2014奥巴马感恩节演讲
Weekly Address: Happy Thanksgiving from the Obama Family
奥巴马每周电视演讲：祝大家感恩节快乐
November 27, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving and reflected on the history of our country and its celebration of diversity. He gave thanks for the many Americans who sacrifice every day, from volunteer workers who serve their communities, to men and women in uniform who serve us all. On Thanksgiving, a holiday that is uniquely American, he reminded us to focus on what unites -- our commitment to American ideals like justice and equality and our gratitude and love for our country.
华盛顿 20xx年11月27日——在本周的电视演讲中，奥巴马总统祝大家感恩节快乐，并着重强调美国的历史和文化的多样性。
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
November 27, 2014
On behalf of the Obama family -- Michelle, Malia, Sasha, Bo, and Sunny -- I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. Like many of you, we'll spend the day with family and friends, catching up, eating some good food and watching a little football. Before we lift a fork, we lend a hand by going out in the community to serve some of our neighbors in need. And we give thanks for each other, and for all of God's blessings.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because, more than any other, it is uniquely American. Each of us brings our own traditions and cultures and recipes to the table -- but we all share this day, united by the gratitude for the bounty of this nation. And we welcome the contributions of all people -- no matter their origin or color or beliefs -- who call America home, and who enrich the life of our nation. It is a creed as old as our founding: "E pluribus unum" -- that our of many, we are one.
We are reminded that this creed, and America itself, was never an inevitability, but the result of ordinary people in every generation doing their part to uphold our founding ideals -- by taking the blessings of freedom, and multiplying them for those who would follow. As President Kennedy once wrote, even as we give thanks for all that we've inherited from those who came before us -- "the decency of purpose, steadfastness of resolve and strength of will, for the courage and the humility, which they posessed," we must also remember that "the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them."
Today, we are grateful to all Americans who do their part to live by those ideals, including our brave men and women in uniform overseas and their families, who sacrifice so much to keep America safe. To our service members who are away from home, we say an extra prayer for you and your loved ones, and we renew our commitment to take care of you as well as you've taken care of us.
We are grateful to the countless Americans who serve their communities in soup kitchens and
shelters, looking out for those who are less fortunate, and lifting up those who have fallen on hard times. This generosity, this compassion, this belief that we are each other's keepers, is essential to who we are, not just on this day, but every day.
It's easy to focus on what separates us. But as we gather with loved ones on this Thanksgiving, let's remember and be grateful for what binds us together. Our love of country. Our commitment to justice and equality. Our belief that America's best days are ahead, and that her destiny is ours to shape -- and that our inherited ideals must be the birthright of all of our children.
That's what today is all about: that out of many, we are one. Thank you, God bless you, and from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.
The origin of Thanksgiving Day
In August 1620, the Mayflower, a 180-ton ship, set sail from Southampton, England. After difficulties with the vessel, resulting in her return to port, finally the voyage began. Her 103 passengers were to become some of the founding pilgrims of the United States of America, and the creators of one of this nation’s most popular holidays.
After weeks of plowing through the tumultuous Atlantic waters, battling strong winds, pounding waves and a number of problems with their vessel, the pilgrims spotted Cape Cod, off the coast of Massachusetts. The stormy weather was brewing so strongly, that they had arrived there by accident. Their intended location was off the Virginia coast, where other pilgrims had begun colonies.
Before anchoring at Plymouth Rock and disembarking to explore the territory, the pilgrims devised the “Mayflower Compact.” This was to serve as the basis for governing their new colony, where all would have the freedom to worship God as they chose.
The Compact stated: “We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign lord King James…Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant, and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names; Cape Cod, the 11th of November…” (Winslow, Mourt’s Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, 1622).
The next few months would prove to be difficult and trying. Of the original 103 pilgrims, only 56 survived the first, long, bleak New England winter. Often, two or three people would die in one day due to infection and sickness.
But, with the approaching of spring came new hope. The survivors built homes and planted crops. They made friendships with local Indian tribes, and traded with them. The passing of winter allowed the pilgrims to labor and produce, causing the colony to flourish.
After reaping their first harvest in the fall of 1621, the pilgrims dedicated a day for thanking God
for the bounty He had blessed them with. They had endured the many hardships that came with pioneering a new land. They toiled through building an entire colony from what was simply wilderness. They were at peace with their neighbors. And they were especially grateful for their harvest. This allowed them to gather and store plenteous food and crops for the long and brutal winter ahead.
