We have a choice. We can shape our future, or let events shape it for us. And if we want to succeed, we can't fall back on the stale debates and old divides that won't move us forward.
Barack ObamaThis idea that America is somehow on the verge of collapse, this vision of violence and chaos everywhere, doesn't really jibe with the experience of most people.
Barack ObamaIslam has always been a part of Americaโs story.... And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States.
Barack ObamaMany of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is Barack is actually Swahili for 'That One.' And I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn't think I'd ever run for president.
Barack ObamaI donโt believe it is possible to transcend race in this country. Race is a factor in this society. The legacy of Jim Crow and slavery has not gone away. It is not an accident that African-Americans experience high crime rates, are poor, and have less wealth. It is a direct result of our racial history.
Barack ObamaThey will tell you that the Americans who sleep in the streets and beg for food got there because theyโre all lazy or weak of spirit. That the inner-city children who are trapped in dilapidated schools canโt learn and wonโt learn and so we should just give up on them entirely. That the innocent people being slaughtered and expelled from their homes half a world away are somebody elseโs problem to take care of.
Barack Obama