home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
Text File | 2000-02-19 | 16.1 KB | 324 lines | [TEXT/ttxt] |
- **Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
-
- **Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**
-
- *These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations*
-
-
- **The Project Gutenberg Etext of Kennedy's Inaugural Address**
- *******This file should be named jfk11.txt or jfk11.zip*******
-
- Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, jfk11.txt
- VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, jfk11a.txt
-
-
- [Etext #3] November 22, 1973, 10th Anniversary of Assassination
- [Officially rereleased for November 22, 1993, 30th Anniversary]
-
- We apologize for the fact that the legal small print is longer,
- and more complicated, than the Etext itself, our legal beagles,
- of whom there are now a half dozen or so, insist this must be a
- part of any Project Gutenberg Etext we post, for our protection
- from the rest of the legal beagles out there. The US has twice
- as many lawyers as the rest of the world combined!
-
- You are free to delete the headers and just keep the Etexts, we
- are not free not to post it this way. Again my apologies. The
- normal Project Gutenberg blurb has been deleted, you can get it
- in this location in most Project Gutenberg Etexts. Thanks, mh
-
- We will rerelease all of the early short Project Gutenberg text
- files combined as one file, with only one header, as requested,
- by several of the organizations reposting our books, who should
- like to save space and time for themselves and their readers.
-
-
- ***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START***
- Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers.
- They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with
- your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from
- someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our
- fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement
- disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how
- you can distribute copies of this etext if you want to.
-
- *BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT
- By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm
- etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept
- this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive
- a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by
- sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person
- you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical
- medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request.
-
- ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS
- This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-
- tm etexts, is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor
- Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at
- Illinois Benedictine College (the "Project"). Among other
- things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright
- on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and
- distribute it in the United States without permission and
- without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth
- below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext
- under the Project's "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark.
-
- To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable
- efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain
- works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any
- medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other
- things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or
- corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
- intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged
- disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer
- codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.
-
- LIMTED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES
- But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below,
- [1] the Project (and any other party you may receive this
- etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims all
- liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including
- legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR
- UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT,
- INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE
- OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE
- POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
-
- If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of
- receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any)
- you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that
- time to the person you received it from. If you received it
- on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and
- such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement
- copy. If you received it electronically, such person may
- choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to
- receive it electronically.
-
- THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER
- WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS
- TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT
- LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
- PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
-
- Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or
- the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the
- above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you
- may have other legal rights.
-
- INDEMNITY
- You will indemnify and hold the Project, its directors,
- officers, members and agents harmless from all liability, cost
- and expense, including legal fees, that arise directly or
- indirectly from any of the following that you do or cause:
- [1] distribution of this etext, [2] alteration, modification,
- or addition to the etext, or [3] any Defect.
-
- DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm"
- You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by
- disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this
- "Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg,
- or:
-
- [1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this
- requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the
- etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however,
- if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable
- binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form,
- including any form resulting from conversion by word pro-
- cessing or hypertext software, but only so long as
- *EITHER*:
-
- [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and
- does *not* contain characters other than those
- intended by the author of the work, although tilde
- (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may
- be used to convey punctuation intended by the
- author, and additional characters may be used to
- indicate hypertext links; OR
-
- [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at
- no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent
- form by the program that displays the etext (as is
- the case, for instance, with most word processors);
- OR
-
- [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at
- no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the
- etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC
- or other equivalent proprietary form).
-
- [2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this
- "Small Print!" statement.
-
- [3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the
- net profits you derive calculated using the method you
- already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you
- don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are
- payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois
- Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each
- date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare)
- your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return.
-
- WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO?
- The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time,
- scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty
- free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution
- you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg
- Association / Illinois Benedictine College".
-
- This "Small Print!" by Charles B. Kramer, Attorney
- Internet (72600.2026@compuserve.com); TEL: (212-254-5093)
- *END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*
-
-
- All of the original Project Gutenberg Etexts from the
- 1970's were produced in ALL CAPS, no lower case. The
- computers we used then didn't have lower case at all.
