatfirecantrulylighttheworld.AndsomyfellowAmerica,asknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyou,askwhatyoucandoforyourcountryMyfellowcitizeoftheworld,asknotwhatAmericawilldoforyou,butwhattogetherwecandolbrtheiieedomofmen.FinallywhetheryouarecitizeofA1nerica,orcitizeoftheworld,askofushere,thesamehighstandardsofstrengthandsacrificewhichweaskofyou.Wthagoodcocienceour

onlysurereward,withhistorythefinaljudgeofourdeeds,letusgoforthtoleadtheIandwelove,askingHisbleingandHishelp,butknowingthathereonearth,God'sworkmusttrulybeourown