伯恩斯在華盛頓大學(xué)圣路易斯分校2022畢業(yè)典禮上的英語演講稿

Word文檔伯恩斯在華盛頓大學(xué)圣路易斯分校2022畢業(yè)典禮上的英語演講稿ChancellorWrighton,membersoftheBoardofTrusteesandtheAdministration,distinguishedfaculty,Classof1965,hard-workingstaff,myfellowhonorees,proudandrelievedparents,calmandserenegrandparents,distractedbutsecretlypleasedsiblings,ladiesandgentlemen,boysandgirls,graduatingstudents,goodmorning.Iamdeeplyhonoredthatyouhaveaskedmeheretosayafewwordsatthismomentousoccasion,thatyoumightfindwhatIhavetosayworthyofyourattentiononsoimportantadayatthisremarkableinstitution.

IthadbeenmyintentionthismorningtoparceloutsomegoodadviceattheendoftheseremarksthegoodnessofthatbeingofcoursesubjectiveintheextremebutthenIrealizedthatthisisthelandofMarkTwain,andIcametotheconclusionthatanycommentarytodayoughttobeframedinthesublimeshadowofthisquoteofhis:Itsnotthattheworldisfulloffools,itsjustthatlighteningisntdistributedright.MoreonMr.Twainlater.

Iaminthebusinessofhistory.Itismyjobtotrytodiscernsomepatternsandthemesfromthepasttohelpusinterpretourdizzyinglyconfusingandsometimesdismayingpresent.Withoutaknowledgeofthatpast,howcanwepossiblyknowwhereweareand,mostimportant,wherewearegoing?OvertheyearsIvecometounderstandanimportantfact,Ithink:thatwearenotcondemnedtorepeat,astheclichgoesandwearefondofquoting,whatwedontremember.Thatsaclever,evenpoeticphrase,butnotevenclosetothetruth.Noraretherecyclesofhistory,astheacademiccommunityperiodicallypromotes.TheBible,Ecclesiastestobespecific,gotitright,Ithink:Whathasbeenwillbeagain.Whathasbeendonewillbedoneagain.Thereisnothingnewunderthesun.

Whatthatmeansisthathumannatureneverchanges.Oralmostneverchanges.Wehavecontinuallysuperimposedourcomplexandcontradictorynatureovertherandomcourseofhumanevents.Allofourinherentstrengthsandweaknesses,ourgreedandgenerosity,ourpuritanismandourprurienceparadebeforeoureyes,generationaftergenerationaftergeneration.Thisoftengivesustheimpressionthathistorydoesrepeatitself.Itdoesnt.Itjustrhymes,MarkTwainissupposedtohavesaidbuthedidnt(moreonhimlater).

Overthemanyyearsofpracticing,Ihavecometotherealizationthathistoryisnotafixedthing,acollectionofprecisedates,factsandevents(evencogentcommencementquotes)thatadduptoaquantifiable,certain,confidentlyknown,truth.Itisamysteriousandmalleablething.Andeachgenerationrediscoversandre-examinesthatpartofitspastthatgivesitspresent,andmostimportant,itsfuturenewmeaning,newpossibilitiesandnewpower.

Listen.FormostofthefortyyearsIvebeenmakinghistoricaldocumentaries,IhavebeenhauntedandinspiredbyahandfulofsentencesfromanextraordinaryspeechIcameacrossearlyinmyprofessionallifebyaneighborofyoursjustuptheroadinSpringfield,Illinois.InJanuaryof1838,shortlybeforehis29thbirthday,atall,thinlawyer,pronetoboutsofdebilitatingdepression,addressedtheYoungMensLyceum.Thetopicthatdaywasnationalsecurity.Atwhatpointshallweexpecttheapproachofdanger?heaskedhisaudience.ShallweexpectsometransatlanticmilitarygianttosteptheEarthandcrushusatablow?Thenheansweredhisownquestion:Never.AllthearmiesofEurope,Asia,andAfricacouldnotbyforcetakeadrinkfromtheOhio[River]ormakeatrackontheBlueRidgeinatrialofathousandyearsIfdestructionbeourlot,wemustourselvesbeitsauthorandfinisher.Asanationoffreemen,wemustlivethroughalltime,ordiebysuicide.Itisastunning,remarkablestatement.

Thatyoungmanwas,ofcourse,AbrahamLincoln,andhewouldgoontopresideovertheclosestthiscountryhasevercometonearnationalsuicide,ourCivilWarfoughtoverthemeaningoffreedominAmerica.Andyetembeddedinhisextraordinary,disturbingandprescientwordsisafundamentaloptimismthatimplicitlyacknowledgesthegeographicalforce-fieldtwomightyoceansandtworelativelybenignneighborsnorthandsouthhaveprovidedforussincetheBritishburnedtheWhiteHouseintheWarof1812.

