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�Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
AND TYPE
DATE
SUBJECT/TITLE
RESTRICTION
001. draft
President William J. Clinton, One America in the 21st Century,
University of California at San Diego (2 pages)
6/13/97
P5
002. draft
President William J. Clinton, One America in the 21st Century,
University of California at San Diego (2 pages)
6/13/97
P5
003. draft
President William J. Clinton, One America in the 21st Century,
University of California at San Diego, noon draft (8 pages)
6/13/97
P5
004. draft
President William J. Clinton, One America in the 21st Century,
University of California at San Diego, 6:20 am draft (35 pages)
6/14/97
P5
005. note
To Come: What we must do [edits] (2 pages)
6/30/97
P5
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
Speechwriting
Michael Waldman
OA/Box Number:
14477
FOLDER TITLE:
[University of California at San Diego] (UCSD) & Misc. Speeches & Drafts]: UCSD
Drafts w/ POTUS remarks
2006-0469-F
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�Draft 6/13/97 noon draft 1c
PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON
ONE AMERICA IN THE 21ST CENTURY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO
June 14,1997
[Acknowledgments]
Thank you for inviting me here, and thank you for offering our nation a shining example
of diversity and strength. Here, you have bovercome old boundaries of race and national origin.
You have blazed new paths in science and technology, and explored the new horizons of the
Pacific Rim and Latin America. All that and more mark UCSD as one of the cutting-edge
•umveroitioo of the nation --. a^university for the 21st Century.
Today, we celebrate your achievements at a golden moment for our nation. The Cold
War is over, ^wthfi-eedomjascendant around the globe^ Our economy is the healthiest in a ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
generation and the strongest in the world. Our culture, our science, our technology are on the
cutting edge. Social problems n.-fiuuruiiiii lu pureily --which foi MJ lung seemed dusliuid to
deepen, aie nuw bending lo our onorts.
^
NOL sO long 4gu, sume were predicting our decline. Instead, wc have entered a new eraef
'AliieiiLdii leaderahip, biiuging m to the CVP of a second American oontury.
^
(^r ti3MA^
o^>mx)Jr<&ia^usl 04tt*ddjdL
Admittedly, we face.isrnnns threats to our forward march. At home, wo muat find .ways ^ >
\
build uur oooftdmio'Gtrongth; we must prepare for the moment when youfeJEjaronfls generation]
�-7
•tttaes;-we must harness the powerful forces of science and technology so they serve the public
^ s uc ^aa^^Mj^i^!^** ^ ^ W^iu-u C^^US&JJ.^ ^Jc^wvfyj^ j jeM j ^fi Nfte^-ftawf
uji oL -e
good/^broad, we must build new institutions and new alliances for peace, and dft nnrilngc battle
against terrorismywKdrugsJe tho Dpfoftdor ne\v and deadly weapons of mass destgictionj <Mt$
But the greatest challenge we face is also our greatest opportunity: Can we become the
world's first truly multiracial, multiethnic democracy? Will we be one America in the 21st
Within the next three years, -e^b* here in California, no single race or ethnic group will
make up a majority of the state's population. Already 5 of our largest school districts draw
students from over 100 different racial and ethnic groups. At this campus, 12 Nobel Prize
winners have taught or studied - from 9 different countries. TESd Half a century from now, when
your own grandchildren are in college, it is e^rclyconooivahle that a majority of the population
will be Latino, African American, Asian American, Native American and other people of color.
We know what we will look like ~ but what will we be like? Can we be one America,
respecting, even celebrating our differences, but embracing even more strongly what we have in
common?
Our hearts long to answer yes, but our history reminds us that it will be hard. The ideals
that bind us together are as old as our nation, but the forces that would pull us apart are not new
�— and the striving to surmount them is the story of America.
We were bom with a Declaration of Independence which asserted that it is self evident
that we are all created equal — and a Constitution that enshrined slavery.
We fought a bloody civil war to abolish that slavery and preserve the union - but we
remained a house unequal and divided for another century.
We advanced across this continent in the name offreedom- yet in so doing we pushed
the Native Americans off their land and into reservations, often crushing their cultureSand
destcajaftg their livelihoods.
Our Statue of Liberty welcomes poor, tired, huddled masses of immigrants to our shores
— but each new wave of them has felt the sting of discrimination.
In World War II, Japanese Americans fought valiantly for freedom in Europe, taking
great casualties - while their kinfolks back in America were herded into internment camps.
In our own time, no one doubts we are closer to our ideal of one America than in the past,
but no close observer denies that there is still discrimination, stereotyping and misunderstanding
in America that keeps our house divided.
�The complexity of these issues has multiplied with our growing diversity. To be sure,
there is old, unfinished business between black and white Americans. We see it in acts of
discrimination, in the assault on affirmative action without any effective alternative, in grossly
disparate views heldj) lacks and whites about the fairness of the criminal justice system.
But the classic American dilemma in many ways has become a new dilemma. We see
tension between blacks and Hispanic customers and their Korean or Arab grocers. We see a
resurgent anti-Semitism, even against college students. We see stereotyping of immigrants, even
those who through hard work and family spirit, have succeeded in their new land.
In spite of all these difficulties, our society is more integrated than ever. More of us share
neighborhoods, work, school, social and community activities, religious life, even love and
marriage across racial lines, than ever before. More of us enjoy each other's distinctive cultures
— and leam from each others varied experiences ~ than ever before.
And that is more important than ever before,
our nation of many nations now
competes in a global economy. America has just one Jth of the world's population, but one
fifth of its wealth. The only way for our economy to continue to grow is to export ~ to sell the
fruits of our enterprise and creativity to the 95% of the world's consumers who live beyond our
borders. Americans, drawn from every country and every culture on earth, are uniquely
�^t o next year, tuw for the years to come,.I
-h
LJ»U\3MJJ&»£U
stiratunitfiiis -
rBe divisions in our land .„ ;
»
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.„ i. ^ . t X W K l W i l t o j A u U S j S ^ X
. v wcmusc begin by acknowlsdgjng that our house is divided.
^*
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Scripture teaches us, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Teo-efien-Ln-eai pd^,an?sdOTy
"TUXVVHJA *U^H
even today, we have defined our greatness not by lifting each other up. but by putting panh pther
down — the surfermgs neaped upon Native Americans, the enslavemenr5f~Afiicmiij, and the
Iragic litany ofTirjuatiooo inflictod ujoniimnigiaiilil ol every race and color at vanSnsiilRes in
i muuq
•eur history.
j
I am a son of the South and the grandson of a man who taught me a valuable lesson at a
young age. He told me, yes, I was different than the black children who came into his small
grocery store, but I was no better. But I could see that on the black side of town streets were left
unpaved. And segregation was legally sanctioned. There were "whites only" signs at public
restrooms. Blacks and whites could not swim together, we could not drink at the same water
fountain, we could not even sit in the same section at the movies. I was 11 years old when
President Eisenhower ordered troops into Little Rock so that nine black children could integrate
1
Central High. And when I was your age and in school in Washington, DC, Martin Luther King
�positioned to link our land with the rest of the globe through currents of commerce and
communications, i ^ ^ i
B ^ U A ^ ' M
t
^ ^ S S ^
f
t
^
6
a
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4
^ ^
Thic now era can be a lin^e wliCfl America's blillidiil diversity illmiiinalca the entire
rUjS^Z^
globe. Wc can piovc to the people uf the world, lorn by modem rivalries and anciciiL cllmic
huttcdjt, that fiLcduni mid demumcy are me best orgam/fiig piimiples-for a multirarial society.