-
-
- This is a retranscription of one of the first Project
- Gutenberg Etexts, offically dated November 22, 1973--
- and now officially re-released on November 22, 1993--
- on the 30th anniversary of his assassination.
-
-
-
- ***The Project Gutenberg Etext of Kennedy's Inaugural Address**
-
- JFK's Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961, 12:11 EST
-
-
- We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom. . .
- symbolizing an end as well as a beginning. . .signifying renewal
- as well as change for I have sworn before you and Almighty God
- the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century
- and three-quarters ago.
-
- The world is very different now, for man holds in his mortal hands
- the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.
- And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought
- are still at issue around the globe. . .the belief that the rights of man
- come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.
- We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution.
-
- Let the word go forth from this time and place. . .to friend and foe alike. . .
- that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans. . .
- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace,
- proud of our ancient heritage. . .and unwilling to witness or permit the slow
- undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed,
- and to which we are committed today. . .at home and around the world.
-
- Let every nation know. . .whether it wishes us well or ill. . .
- that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
- support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and
- the success of liberty. This much we pledge. . .and more.
-
- To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share:
- we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United. . .there is
- little we cannot do in a host of co-operative ventures.
- Divided. . .there is little we can do. . .for we dare not meet
- a powerful challenge, at odds, and split asunder.
- To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free:
- we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not
- have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.
- We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view.
- But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their
- own freedom. . .and to remember that. . .in the past. . .those who
- foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
- To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe
- struggling to break the bonds of mass misery: we pledge our best
- efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period
- is required. . .not because the Communists may be doing it,
- not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.
- If a free society cannot help the many who are poor,
- it cannot save the few who are rich.
-
- To our sister republics south of our border: we offer a special pledge. . .
- to convert our good words into good deeds. . .in a new alliance for progress
- . . .to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of
- poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of
- hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them
- to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. . .and let
- every other power know that this hemisphere intends to remain the master
- of its own house.
-
- To that world assembly of sovereign states: the United Nations. . .
- our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war
- have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge
- of support. . .to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for
- invective. . .to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak. . .
- and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
-
- Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversaries,
- we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew
- the quest for peace; before the dark powers of destruction unleashed
- by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
- We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient
- beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.
- But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from
- our present course. . .both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons,
- both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing
- to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of Mankind's
- final war.
-
- So let us begin anew. . .remembering on both sides that civility
- is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof.
- Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.
- Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring
- those problems which divide us. Let both sides, for the first time,
- formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and
- control of arms. . .and bring the absolute power to destroy
- other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
- Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead
- of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the
- deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage
- the arts and commerce. Let both sides unite to heed in all corners
- of the earth the command of Isaiah. . .to "undo the heavy burdens. . .
- let the oppressed go free."
-
- And if a beachhead of co-operation may push back the jungle of suspicion. . .
- let both sides join in creating not a new balance of power. . .
- but a new world of law. . .where the strong are just. . .
- and the weak secure. . .and the peace preserved. . . .
-
- All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days.
- Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days. . .
- nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps
- in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
-
- In your hands, my fellow citizens. . .more than mine. . .will rest the
- final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded,
- each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony
- to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered
- the call to service surround the globe. Now the trumpet summons us again. . .
- not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need. . .not as a call to battle. . .
- though embattled we are. . .but a call to bear the burden of a long
- twilight struggle. . .year in and year out, rejoicing in hope,
- patient in tribulation. . .a struggle against the common enemies of man:
- tyranny. . .poverty. . .disease. . .and war itself. Can we forge against
- these enemies a grand and global alliance. . .North and South. . .
- East and West. . .that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind?
- Will you join in that historic effort?
-
- In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted
- the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger; I do not shrink
- from this responsibility. . .I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us
- would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.
- The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor
- will light our country and all who serve it. . .and the glow from
- that fire can truly light the world.
-
- And so, my fellow Americans. . .ask not what your country can
- do for you. . .ask what you can do for your country. My fellow
- citizens of the world. . .ask not what America will do for you,
- but what together we can do for the Freedom of Man.
-
- Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world,
- ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice
- which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward,
- with history the final judge of our deeds; let us go forth to lead
- the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that
- here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
-
-
-