WehavecountedonAbrahamLincolnformorethanacenturyandahalftogetitrightwhentheundertowinthetideofthosehumaneventshasthreatenedtooverwhelmandcapsizeus.WealwayscomebacktohimforthekindofsustainingvisionofwhyweAmericansstillagreetocohere,whyunlikeanyothercountryonearth,wearestillstitchedtogetherbywordsand,mostimportant,theirdangerousprogeny,ideas.Wereturntohimforasenseofunity,conscienceandnationalpurpose.ToescapewhatthelatehistorianArthurSchlesinger,Jr.,saidisourproblemtoday:toomuchpluribus,notenoughunum.

ItseemstomethatLincolngaveourfragileexperimentaconsciousshockthatenabledittooutgrowthemonumentalhypocrisyofslaveryinheritedatourfoundingandpermittedusall,slaveowneraswellasslave,tohaveliterally,asheputitatGettysburg,anewbirthoffreedom.

LincolnsSpringfieldspeechalsosuggestswhatissogreatandsogoodaboutthepeoplewhoinhabitthisluckyandexquisitecountryofours(thatstheworldyounowinherit):ourworkethic,ourrestlessness,ourinnovationandourimprovisation,ourcommunitiesandourinstitutionsofhigherlearning,oursuspicionofpower;thefactthatweseemresolutelydedicatedtoparsingthemeaningbetweenindividualandcollectivefreedom;thatwearededicatedtounderstandingwhatThomasJeffersonreallymeantwhenhewrotethatinscrutablephrasethepursuitofHappiness.

Butladiesandgentlemen,theisolationofthosetwomightyoceanshasalsohelpedtoincubatehabitsandpatternslessbeneficialtous:ourdevotiontomoneyandguns;ourcertaintyabouteverything;ourstubborninsistenceonourownexceptionalism,blindingustothatwhichneedsrepair,ourpreoccupationwithalwaysmakingtheotherwrong,atanindividualaswellasgloballevel.

Andthenthereistheissueofrace,whichwasforemostonthemindofLincolnbackin1838.Itisstillherewithustoday.ThejazztrumpeterWyntonMarsalistoldmethathealingthisquestionofracewaswhatthekingdomneededinordertobewell.Beforetheenormousstridesinequalityachievedinstatutesandlawsinthe150yearssincetheCivilWarthatLincolncorrectlypredictedwouldcomeareindangerofbeingundonebyourstillimperfecthumannatureandbypoliticianswhonowinsistonahypocriticalcolor-blindnessafterfourcenturiesofdiscrimination.Thatdiscriminationnowtakesonnew,sometimessubtler,lessobviousbutstillmalevolentformstoday.Thechainsofslaveryhavebeenbroken,thankGod,andsotoohasthefeudaldependenceofsharecroppersasthevengefulJimCrowerarecedes(sortof)intothedistantpast.ButnowinplaceslikebutnotlimitedtoyourotherneighborsafewmilesasthecrowfliesfromhereinFerguson,weseetheghastlyremnantsofourgreatshameemergingstill,theshameLincolnthoughtwouldleadtonationalsuicide,ourinabilitytoseebeyondthecolorofsomeonesskin.Ithasbeenwithussinceourfounding.

WhenThomasJeffersonwrotethatimmortalsecondsentenceoftheDeclarationthatbegins,Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,heownedmorethanahundredhumanbeings.Heneversawthecontradiction,heneversawthehypocrisy,andmoreimportantneversawfitinhislifetimetofreeanyoneofthosehumanbeings,ensuringaswewentforwardthattheyoungUnitedStatesbornwithsuchgloriouspromisewouldbebedeviledbyrace,thatitwouldtakeabloody,bloodyCivilWartoevenbegintoredresstheimbalance.

Buttheshamecontinues:prisonpopulationsexplodingwithyoungblackmen,youngblackmenkilledalmostweeklybypolicemen,wholecommunitiesofcolorburdenedbycorruptmunicipalitiesthatresemblemorethepredatorycompanystoreofasupposedlybygoneerathanaresponsiblelocalgovernment.Ourcitiesandtownsandsuburbscannotbecomemodernplantations.

Itisunconscionable,asyouemergefromthisprivilegedsanctuary,thatafewmilesfromhereandnearlyeverywhereelseinAmerica:Baltimore,NewYorkCity,NorthCharleston,Cleveland,Oklahoma,Sanford,Florida,nearlyeverywhereelsewearestillplayingout,sadly,anutterlyAmericanstory,thatthesamestultifyingconditionsandsentimentsthatbroughtonourCivilWararestillonsuchvividandunpleasantdisplay.Today,today.Theresnothingnewunderthesun.

ManyyearsafterourCivilWar,in1883,MarkTwaintookupwritinginearnestanovelhehadstartedandabandonedseveraltimesoverthelasthalf-dozenyears.ItwouldbeadifferentkindofstoryfromhiscelebratedTomSawyerbook,toldthistimeintheplainlanguageofhisMissouriboyhoodanditwouldbehismasterpiece.