w p n t h n n p h nnr pivit W.M. p n i u m i w l by im m i ^ i i v k i n n -- ^pH nur prpopnt r a r r m i n ^
infootcd with-it—and the reat of tUj^JwaChi, fiom Boonia to I'Jorthcm Ireland lu die NIiddle-E^t4o
Afrtcd,- shows huw QcLp the dootructivo impuloc of racial division-ia
there ia still more cauee
far hopr; thnn fngr?' Uws face the factsi iffrfe speak with and listen to each other respectfully and
honestly, and ft wo worlt-togethdr'ifi oonoFetgNvayc to build our One America, wc ctm geNwyond
the dafkm side uf our own hiGtary. We can lead the world away from ito facial hatred. We-ean
-build
OTIL
Amui4ca.
The problems we face
We have to start by facing the facts and facing up to our problems.
Three decades ago, when I was the age of those graduating today, all America saw the
brutality of police dogs set on civil rights marchers in Birmingham, and they saw the dignity of
�Cesar Chavez fighting for workers rights in the farm fields, and they saw the streets of cities in
flames during urban unrest. Most Americans agreed then on what the problems were. But, while
we know we still have problems, we're not sure what they are or why we still have them.
[We will insert more from Don't Believe the Hype, as we look through it.]
It is a myth that people in the inner cities don't want to work. When work has come, the
response has been overwhelming. When a new hotel opened in Chicago 4 years ago, 3 thousand
people lined up in bitter cold, some of them waiting overnight to be the first to apply for work.
In Harlem, New York, a study found that there were 14 applicants for every fast-food job.
It is a myth that most Hispanics areMmmigrants. They are not. Two-thirds of Hispanics
in our nation are U.S.-bom, and many have been here for generations.^
It is a myth that new immigrants don't want to leam English. They do. In fact, the
demand for English as a second language classes is so great, that keeping up is a challenge. In
Los Angeles, classes are offered round the clock; in New York, there is a X month waiting list; in
xxxx. And most Latino immigrants see bilingual education as a way not to reinforce Spanish,
but to leam English.
We need to get past the myths if we are going to understand each other, and we need to
�understand each other to work together. For all the progress we have made, whites and blacks,
Anglos and Latinos, Asians and others ~ we still live in different worlds, and we see the same
realities in very different ways.
[Today, one third of blacks surveyed, and more than half of whites surveyed, believe that
blacks make up as much as half of our population, instead of the 12% that is reality.] [we don't
think this proves much]
Today, most whites believe that blacks have achieved equality with whites on the issues
that set off the civil rights movement. But the numbers tell a different story:
Every American should know — but few do ~ that whites earn 60 percent more than
African-Americans.
Every American should know - but few do ~ that whites are xx times more likely to have
access to health care for their families.
Every American should know ~ but few do — that whites are twice as likely to graduate
from college than African-Americans.
Every American should know ~ but few do ~ that the problems of black and white are
�not the problems of three decades ago. The black middle class has grown fourfold since Dr.
King's murder. But the rate of poverty among black children is the same - cut off from the
work and values that shape our society, falling prey to the many pathologies of poverty.
How we solve the glaring disparities in our society, how we bring every person to the
table of opportunity, and how we leam to better live together will ultimately determine how we
do as a nation in the generations to come and whether we can truly come together as One
America.
What we must do
Our first imperative must be to expand opportunity. Our basic bargain is unchanged,
and has been the source ofour strength for two centuries. By offering responsibility to all
Americans and demanding responsibility from all Americans, we can forge the ties of a strong
community of common values.
For four and a half years, we have worked to create an economy that offers all our people
the chance to live out their dreams. A strong and growing economy is the best antidote to envy
and despair and racism. Today, our prosperity is unrivaled in the world, and it is America that
stands ready to lead the new global economy of the 21st Century. Now we must redouble our
efforts to bring that prosperity to those places, in our cities and in our rural areas, that prosperity
�has not yet touched. We must press forward with our efforts to bring private capital, jobs and
hope to the inner cities, [more on urban policy?]
And the most important thing we can do to expand opportunity - the passport to the
future for all our people - and our most critical task as a nation is to give all our people the best
education in the world. We are demanding that all our children meet high standards - and we
must give all our children the tools to meet those standards, through trained teachers and modem
classrooms.
For you, the college education you have earned reflects the fulfilment of your parents
dreams and your hard work. For America, an educated citizenry is the key to our strength. So
we must open the doors of college wider than ever ~ and we can never allow them to be
slammed shut. A college education means stability, better jobs, a chance to join the middle class,
another stakeholder in America.
America does not believe in guaranteeing equal outcomes, but we do believe in
guaranteeing equal opportunity for all who will work for it ~ and that means education. We
cannot abandon any efforts to expand access to higher education. We cannot abandon
affirmative action.
I know that many people in this state voted to abandon affirmative action last year, and
�did so with no intention to hurt their fellow citizens. But it is a stunning and sobering fact that
African-American and Latino enrollments at this university and all across California and Texas
are plummeting, for the first time in decades. Call it what you will ~ I call it resegregation. We
cannot afford to tum back the clock. To this day, the South is still recovering from the selfinflicted wound of segregation. America cannot make that mistake again.
This past week we learned that our fourth grade students, the most diverse student body
in the world, are among the leaders in the world in math. Diversity and excellence go hand in
hand.
To all of America, I say, we must make sure that only qualified students are accepted.
But if only qualified students are accepted, I also say: our universities will provide a stronger
education - a better preparation for the new world - and a more enjoyable experience - if its
student body looks like the student body reflects our diversity as yours does here at UCSD. The
purpose of affirmative action is not to help any one group or individual. It is to help America ~
for we don't have a person to waste.
And to those who say that race and ethnicity should not be factors, that scores on
standardized tests should be the sole measure of qualification, I say: We take into account
whether someone is an athlete, a musician, or a child of an alumnus. And we know when given a
chance, students who enter with the help of affirmative action do just as well as any other
10
�student.
I want to be clear: We will continue to fight the rollback of affirmative action in higher
education because it is wrong, it is hurtful to our progress and it divides our people.
Our second imperative must be to break down the walls of discrimination wherever thev
exist. Racism is wrong; discrimination is wrong; and moreover, it is illegal. Our civil rights
agencies are among the most critical law enforcement agencies in the government ~ and we must
give them the resources they need to end the crushing backlog of cases and get the job done. It's
time for Congress to put our money where our ideals are.
[housing discrimination?]
And our third imperative is in many ways the most difficult of all: we must begin a great
national conversation on the issues of race and our diversity,
We must recognize that we cannot come to solutions or even truly identify our problems
unless we are willing to be honest with each other. It's time to let down our guards, and to be
honest with people different from ourselves. We have talked at each other and about each other.
