I do not offer a life of uninspiring ease. I do not call for a
life of grim sacrifice. I ask you to join in a high adventure--one
as rich as humanity itself, and as exciting as the times we live
in.
The essence of freedom is that each of us shares in the shaping of
his own destiny.
Until he has been part of a cause larger than himself, no man is
truly whole.
The way to fulfillment is in the use of our talents; we achieve
nobility in the spirit that inspires that use.
As we measure what can be done, we shall promise only what we know
we can produce, but as we chart our goals we shall be lifted by
our dreams.
No man can be fully free while his neighbor is not. To go forward
at all is to go forward together.
This means black and white together, as one nation, not two. The
laws have caught up with our conscience. What remains is to give
life to what is in the law: to ensure at last that as all are born
equal in dignity before God, all are born equal in dignity before
man.
As we learn to go forward together at home, let us also seek to go
forward together with all mankind.
Let us take as our goal: where peace is unknown, make it welcome;
where peace is fragile, make it strong; where peace is temporary,
make it permanent.
After a period of confrontation, we are entering an era of
negotiation.
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