Setnearhere,beforetheCivilWarandemancipation,theAdventuresofHuckleberryFinnisthestoryoftworunawaysawhiteboy,TomSawyersoldfriendHuck,fleeingcivilization,andablackman,Jim,whoisrunningawayfromslavery.TheyescapetogetheronaraftgoingdowntheMississippi.ThenovelreachesitsmoralclimaxwhenHuckisfacedwithaterriblechoice.HebelieveshehascommittedagrievoussininhelpingJimescape,andhefinallywritesoutaletter,tellingJimsownerwhereherrunawaypropertycanbefound.Huckfeelsgoodaboutdoingthisatfirst,hesays,andmarvelsathowcloseIcametobeinglostandgoingtohell.

Butthenhehesitates,thinkingabouthowkindJimhasbeentohimduringtheiradventure.Somehow,Hucksays,Icouldntseemtostrikenoplacetohardenmeagainsthim,butonlytheotherkind.Idseehimstandingmywatchontopofhisn,steadofcallingme,soIcouldgoonsleeping;andseehowgladhewaswhenIcomebackoutofthefog;andsuchliketimes;andwouldalwayscallmehoneyanddoeverythinghecouldthinkofforme,andhowgoodhealwayswas

Then,Huckrememberstheletterhehaswritten.Itookitup,andhelditinmyhand,hesays.Iwasa-tremblingbecauseIdgottodecide,forever,betwixttwothings,andIknowedit.Istudiedaminute,sortofholdingmybreath,andthensaystomyself:Allrightthen,Illgotohellandtoreitup.

ThatmaybethefinestmomentinallofAmericanliterature.ErnestHemingwaythoughtallofAmericanliteraturebeganatthatmoment.

Twain,himself,writingaftertheCivilWarandafterthecollapseofReconstruction,amisunderstoodperioddevotedtotryingtoenforcecivilrights,wasactuallyexpressinghisprofounddisappointmentthatracialdifferencesstillpersistedinAmerica,thatracismstillfesteredinthisfavoredland,foundedasitwasonthemostnobleprincipleyetadvancedbyhumankindthatallmenarecreatedequal.Thatcivilwarhadnotcleansedouroriginalsin,asinwecontinuetoconfronttoday,daily,inthissupposedlyenlightenedpost-racialtime.

Itisintothisdisorientingandsometimesdisappointingworldthatyounowplummet,Imafraid,unprotectedfromtheshelteroffamilyandschool.YouhavefreshprospectsandrealdreamsandIwisheachandeveryoneofyoutheverybest.ButIamdraftingyounowintoanewUnionArmythatmustbecommittedtopreservingthevalues,thesenseofhumor,thesenseofcohesionthathavelongbeenapartofourAmericannature,too.Youhavenochoice,youvebeencalledup,anditisyourdifficult,butgreatandchallengingresponsibilitytohelpchangethingsandsetusrightagain.

Letmeapologizetoyouinadvanceonbehalfofallthepeopleuphere.Webrokeit,butyouvegottofixit.Yourejoiningamovementthatmustbededicatedaboveallelsecareerandpersonaladvancementtothepreservationofthiscountrysmostenduringideals.Youhavetolearn,andthenre-teachtherestofusthatequalityrealequalityisthehallmarkandbirthrightofALLAmericans.Thankfully,youwillbecomeavanguardagainstanewseparatismthatseemstohaveinfectedourranks,avanguardagainstthoseforcesthat,inthenameofourgreatdemocracy,havemanagedtodiminishit.Then,youcanchangehumannaturejustabit,toappeal,asLincolnalsoimploredus,toappealtothebetterangelsofournature.Thatstheobjective.AndIknow,Iknowyoucandoit.

Ok.Roundingthird.

Letmespeakdirectlytothegraduatingclass.(Watchout.Herecomestheadvice.)

Remember:Blacklivesmatter.Alllivesmatter.

Rejectfundamentalismwhereveritraisesitsuglyhead.Itsnotcivilized.ChoosetoliveintheBedfordFallsofItsaWonderfulLife,notitsoppressiveopposite,Pottersville.

Donotdescendtoodeeplyintospecialism.Educateallofyourparts.Youwillbehealthier.

Replacecynicismwithitsold-fashionedantidote,skepticism.

Dontconfusemonetarysuccesswithexcellence.ThepoetRobertPennWarrenoncewarnedmethatcareerismisdeath.

Trynottomaketheotherwrong.

Becurious,notcool.

Remember,insecuritymakesliarsofusall.

Listentojazz.Alot,alot.Itisourmusic.

Read.Thebookisstillthegreatestmanmademachineofallnotthecar,nottheTV,notthecomputerorthesmartphone.

Donotallowoursocialmediatosegregateusintoeversmallertribesandclans,fiercelyandsometimesapprop