It is high time we begin talking with each other.
Over the coming year, I want to lead the American people in a great and unprecedented
conversation about race. I have asked one of America's greatest scholars. Dr. John Hope
11
�Franklin to chair an advisory panel of seven distinguished Americans. He will be joined by
former Governors Tom Kean and William Winter, Linda Chavez-Thompson, Suzan Johnson,
Angela Oh, and Robert Thomas - distinguished citizens, leaders in their community, who will
work with me in a searching examination of the truth about the changing face of America.
We will examine the stereotypes and the facts - the myths and the reality - that hold us
apart. We do this because we cannot move forward together, and act together, if we do not agree
together on what action is needed.
We will ask Americans to talk to one another everyday, at home, in their communities, in
school, at work — and help us develop plans of action. I will join this conversation with
Americans across our nation at town meetings over the next year.
The town meetings I will hold are just the start. I call on Americans of all colors to begin
a "table fellowship" within their communities, to break bread together and begin to know each
other. And I want every American to see this as an opportunity to leam about each other by
doing with each other. Tutors are needed in many communities to teach reading and other skills;
that kind of interaction pays dividends in many ways. Churches, mosques, synagogues could
consider exchanging congregations for a day. And the best chance for dialogue is among the
young. I call on the nation's churches to link up the young people in the suburbs with those in
the cities.
12
�And in one year's time, I will report directly to the American people about what I have
found and the what actions we must take to move our nation forward.
I know that honest dialogue and exchange will not be easy at first. We need to get past
defensiveness, fear, political correctness and other barriers to honesty. That may open wounds,
but that is how we begin the healing so that we may move past them.
What do we want from all this? If we achieve nothing more than talk, that will be too
little. If we propose nothing but policy ideas that are merely small gestures along the way, that
will be too little. But if 10 years from now, people can look back and see that America's
commitment to our ideals was renewed and reinvigorated and that the post-Martin Luther King
generation finally shouldered its fair burden in this historic struggle, then this effort will have
been a success.
Conclusion: why this matters
This is a steep challenge. And many of you, coming of age in a time when the acid of
doubt and cynicism seems to corrode our faith, might look at this mission and feel it is
impossible. But what we are called upon to do is nothing less ~ and nothing more - than what
America has done at every moment of challenge and change in its history.
13
�For two centuries, wave upon wave of immigrants have come to our shores, to work, to
raise their families, to build a new life, speaking many tongues, wearing the garb of many
cultures, but all drawn here by those same ideals. We have never lived up to our founding vision,
but we have never stopped trying - and our people, even those who have suffered the most, have
never lost faith in the American creed that unites us.
Today, we are all, in Martin Luther King's words, woven into "one garment of destiny."
We rightly celebrate the multiplicity of America - our marvelous blend of cultures, beliefs and
races. Yet despite this diversity, or above it, we possess a common identity - as Americans and
as human beings.
We must recognize that the same ethnic and racial ties that can offer us a sanctuary of
meaning and personal strength also contain the possibility of a frightening fragmentation. We
must honor our diversity; we must cherish the uniqueness of each culture that feeds into the
American experience; we must find new ways of talking to one another with respect instead of
disdain. But we must reach with even greater fervor across those lines that divide us, to honor
and strengthen those bonds of community and shared values that have always united us.
It was almost exactly one hundred [forty nine] years ago, Abraham Lincoln, quoting
Scripture, warned, us that "a house divided against itself cannot stand."
14
�For two centuries, on every continent, people struggling for freedom looked to see if our
house would stand. Over the past century, we have taken our greatest strides when we knew the
whole world was watching. Today, the people of Belfast and Bosnia, of Rwanda and the Middle
East, are watching. With American ideas and ideals ascendent, with ancient racial and ethnic
hatreds once again flaring around the globe, we must be a beacon, we must be that last great hope
for mankind.
To those who say we will not ever transform the problem of prejudice into the promise of
diversity, we can, for I have seen it happen. I grew up in the segregated South. I saw a different
future when I worked by my grandfather's side in his small grocery store back home in Hope.
My grandfather taught me that, yes I was different than the black children who came into his
store, but I was no better. But I could see that on the black side of town, the streets were left
unpaved. And segregation was legally sanctioned. There were "whites only" signs at public
restrooms. Blacks and whites could not swim together, we could not drink at the same water
fountain, we could not even sit in the same section at the movies. I was 11 years old when
President Eisenhower ordered troops into Little Rock so that nine black children could integrate
Central High. And when I was your age and in school in Washington, D.C, Martin Luther King
was killed and the streets exploded in flames. My memory is forever singed by the pain and
anger I saw.
Since those days, we have made great progress. We have torn down the barriers in our
15
�laws. Now we must tear down the barriers in our hearts. More than 30 years ago, at the high tide
of the civil rights movement, the Kemer Commission said that we were becoming two Americas,
one black, one white, separate and unequal. Today, we face a choice: will we become, not two,
but many Americas, separate, unequal and isolated. Or will we draw strength from our great
diversity to become the world's first truly multiethnic, multiracial, and multi religious
democracy? That is the unfinished work ofour times.
Much of the burden, and all of the benefits of this work lie with you, the young people
here today and throughout our land. As Dr. King reminded us, there is real power in our dreams.
So, dream large. Aim high. Teach your children well, and don't be afraid to challenge your
elders on this issue.
We may not achieve as much as we want, but let us set our aim as high as we can. Let us
resolve that in our day and our generation, we shall overcome. In the 21st century, we cannot be
many Americas. We must be One America. We are One America.
###
16
�THE PRESIDE f HAS SEEN
Draft 6/13/97 noon draft 1c
PRESIDENT W I L L I A M J. CLINTON
ONE AMERICA IN THE 21ST CENTURY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO
June 14,1997
[Acknowledgments]
Thank you for inviting me here, and thank you for offering our nation a shining example
of diversity and strength. Here, you have Overcome old boundaries of race and national origin.
You have blazed new paths in science and technology, and explored the new horizons of the
Pacific Rim and Latin America. AU-that and more mark UCSD^fl-otic of the c\ittiiig-edge
-universitioG of the nation - ^university for the 21st Century.
Today, we celebrate your achievements at a golden moment for our nation. The Cold
'
u
MK U W J J D ^ V W ^
4 <$M^J.
tuifcix Wvi\
War is over, wtthf^eedomjascendant around the globe^ Our economy is the healthiest in a
ftu*
^ ^ ^ j ^ ^ ^
generation and the strongest in the world. Our culture, our science, our technology are on the
cutting edge. Social problems ...-fruiiruimi lo pu^eily --wliich foi so lung seemed declined to
deepen, AIL UUW buiding to our efforts.
^
NOI so long 4gu, sume were predicting our decline. Instead, we have cntoEeH-w UPW eta ef
•Allieiicdn leadership, biiuging WJ lu Ihe eve nf a sfrond American ocntvtfy.
^
(^r 113UA4*.