Their governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving towards God. They prepared a great feast to enjoy with family and friends—both from within the colony and with neighboring Indian tribes.
The following quotes demonstrate Mr. Bradford’s and the colony’s gratitude and thankfulness for God’s protection and blessings:
“Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element.”
In reminiscing upon the colony’s success, Mr. Bradford continues, “Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled has shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of [God] have all the praise.”
Clearly, the pilgrims of the Plymouth colony gave God all the credit for all that they had. Notice the many references to God, and their acknowledgement of how He granted them so many blessings. The pilgrim’s beliefs were firmly entrenched in the realization of God’s presence and intervention in their everyday lives. Thanksgiving Day began because of this belief. It is a day dedicated to giving thanks to God for the many things we often take for granted today.
Over the years, many colonies did keep Thanksgiving, but they kept various other days of thanksgiving, at different times of the year. It is a popular misconception that the pilgrims kept Thanksgiving on the same day each year following the first celebration in 1621, and that the other colonies began keeping that same day. In truth, it was a tradition always used to highlight and show gratitude for important events, such as bountiful harvests, victories in battle, etc. Whenever these took place, the colony called for the celebration of a day of thanksgiving.
In the late 1700s, during the American Revolution, the Continental Congresses suggested the yearly observance of a day of national thanksgiving, in hopes to unite factious states.
In 1817, the state of New York adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual holiday. By the mid-1800s, other states likewise adopted the practice. In 1863, President Lincoln appointed it as a national holiday, and gave a Thanksgiving proclamation. Each president since then has issued a proclamation, announcing the celebration of this day.
感恩节是美国人的一个重要节日。每年１１月的第四个星期四，美国家庭都要举行丰盛的感恩宴。最常见的传统食品有火鸡、南瓜馅饼和玉米面做的印第安布丁。一些美国人在这一天或举家出游，或探亲访友，尽情享受天伦之乐。感恩节期间，美国城乡都要举行化装游行、戏剧表演和射击、打靶等体育比赛。一些美国家庭、宗教组织及慈善机构还为穷人、孤儿及流浪者们提供免费的火鸡宴，让那些不幸的人们在感恩节里也得到一份人间的温暖。
感恩节起源于马萨诸塞普利茅斯的早期移民。这些移民在英国本土时被称为清教徒，因为他们对英国教会的宗教改革不彻底感到不满，以及英王及英国教会对他们的政治镇压和宗教迫害，所以这些清教徒脱离英国教会，远走荷兰，后来决定迁居到大西洋彼岸那片荒无人烟的土地上，希望能按照自己的意愿信教
自由地生活。
１６２０年９月，“五月花号”轮船载着１０２名清教徒及其家属离开英国驶向北美大陆，经过两个多月的艰苦航行，在马萨诸塞的普利茅斯登陆上岸，从此定居下来。第一个冬天，由于食物不足、天气寒冷、传染病肆虐和过度劳累，这批清教徒一下子死去了一半以上。第二年春天，当地印第安部落酋长马萨索德带领心地善良的印第安人，给了清教徒谷物种子，并教他们打猎、种植庄稼、捕鱼等。在印第安人的帮助下，清教徒们当年获得了大丰收。首任总督威廉·布莱德福为此建议设立一个节日，庆祝丰收，感谢上帝的恩赐。同时，还想借此节日加强白人与印第安人的和睦关系。１６２１年１１月下旬的星期四，清教徒们和马萨索德带来的９０名印第安人欢聚一堂，庆祝美国历史上第一个感恩节。男性清教徒外出打猎、捕捉火鸡，女人们则在家里用玉米、南瓜、红薯和果子等做成美味佳肴。就这样，白人和印第安人围着篝火，边吃边聊，还载歌载舞，整个庆祝活动持续了三天。
从此以后，移居美国的欧洲人基本上沿袭了北美大陆上的第一次感恩节庆祝活动的形式。１７８９年，美国第一任总统华盛顿正式规定，１１月２６日为第一个全国统一庆祝的感恩节。但是，在相当长一段时间里，各州都视自己的情况规定节日日期。１９４１年，美国国会经罗斯福总统批准通过一项法案，宣布每年１１月的第四个星期四为全国的感恩节。