January20,1965:InauguralAddressofLyndonBainesJohnson

Myfellowcountrymen,onthisoccasion,theoathIhavetakenbeforeyouandbeforeGodisnotminealone,butourstogether.Weareonenationandonepeople.Ourfateasanationandourfutureasapeoplerestnotupononecitizen,butuponallcitizens.Thisisthemajestyandthemeaningofthismoment.Foreverygeneration,thereisadestiny.Forsome,historydecides.Forthisgeneration,thechoicemustbeourown.Evennow,arocketmovestowardMars.Itremindsusthattheworldwillnotbethesameforourchildren,orevenforourselvesinashortspanofyears.Thenextmantostandherewilllookoutonascenedifferentfromourown,becauseoursisatimeofchange--rapidandfantasticchangebearingthesecretsofnature,multiplyingthenations,placinginuncertainhandsnewweaponsformasteryanddestruction,shakingoldvalues,anduprootingoldways.Ourdestinyinthemidstofchangewillrestontheunchangedcharacterofourpeople,andontheirfaith.THEAMERICANCOVENANTTheycamehere--theexileandthestranger,bravebutfrightened--tofindaplacewhereamancouldbehisownman.Theymadeacovenantwiththisland.Conceivedinjustice,writteninliberty,boundinunion,itwasmeantonedaytoinspirethehopesofallmankind;anditbindsusstill.Ifwekeepitsterms,weshallflourish.JUSTICEANDCHANGEFirst,justicewasthepromisethatallwhomadethejourneywouldshareinthefruitsoftheland.Inalandofgreatwealth,familiesmustnotliveinhopelesspoverty.Inalandrichinharvest,childrenjustmustnotgohungry.Inalandofhealingmiracles,neighborsmustnotsufferanddieunattended.Inagreatlandoflearningandscholars,youngpeoplemustbetaughttoreadandwrite.Forthemorethan30yearsthatIhaveservedthisNation,Ihavebelievedthatthisinjusticetoourpeople,thiswasteofourresources,wasourrealenemy.For30yearsormore,withtheresourcesIhavehad,Ihavevigilantlyfoughtagainstit.Ihavelearned,andIknow,thatitwillnotsurrendereasily.Butchangehasgivenusnewweapons.BeforethisgenerationofAmericansisfinished,thisenemywillnotonlyretreat--itwillbeconquered.Justicerequiresustorememberthatwhenanycitizendenieshisfellow,saying,quot;Hiscolorisnotmine,quot;orquot;Hisbeliefsarestrangeanddifferent,quot;inthatmomenthebetraysAmerica,thoughhisforebearscreatedthisNation.LIBERTYANDCHANGELibertywasthesecondarticleofourcovenant.Itwasself-government.ItwasourBillofRights.Butitwasmore.Americawouldbeaplacewhereeachmancouldbeproudtobehimself:stretchinghistalents,rejoicinginhiswork,importantinthelifeofhisneighborsandhisnation.Thishasbecomemoredifficultinaworldwherechangeandgrowthseemtotowerbeyondthecontrolandeventhejudgmentofmen.Wemustworktoprovidetheknowledgeandthesurroundingswhichcanenlargethepossibilitiesofeverycitizen.TheAmericancovenantcalledonustohelpshowthewayfortheliberationofman.Andthatistodayourgoal.Thus,ifasanationthereismuchoutsideourcontrol,asapeoplenostrangerisoutsideourhope.Changehasbroughtnewmeaningtothatoldmission.Wecanneveragainstandaside,pridefulinisolation.Terrificdangersandtroublesthatweoncecalledquot;foreignquot;nowconstantlyliveamongus.IfAmericanlivesmustend,andAmericantreasurebespilled,incountrieswebarelyknow,thatisthepricethatchangehasdemandedofconvictionandofourenduringcovenant.ThinkofourworldasitlooksfromtherocketthatisheadingtowardMars.Itislikeachildx27;sglobe,hanginginspace,thecontinentsstucktoitssidelikecoloredmaps.Weareallfellowpassengersonadotofearth.Andeachofus,inthespanoftime,hasreallyonlyamomentamongourcompanions.Howincredibleitisthatinthisfragileexistence,weshouldhateanddestroyoneanother.Therearepossibilitiesenoughforallwhowillabandonmasteryoverotherstopursuemasteryovernature.Thereisworldenoughforalltoseektheirhappinessintheirownway.OurNationx27;scourseisabundantlyclear.Weaspiretonothingthatbelongstoothers.Weseeknodominionoverourfellowman.butmanx27;sdominionovertyrannyandmisery.Butmoreisrequired.Menwanttobeapartofacommonenterprise--acausegreaterthanthemselves.EachofusmustfindawaytoadvancethepurposeoftheNation,thusfindingnewpurposeforourselves.Withoutthis,weshallbecomeanationofstrangers.UNIONANDCHANGEThethirdarticlewasunion.Tothosewhoweresmallandfewagainstthewilderness,thesuccessoflibertydemandedthestrengthofunion.Twocenturiesofchangehavemadethistrueagain.Nolongerneedcapitalistandworker,farmerandclerk,cityandcountryside,struggletodivideourbounty.Byworkingshouldertoshoulder,togetherwecanincreasethebountyofall.Wehavediscoveredthateverychildwholearns,everymanwhofindswork,everysickbodythatismadewhole--likeacandleaddedtoanaltar--brightensthehopeofallthefaithful.Soletusrejectanyamonguswhoseektoreopenoldwoundsandtorekindleoldhatreds.Theystandinthewayofaseekingnation.Letusnowjoinreasontofaithandactiontoexperience,totransformourunityofinterestintoaunityofpurpose.Forthehourandthedayandthetimeareheretoachieveprogresswithoutstrife,toachievechangewithouthatred--notwithoutdifferenceofopinion,butwithoutthedeepandabidingdivisionswhichscartheunionforgenerations.THEAMERICANBELIEFUnderthiscovenantofjustice,liberty,andunionwehavebecomeanation--prosperous,great,andmighty.Andwehavekeptourfreedom.ButwehavenopromisefromGodthatourgreatnesswillendure.WehavebeenallowedbyHimtoseekgreatnesswiththesweatofourhandsandthestrengthofourspirit.IdonotbelievethattheGreatSocietyistheordered,changeless,andsterilebattalionoftheants.Itistheexcitementofbecoming--alwaysbecoming,trying,probing,falling,resting,andtryingagain--butalwaystryingandalwaysgaining.Ineachgeneration,withtoilandtears,wehavehadtoearnourheritageagain.Ifwefailnow,weshallhaveforgotteninabundancewhatwelearnedinhardship:thatdemocracyrestsonfaith,thatfreedomasksmorethanitgives,andthatthejudgmentofGodisharshestonthosewhoaremostfavored.Ifwesucceed,itwillnotbebecauseofwhatwehave,butitwillbebecauseofwhatweare;notbecauseofwhatweown,but,ratherbecauseofwhatwebelieve.Forweareanationofbelievers.Underneaththeclamorofbuildingandtherushofourdayx27;spursuits,wearebelieversinjusticeandlibertyandunion,andinourownUnion.Webelievethateverymanmustsomedaybefree.Andwebelieveinourselves.Ourenemieshavealwaysmadethesamemistake.Inmylifetime--indepressionandinwar--theyhaveawaitedourdefeat.Eachtime,fromthesecretplacesoftheAmericanheart,cameforththefaiththeycouldnotseeorthattheycouldnotevenimagine.Itbroughtusvictory.Anditwillagain.ForthisiswhatAmericaisallabout.Itistheuncrosseddesertandtheunclimbedridge.Itisthestarthatisnotreachedandtheharvestsleepingintheunplowedground.Isourworldgone?Wesayquot;Farewell.quot;Isanewworldcoming?Wewelcomeit--andwewillbendittothehopesofman.Tothesetrustedpublicservantsandtomyfamilyandthoseclosefriendsofminewhohavefollowedmedownalong,windingroad,andtoallthepeopleofthisUnionandtheworld,IwillrepeattodaywhatIsaidonthatsorrowfuldayinNovember1963:quot;IwillleadandIwilldothebestIcan.quot;Butyoumustlookwithinyourownheartstotheoldpromisesandtotheolddream.Theywillleadyoubestofall.Formyself,Iaskonly,inthewordsofanancientleader:quot;Givemenowwisdomandknowledge,thatImaygooutandcomeinbeforethispeople:forwhocanjudgethisthypeople,thatissogreat?quot;