O^AmiAirAl^tiaiawJiiX^
Admittedly, we faccfrrim^ threats to our forward march. At home, we-Hriuot find .ways ^
A
V
ID build uur oooBonno'otrongth; we must prepare for the moment when jfOUBjgaronffigeneration]
gener
�THE P E I E T HAS S E
R SD N
EN
tfitkes;-we must harness the powerful forces of science and technology so they serve the public
good^7\.broad, we must build new institutions and new alliances for peace, and (feeadiass battle
against terrorismy^d^gs^Jho^foS^^lievv and deadly weapons of mass destruction^ < * a
S *5
But the greatest challenge we face is also our greatest opportunity: Can we become the
world's first truly multiracial, multiethnic democracy? Will we be one America in the 21st
Century? ^ < J ^ ^ JLux^usuA ls< SuaVmufro io*Ku fajjamju* Wa-u^, ftJaO-^)^Av>»
Within the next three years,-^bt here in California, no single race or ethnic group will
make up a majority of the state's population. Already 5 of our largest school districts draw
students from over 100 different racial and ethnic groups. At this campus, 12 Nobel Prize
winners have taught or studied ~ from 9 different countries. TESd Half a century from now, when
your own grandchildren are in college, it is ej^rc^eonooivable that a majority of the population
will be Latino, African American, Asian American, Native American and other people of color.
We know what we will look like - but what will we be like? Can we be one America,
respecting, even celebrating our differences, but embracing even more strongly what we have in
common?
Our hearts long to answer yes, but our history reminds us that it will be hard. The ideals
that bind us together are as old as our nation, but (he forces that would pull us apart am »at new
�THE PRESIDENT HAS S E
EN
— a^dlfhe striving to surmount them is the story of America.
We were bom with a Declaration of Independence which asserted that it io eelf widcnt
that we are all created equal --and a Constitution that enshrined slavery.
We fought a bloody civil war to abolish that slavery and preserve the union ~ but we
remained a house unequal and dividecnfor another century.
We advanced across this continent in the name offreedom- yet in so doing we pushed
the Native Americans off their land and into reservations, often crushing their cultureSand
df itrnying their livelihoods.
Our Statue of Liberty welcomes poor, tired, huddled masses of immigrants to our shores
— but each new wave of them has felt the sting of discrimination.
In World War II, Japanese Americans fought valiantly for freedom in Europe, taking
great casualties ~ while theirtanfeHes back in America were herded into internment camps.
n
In our own time, nn nnt ilniihtfi w i "
fW>
J
n
H f M r 4 t t ? ! r ' ' * ' tiTiim Ammimil Imrli in lln Spasrt,
but no ^loac ubsLi vei dciucs-lhat thcrs 1 atril-cUnriimination, ctereptyping nnd-mifiundorotandi
0
iaj^msrica thar keeps our house divided.
^
O
�w
pHESSKHf H^S S E
EN
The complexity of these issues has multiplied with our growing diversity. To be sure,
there is old, unfinished business between black and white Americans. We see it in acts of
discrimination, in the assault on affirmative action without any effective alternative, in grossly
disparate views held^blacks and whites about the fairness of the criminal justice system.
But the classic American dilemma m many wayc has become u nu'ifi tlilLiimm. We see
tension between black^and Hispanic customers and their Korean or Arab grocers. We see a
resurgent anti-Semitism, even against college students. We sedptereotyping of immigrants, even
those ^Ste- through hard work and family spiri^sh^ve succeeded in their new land.
In spite
these difficulties, our society is more integrated than ever. More of us share
neighborhoods, work, school, social and aemmunity activities, religious life, even love and
marriag^across racial lines^thun
UILI bifun.
More of us enjo^each other's distinctive cultures
~ and Lam from each othctfi-vanoa experiences - iliim L I m4mSa».
Anrfctbafrs-more important tlmn nvn lirfuu,
important lite
01
-{JUuiluiiijfc America has just one Jth of the world's population, but one
fifth of its wealth. The only way for our economy to continue to grow is to export - to sell the
fruits of our enterprise and creativity to the 95% of the world's consumers who live beyond our
borders. Americans, drawn from every country and every culture on earth, are uniquely
�THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
positioned to link our land with the rest of the globe through currents of commerce and
_
A
. . . . *
s
-
. . . . . . .
f . i * is.
. 1-
.. A
* ..
rv * A ft A. . * . . M ft.*.
Thic now era can be a tini^ when America^ biillidnt divusity illuminates the entire
yi <
•
1
globe. We um piovc lo the people uf the world, lorn by modem rivaliies and anciuit cllmic
hctttcdi, llial ficcduiii and deuiucraey are the best organizhig piimiplec for a multirarial society.
Sn <wfpn t b n n p b nnr p m t w.i.'! pni.MHIHd by ini r»a-divi«;if)n -- flpd nnr prPTPnt rwrrwint;
•infootcd with it
and the reat of tlj^w^kl, fiunt-Boonia to Moilhcrn hvland UUhc Middk^EaaHo
Afiica, sliUWij huw uiip the doctructivc impulGc of racial division ia «• there is-atill more cauee
for ho^e^than fear- If
face the facts^ i*4fe speak with and listen to each other respectfully and
honestly, andffiwo work t o g ^ l r ^ ^ o ^ ^ ^ ^ f e ^ S ^ t i ^ our One America, wc can gatoyond
the dai'kei sido ofour o^vn histoiy. Wc can lead the world away from its facial hatred. We-can
-build urn Amcika.
The problems we face
^
We hav^to start by facing the facts and facing up to our problems^
Sx^^^^l^^j^i^ ^
W a S t
e a
^ ^
e 0
t
^ ^
o s e
.
graduating today, all America saw the
brutality of police dogs set on civil rights marchers in Birmingham, and they saw the dignity of
�THE P E I E T HAS SEEN
R SD N
Cesar ChavezTighting for workcrG rightG4nalieJarm fields^and they saw Iha^traets of cities in
flamps Hiirii^rTTrFart-Hnrpyt Mnst Americansflgread-diffnmi wli^rf-tha prnhlpn^f: wera—But, while
^we know v^stilJJiflvejQrohlems, weVenotsure whnUbfy nre or 'ivhy WP still hflYf them.
[ We will insert more from Don'( Believe the Hvpe. as we look through it. ]
It is a mytnthat p«)ple in the inner cities don't wan^^wcn^When work has come, the
response has been overwhelming. When a new hotel opened in Chicago 4 years ago, 3 thousand
people lined up in bitter cold, some of them waiting overnight to be the first to apply for work.
In Harlem, New York, a study found that there were 14 applicants for every fast-food job.
It is a myth that most Hispanics areftimmigrants. They are not. Two-thirds of Hispanics
in our nation are U.S.-bom, and many have been here for generations.^
It is a myth that new immigrants don't want to leam English. They do. In fact, the
demand for English as a second language classes is so great, that keeping up is a challenge. In
Los Angeles, classes are offered round the clock; in New York, there is a X month waiting list; in
xxxx. And most Latino immigrants see bilingual education as a way not to reinforce Spanish,
but to leam English.
We need to get past the myths if we are going to understand each other, and we need to
�understand each other to work together. For all the progress we have made, whites and blacks,
Anglos and Latinos, Asians and others -- we still live in different worlds, and we see the same
realities in very different ways.
[Today, one third of blacks surveyed, and more than half of whites surveyed, believe that
blacks make up as much as half of our population, instead of the 12% that is reality.] [we don't
think this proves much]
Today, most whites believe that blacks have achieved equality with whites on the issues
that set off the civil rights movement. But the numbers tell a different story.
Every American should know — but few do ~ that whites earn 60 percent more than
African-Americans.
Every American should know ~ but few do - that whites are xx times more likely to have
access to health care for their families.
Every American should know ~ but few do ~ that whites are twice as likely to graduate
from college than African-Americans.
Every American should know ~ but few do - that the problems of black and white are
�THE P E I E T HAS S E
R SD N
EN
not the problems of three decades ago. The black middle class has grown fourfold since Dr.
King's murder. But the rate of poverty among black children is the same ~ cut off from the
work and values that shape our society, falling prey to the many pathologies of poverty.
How we solve the glaring disparities in our society, how we bring every person to the
table of opportunity, and how we leam to better live together will ultimately determine how we
do as a nation in the generations to come and whether we can truly come together as One
America.
What we must do
Our first inTperative must be to expand uppui lunilyr Our basic bargain is unchanged,
and has been the source of our strength for two centuries. By offering responsibility to all
Americans and demanding responsibility from all Americans, we can forge the ties of a strong
community of common values.
For four and a half years, we have worked to create an economy that offers all our people
the chance to live out their dreamy A-otrong and growing iwuiiuiiii>i'iit the best antidote to envy
and despair and racism. ^Today, om piosperlty Ts-imiivulcd niTTie wuila, and u ia Amoricathat
-Kfandr, ready t \ Ipqd t f ^ n e w plnH^P nnnnnmy A f thn 11 rt W n f p r y
N o w WC mustTedoObfe-Tmr
cfftnts to bring that procperky to thoco places, in our cities and in our rural areas,-
�T E P EI E T H S S E
H R SD N A E N
haaastaf^^nchcd. We must press forward witjj our efforts to bring private capital, jobs and
And the mont important thing wc can do to expand-oppnrtunity ^Ihe-passportlathe
•firtSfe^ataU-eur-peeplc^^fy-euHT^
education in4he-w^t44r We are demanding that all our children meet high standards — and we
must give all our chilaren the tools to meet those standards, through trained teachers and modem
classrooms.
For you, the college education you have earned reflects the fulfilment of your parents
dreams and your hard work. For America, an educated citizenry is the key to our strength. So
we must open the doors of college wider than ever ~ and we can never allow them to be
slammed shut. A college education means stability, better jobs, a chance to join the middle class,
another stakeholder in America.
America does not believe in guaranteeing equal outcomes, but we do believe in
guaranteeing equal opportunity for all who will work for it ~ and that means education. We
cannot abandon any efforts to expand access to higher education. We cannot abandon
affirmative action.
I know that many people in this state voted to abandon affirmative action last year, and
�did so with no intention to hurt their fellow citizens. But it is a stunning and sobering fact that
African-American and Latino enrollments at this university and all across California and Texas
are plummeting, for the first time in decades. Call it what you will - 1 call it resegregation. We
cannot afford to tum back the clock. To this day, the South is still recovering from the selfinflicted wound of segregation. America cannot make that mistake again.
This past week we learned that our fourth grade students, the most diverse student body
in the world, are among the-leaders in the world in math. Diversity and excellence go hand in
hand.
To all of America, I say, we must make sure that only qualified students are accepted.
But if only qualified students are accepted, I also say: our universities will provide a stronger
education - a better preparation for the new world - and a more enjoyable experience - if its
student body looks like the student body reflects our diversity as yours does here at UCSD. The
purpose of affirmative action is not to help any one group or individual. It is to help America ~
for we don't have a person to waste.
And to those who say that race and ethnicity should not be factors, that scores on
standardized tests should be the sole measure of qualification, I say: We take into account
whether someone is an athlete, a musician, or a child of an alumnus. And we know when given a
chance, students who enter with the help of affirmative action do just as well as any other
10
�student.
I want to be clear: We will continue to fight the rollback of affirmative action in higher
education because it is wrong, it is hurtful to our progress and it divides our people.
Our second imperative must be to break down the walls of discrimination wherever they
exist. Racism is wrong; discrimination is wrong; and moreover, it is illegal. Our civil rights
agencies are among the most critical law enforcement agencies in the government ~ and we must
give them the resources they need to end the crushing backlog of cases and get the job done. It's
time for Congress to put our money where our ideals are.
[housing discrimination?]
And our third imperative is in many wavs the most difficult of all: we must begin a great
national conversation on the issues of race and our diversity.
We must recognize that we cannot come to solutions or even truly identify our problems
unless we are willing to be honest with each other. It's time to let down our guards, and to be
honest with people different from ourselves. We have talked at each other and about each other.
It is high time we begin talking with each other.
Over the coming year, I want to lead the American people in a great and unprecedented
conversation about race. I have asked one of America's greatest scholars, Dr. John Hope
11
�THE P E I E T HAS S E
R SD N
EN
Franklin to chair an advisory panel of seven distinguished Americans. He will be joined by ^ £
former Governors Tom Kean and William Winter, Linda Chavez-Thompson, Suzan Johnson,
\>
Angela Oh, and Robert Thomas - distinguished citizens, leaders in their community, who will
work with me in a searching examination of the truth about the changing face of America.
We will examine the stereotypes and the facts - the myths and the reality - that hold us
apart. We do this because we cannot move forward together, and act together, if we do not agree
together on what action is needed.
We will ask Americans to talk to one another everyday, at home, in their communities, in
school, at work ~ and help us develop plans of action. I will join this conversation with
Americans across our nation at town meetings over the next year.
The town meetings I will hold are just the start. I call on Americans of all colors to begin
a "table fellowship" within their communities, to break bread together and begin to know each
other. And I want every American to see this as an opportunity to leam about each other by
doing with each other. Tutors are needed in many communities to teach reading and other skills;
that kind of interaction pays dividends in many ways. Churches, mosques, synagogues could
consider exchanging congregations for a day. And the best chance for dialogue is among the
young. I call on the nation's churches to link up the young people in the suburbs with those in
the cities.
12
�&3D
DRAFT 6/14/97>j3trAM
PRESIDENT WILLIAM J . CLINTON
ONE AMERICA IN THE 21ST CENTURY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO
June 14,1997
�Acknowledgments: Members of my Cabmet -- Sec y
Slater, Herman, Brown^Sen. Boxen Sen. Akaka, Rep.
Maxine Waters, Rep. Patsy Mink, Rep. Jim Clyburn, Rep.
John Lewis, Rep. Bob FilnenRep. Carlos RomeroBarcelo, Lt. Gov. Gray Davis. Chancellor Robert Dynes,
President Atkinson, Distinguished University of California
^ Regents, Faculty, Students.'
C oueeKi S4^vr^oix
Special thanks to Dr. Connie Mariano, UCSD '77,
who keeps me healthy, keeps me on my diet, and is
helping me to walk again.
V 3
•
�Thank you for inviting me here. Congratulations to
the graduates and their families, and thank you for
offering our nation a shining example of &mm''
otrongth. "Here, you have overcome old bumidariea (»f i'acu
gm^attonal oiigin. You have blazed new paths in
science and technology, and explored the new horizons of
the Pacific Rim and Latin America. All that and more
mark UCSD as a great university for the 21st Century.
Today, we celebrate your achievements at a golden
moment for our nation. The Cold War is over. Freedom
is ascendant around the globe, with more than half the
world's people living under government of their own
choosing for the first time.
�Our economy is the healthiest in a generation and the
strongest in the world. Our culture, our science, our
technology promise unimagined advances and exciting
new careers,ftrthc-lasttnro& years, wc-havc secure
largest drop h
^igfran^osources
efthe-
Of course, we are notfreeof challenges. We must
battle terrorism, drug trafficking, the spread of weapons of
mass destruction, the prospect of new diseases and
environmental disaster.
i
�:
"•-it "i~:::yr -^sSEEK
A
We must ensure that every child has the chance you
have had to develop your God-given capacities; we must
continue to fight crime, gangs, drugs; we must prepare for
the retirement of the baby boom generation; we must
harness the forces of science and technology for the public
good.
But the greatest challenge we face is also our greatest
opportunity^Can wc bccome-the world's fir-sHrtriy
' ii, mnltirtlinir rlrmnri m
I
WtTI m\ hu one
America in the 21st Century?
I believe that building one-America is our most
-important mission.^And we will achieve il not by power
Qibteckuylogyrbul by evukiiig-ih^feest4n our nation/)
�Withinihe next three years, here in California, no
single race or ethnic group will make up a majority of the .
state's population. Already 5 of our largest school
districts draw studentsfromover 100 different racial and
ethnic groups. At this campus, 12 Nobel Prize winners
have taught or studied »from9 different countries. Half
a centuryfromnow, when your own grandchildren are in
college, there will be no majority race in America.
We know what we will look like -- but what will we
be like? Can we be one America, respecting, even
celebrating our differences, but embracing even more
strongly what we have in common? ^ U ^ ^ J ^ ^ ^
�Our hearts long to answer yes, but our history
reminds us that it will be hard. The ideals that bind us
together are as old as our nation, but so are the forces that
would pull us apart. Our Founders sought "to form a
more perfect union." Th^lmmiti^^
"P^ase4s the story of America, and our mission today.
We were bom with a Declaration of Independence
which asserted that we are all created equal ~ and a
Constitution that enshrined slavery.
We fought a bloody civil war to abolish that slavery
and preserve the union ~ but we remained a house divided
and unequal, by law, for another century.
6
�We advanced across this continent in the name of
freedom - yet in so doing we pushed the Native
Americans off their land, often crushing their culture and
their livelihoods.
Our Statue of Liberty welcomes poor, tired, huddled
masses of immigrants to our borders — but each new wave
has felt the sting of discrimination.
f^x^
In World War II, Japanese Americans fought
valiantly forfreedomin Europe, taking great casualties ~
while at home their families were herded into internment
�. . . .
I f .
-A 1
•
1
Though minorities have more opportunities than ever
today, we still see evidence of bigotry^from desecration of
houses of worship to demeaning talk in corporate suites.
There is much work to be done. But those who say
we cannot transform the problem of prejudice into the
promise of diForiiity forget how far we have come.
K
Members of Congress and mimbuwRjf my
administratioii\here today: j i d kno^how far we have
come. Many of ym helped to lead the way.
�I grew up in the high drama of the Cold War, in the
patriotic South ^fesn.Blacka and whitefyalike wore our
nation's uniform in defense offreedomagainst
Communism, and fought and died together in Korea and
Vietnam. But back home, I went to segregated schools,
swam in segregated public pools, sat in all white sections
at the movies, and traveled through small towns that
marked restrooms and water fountains "white" and
9?
"colored.
SevfMvyfwvfiftpr President Fhenhowrr smt in trnrrps
{o-ifttegratc Little Rock Cenlial High~Sdioui~therelvere
sttfrnxTblacks in my graduating class, andno-paved-roads
in some of the black neighboihoods of my^cit^T^
9
�By the grace of God, I had a grandfather with a grade
school education and « heart of ^©ki, who taught me that it
was wrong. By the grace of God, there were brave
African Americans like Congressman John Lewis, who
risked their lives to make it right, and white Americans
like Congressman Bob Filner, a Freedom Rider on the bus
with John Lewis in the long, noble struggle for civil rights.
To be sure, there is old, unfinished business between
black and white Americans.
But the classic American
dilemma has become many dilemmas of race and
ethnicity.
The tension between black and Hispanic customers
1
Q
�and their Korean or Arab grocers. A resurgent antiSemitism, even on ^Uege^campuses. A hostility toward
new immigrants^ even those who through hard work and
f a m i l ^ A , have sggerocfod in iiioiii mm land.
We 3&o see a disturbing tendency to wrongly
attribute to whole groups, including the white majority,
the objectionable conduct of a few members. If a black
American commits a crime, condemn the act ~ but
remember that most African-Americans are hard working,
law-abiding citizens.
If a Latino gang member deals drugs, condemn the
�act, but remember that^Hispanics are responsible citizens
who also deplore the scourge of drugs in our life. If
white teenagers beat a young African-American boy
almost to death , just because of his race, abhor the act,
but remember, the great majority of white people will find
it just as abhorrent. If an Asian merchant discriminates
against her customers of another minority group, call her
on it, but remember, too, that many Asians have bom the
sting of prejudice and do not want anyone else to feel it.
Remember, too, in spite of the persistence of
prejudice aiid-lhooc difficultios, we are more integrated
than ever.
12
�More of us share neighborhoods, work, school,
social activities, religious life, even love and marriage
across racial lines, than ever before. More of us enjoy
each other's distinctive cultures than ever before.
And more than ever, we understand the benefits of
our ^diversity in a global society, when networks of
commerce and communications 3& drawi^i us closer
together (uu^ W ^ ^ > ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ I U ^ ^ U ^ U A W ^
With just one 20th of the world's population but one
fifth of the world's income,(to maintain our standard of
living,3ve have to sell tol95% of the world's consumers
'
�Because we are drawnfromevery culture on earth,
Americans are uniquely positioned to-UuilMi^^f
^onnrniiiiialiom lu the svoild.
ft
iant divefgt^ can help America
light the entire globe, showing nations deeply divided by
race, religion, and tribe that there is a better way.
Finally, our diversity will enrich our lives in nonmaterial ways,4^>e^din^ our understanding of human
nature and human differences, making our communities
more exciting, more enjoyable, more meaningful.
1
4
�• -.;p
;
—
" -^
That is why today I will ask the American people to
1
join me IIMILII 11 I IN I j nr in perfecting the promise of
1
America for this new time, as we seek to build "a more
perfect union." Now, when there is more cause for hope
than fear, is the time to leam together, talk together, and
act together, to build one America.
For four and a half years, I have worked to prepare
America for the 21st Century with a strategy of
opportunity for all, responsibilityfromall, and an
American community of all our citizens. To succeed in
each of these areas, we must deal with the realities and the
perceptioniaffecting all of our racial groups.
�-'JC
What we must do
First, we must continue to expand opportunity. Full
participation in our strong and growing economy is the
best antidote to envy and despair and racism. ]|pv we
must press forward ~ moving millions morefromwelfare
to work, bringing the spark of enterprise to our inner
cities, redoubling our efforts to reach those rural
communities that prosperity has passed by.
And we must give all our young people the best
education in the world. There are no children who cannot
meet the highest standards, if we set these standards and
measure students against them, give them well-trained
teachers and well-equipped classrooms <^Nj^
&
�-AS
r.-c
And at a time when college education means stability,
a good job, a passport to the middle class, we must open
the doors of college widei few uvui bcfme. And we must
make at least two years of college as universal at the dawn
of the next century as a high school diploma is today.
JftiuU-
schbol and other graduate programs are plummeting for
he first time in decades.
1
7
�Some of the brightest students won't ever
they fe^<^un\veicome. xsoon nje SJ
1 likely, happen .
ke that
mistake again.
I know affirmative action is not perfect; that's why
two years ago, we began our effort to fix the things that
are wrong with affirmative action. But affirmative action,
when used the right way, does work.
�-n-.;,.- ^AS .-SEN
?
It has given us a whole generation of professionals in
fields that used to be exclusive clubs. There are now
more women-owned businesses than ever before. More
African-American, Latino and Asian-American lawyers
and judges^than ever before. But the best example of what
affirmative action can do is in our military. Our armed
forces are diversefromtop to bottom - and they are the
best in the world.
There are those who say that scores on standardized
tests should be the sole measure of qualification. But tUgy^
do not apply that equally to the children of alumni, or
those with athletic ability.
1
9
�1 1 1
^
^^'^'
iV'^^JUu^VviUK
student body that reflects^excellence^and ^ 1 ^ 0 1 1
0 ^^0
has vafrK, too. When young people sit side by
side with people of many backgrounds, *
oducation,rt-docs>aoUmdercutit.
^es^y^^gyeople worlc hard. They achieve. And
then, many of them go out and serve communities that
need them for their expertise and as role models. Close
the door on them, and we will weaken our great
universities, and we^wil^rever=btttkl the society we need
in the 21st century.
29
�TE
H
.
And at a time when college education mgans stabilky,
e must open
awn
as a high school diploma is today.
I know thatraaaypeople m California voted to repeal
affirmative action, and did so without ill motive. But th&d/scrtmm^
0
r^s^lts are dramatic and devastating. Enrollments in law" iv*y
r
school and other graduate programs are plummeting for awwam
the first time in decades. S^eo^irtuuK\ms lAu^Wa^u^
�Our second imperative must be to demand
responsibility from every American. Our strength as a
society depends upon all of us taking responsibility for
ourselves and our families, teaching our children right
from wrong, working hard and obeying the law, giving
back to those around us.
The new economy offers fewer guarantees, more risks
but more rewards. And it calls on all of us to take even
greater responsibility than before. For example, in the
current economic boom, only one group has experienced a
decline in income: Hispanic Americans.
21
�One big reason is that Hispanic dropout rates are well
above those of whites and blacks. Some of the dropouts
actually reflect a strong commitment to work ~ taking
difficult jobs, at long hours, for low pay. In the old
economy, that was responsible » but now, in the new
economy, education is key, and responsibility means
staying in school.
No responsibility is more fundamental than that of
obeying the law. It is not racism when we insist that every
American do so. The fight against crime and drugs is a
fight for thefreedomof all of our people ~ including
those, perhaps especially those minorities^ living in the
poorest neighborhoods.
22
�Respect for the law runs both ways. The shocking
differences in perceptions of the fairness of our criminal
justice system grows out of real experiences that too many
minorities have had with law enforcement officers. Part of
the answer is to have all our citizens respect the law. But
the basic rule must be that the law must respect all our
citizens.
That applies, too, to the enforcement of our civil
rights law. For example, the equal employment
opportunity commission has a huge backlog of cases,
though we have reduced it by 25% over the last four
years.
2i
�U 3ohT
It is imperative that Congress ~ especially those
members who say they are for civil rights but against
affirmative action ~ give us the funds necessary to enforce
the law. Those funds are in my balanced budget, aadlhey
should be appropriated, and soon.
Our third imperative is in many ways the most
difficult of all:, we must build m oomimMW^Jbased on
w
respect for diwunaity and shared values.
We must begin a candid conversation on the state of
race relations today, and the implications of
diversity on iwentan life; ^
24
�-.. . ^
-—
: ..u
,. ...-,r
-
^........ •
f
..
~\r~ — •
~<
-
t
And we must be honest with each other. We have
talked at each other and about each other; it's high time
we began talking with each other. Over the coming year I
want to lead the American people in a great and
""^^^^
unprecedented conversation about race.
I have asked one of America's greatest scholars, Dr.
John Hope Franklin, to chair an advisory panel of seven
distinguished Americans. He will be joined by former
Governors Thomas Kean of New Jersey and William
Winter of Mississippi, both champions of civil rights . . .
by Linda Chavez-Thompson, [Vice President] of the AFLA
CIO; Suzan Johnson Cook, a ministerfromthe Bronx;
Angela Oh, an attorney and Los Angeles community
2§
�leader; and Robert Thomas, CEO of Nissan USA ~
distinguished citizens, leaders in their community, who
will work with me.
I want this panel to help educate Americans about the
facts surrounding issues of race, promote a dialogue in
every community in the land to confront and work through
these issues; to recruit and encourage leadership at all
levels to help breach racial divides; and to find, develop,
and recommend how to implement concrete solutions to
our problems » solutions that will involve all of us in
government, business, communities, and as individual
citizens.
26
�,7
Itt-fine y^u 3 tkic I wilHrcport diihiiHy to the
American people about wharHiavOTound and what
actions we\must take to move our nation forward. This
board will seek out and listen to Americansfromall races
and all walks of life. They are performing a great act of
citizen service. But in the cause of building that one
America, all citizens must serve. As I said at the
Presidents' Summit on Service in Philadelphia, in our new
era, such acts of service are basic acts of citizenship.
Government can and must play its role. But much of the
work must be done by the American people as citizen
servants. The very effort will strengthen us and bring us
closer together.
27
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^
, r , , SEEN
A
I know that honest dialogue and exchange will not be
easy atfirst.We need to get past defensiveness, fear,
political correctness and other barriers to honesty.
Emotions may be rubbed raw, but we must begin.
What do we wantfromall this? If we achieve
nothing more than talk, that will be too little. If we do
nothing but propose disconnected acts of policy, that will
be too little. But if 10 yearsfromnow, people can look
back and see that this year of honest dialogue and
concerted action helped to lift the heavy burden of race
from our children's future, we will have given a precious
gift to America^.
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�Conclusion: one America for the 21st Century
You will have a greater opportunity to live your
dreams than any generation in our history - if we can
make of our many different strands, One America, a
nation at peace with itself, bound together by shared
values, shared aspirations, shored opportunities and mutua
respect for our differences.
I am a Scotch-Irish Southern Baptist, and proud of it.
But my life has been enriched by the power of the Torah,
the beauty of the Koran, the piercing wisdom of the
religions ~ all embraced by my fellow Americans.
29
�THE --•~"".\
'
v -zV
I have felt indescribable joy and peace in black and
Pentecostal churches. I have come to love the
intensity/of Hispanic Americans^ I am a different person
because of the Greek and-fetlliL aLRj[Slavit Ameiie^s-[
have known. In each land I have visited as your
President, I have felt more at home because some of their
eople have found a home in America.
Living in islands of isolation ~ some splendid, some
sordid ~ is not the American way. Basing our self-esteem
on the ability to look down on others is not the American
way. Being satisfied if we have what we want, and
heedless of others who do not have what they need and
deserve, is not the American way.
10
�yuc uocrn^f -.^S S E
EN
If we cannot build our One America now, at the
moment of our greatest prosperity, at the pinnacle of our
influence in the world, when can we? If we cannot build
one America now, when we know we don't have a person
to waste, when can we? If we cannot build one America
now, when we see, from Belfast to Bosnia, from Rwanda
to the West Bank, the awful price of hatred and division,
when can we?
For two centuries, wave upon wave of immigrants
have come to our shores, to build a new life, drawn here
by the promise offreedomand a fair chance. Whatever
else they found, even bigotry or violence, most of them
never gave up on America.
�Q
,
!
THE r .E3;^':v':" "AS SEEv
Even African-Americans ~ the first of whom were
T
brought here in chains - never gave up on America. It is
up to you to prove their abiding faith was well placed.
We have torn down the barriers in our laws. Now we
must break down the barriers in our lives, our minds and
our hearts. More than 30 years ago, at the high tide of the
civil rights movement, the Kemer Commission said that
we were becoming two Americas, one black, one white,
s
separate and unequal. Today, we face a/phoice: will we
become, not two, but many Americas, separate, unequal
and isolated. Or will we draw strengthfromall our people
and our ancient faith in equality and human dignity, to
become the world'sfirsttruly multiracial democracy?
ll
�THE r - ' ^ ' r
-AS SEE?'
That is the unfinished work of our times: to lift the
burden of race, and redeem the promise of America.
Class of 1997,1 grew up in the shadows of a divided
America. I have seen glimpses of one America. That is
the America you must make ~ it begins with your dreams.
So, dream large.
live your dreams. Challenge your
parents. And teach your children well.
We can be, we must be, one America.
# # #
�RECESSIONAL
STAGE LEFT
1 L. CLINTON
1 L. DYNES
1 MINUTE PAUSE
STAGE LEFT
STAGE RIGHT
2L. CRAIG
2 R. ANAGNOSTOPOULOS
3L. LYTLE
3 R. JOHNSON
4L. JORDAN
4 R. ATKINSON
5 L. LEDDEN
5 R. NARANJO
6L. BOND
6R. FILNER
7L. FEINBERG
7 R. BOXER
8 L,. ATTIYEH
8 R. DAVIS
9L. LEVIN
9 R. SS
10 L. RUSSELL
10 R. RICHARDSON
11 L. KESSLER
11 R MAYER
12 L. BRAVIN
12 R. WATSON
13 L. PREUSS
13 R. DARLING
14 L. MONTOYA
15L. CONNERLY
16 L. CASERIO
17 L. MCGILL
18 L. YORK
G:\USEJlS\MWILSOWWKl\ajWlENTCUNRECT.Wro
�T H E
TO COME
PRESIDEN T HAS SEEN
What we must do
- opportunity (hid. education & affirmative action)
- responsibility (crime/criminal justice issues, civil rights enforcement)
- dialogue to build a stronger community - including service
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
^
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�THE P E I E T H S S E
R SD N A E N
Let me give you just one example. According to a recent Gallup Poll, substantial numbers
of both blacks and whites think that the black population is somewhere between 20 and 49%. In
fact, it's 12%/
Here are some more facts.
^
It simply isn't true that immigrants don't want to leam English. In some cities, classes
teaching English as a second language classes run 24 hours a day.
^ Most people on welfare . . . are white. V x t u ^ i l * u 9J>^ U I ^ M ^
WAA
' The people most at risk of being victimized by crime ... are black.
And while the black middle class has grown fourfold since Dr. King's murder, the rate of
poverty among black children is the same «-etrt-eff from tho work and valuos-that-shope-om;
-uouqy, idliuig piij' lu UK, uiUiiy-pdUUiMuuii. ii inl j |
icty, falling pii^ tu tin, uuny-patlu juuii. i f
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ly.
ly.
^&MUA!iijOlvc thi. ohiiua ^Ljjuwliijiuin Uui juaiuly, luni7w^aag3a^4ic£saBto
the
ta^e-of opportunity, and how we IpaTn tn hotter live topjether will ultimately determinehow we
^te-j^Ti5SonjiDdar^ene£gtIons io come and whcthm-wff f.an tnify rnmp
\c\^\\^xj^dnp
�We will begin with a c candid, far-ranging
examination of the issues of race and diversity. We must,
recognize that we cannot come to solutions or even truly
identify our problems unless we are willing to be honest
with each other. It's time to let down our guards, and to
be honest with people differentfromourselves. We have
talked at each other and about each other. It is high time
we begin talking with each other.
Many of the facts may surprise you.
Let me give
you just one example. According to a recent Gallup Poll,
substantial numbers of both blacks and whites think that
the black population is somewhere between 20 and 49%.
In fact, it's 12%.
21
�Here are some more facts.
It simply isn't true that immigrants don't want to
leam English. In some cities, classes teaching English as
a second language classes go late into the night.
Most people on welfare ... are white.
The people most at risk of being victimized by violent
crime... are black.
24
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Michael Waldman
Description
An account of the resource
<p>Michael Waldman was Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting from 1995-1999. His responsibilities were writing and editing nearly 2,000 speeches, which included four State of the Union speeches and two Inaugural Addresses. From 1993 -1995 he served as Special Assistant to the President for Policy Coordination.</p>
<p>The collection generally consists of copies of speeches and speech drafts, talking points, memoranda, background material, correspondence, reports, handwritten notes, articles, clippings, and presidential schedules. A large volume of this collection was for the State of the Union speeches. Many of the speech drafts are heavily annotated with additions or deletions. There are a lot of articles and clippings in this collection.</p>
<p>Due to the size of this collection it has been divided into two segments. Use links below for access to the individual segments:<br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0469-F+Segment+1">Segment One</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0469-F+Segment+2">Segment Two</a></p>
Creator
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Michael Waldman
Office of Speechwriting
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1993-1999
Identifier
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2006-0469-F
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
Segment One contains 1071 folders in 72 boxes.
Segment Two contains 868 folders in 66 boxes.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[University of California at San Diego (UCSD) and Misc. Speeches and Drafts]: UCSD Drafts w/POTUS Remarks
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
Michael Waldman
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 53
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36404"> Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7763296">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0469-F Segment 2
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Preservation-Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
6/3/2015
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
7763296
42-t-7763296-20060469F-Seg2-053-001-2015