[七月名言選] 相信你可以改變

美國民主黨候選人歐巴馬於7月24日柏林，對著二十萬群眾的演講
茲摘譯如下:


1948年六月二十四，柏林是東西方交會的地點。共產黨試圖在這個城市堵住西方的勢力，切斷兩百萬德國人民的食物與補給，撲滅柏林的最後一絲自由的火苗。

The size of our forces was no match for the much larger Soviet Army. And yet retreat would have allowed Communism to march across Europe. Where the last war had ended, another World War could have easily begun. All that stood in the way was Berlin.

自由世界的勢力無法與龐大的蘇維埃軍隊抗衡，然而撤退視同默許共產主義橫掃歐洲。二戰方休，另外一次大戰更是山雨欲來。而柏林，就在中間進退維谷。

And that's when the airlift began - when the largest and most unlikely rescue in history brought food and hope to the people of this city.

於是空投運補開始了，最不可能而且史無前例的大規模的食物帶來了希望，降臨在這座城市的人們身上。

The odds were stacked against success. In the winter, a heavy fog filled the sky above, and many planes were forced to turn back without dropping off the needed supplies. The streets where we stand were filled with hungry families who had no comfort from the cold.

然而命運卻是如此的乖桀多變。在冬天，許多運輸機因為天空中佈滿著濃霧，無法投遞所需的物資而無功而返。街道上擠著飢餓受凍的家庭，在寒冷中無以為繼。

But in the darkest hours, the people of Berlin kept the flame of hope burning. The people of Berlin refused to give up. And on one fall day, hundreds of thousands of Berliners came here, to the Tiergarten, and heard the city's mayor implore the world not to give up on freedom. "There is only one possibility," he said. "For us to stand together united until this battle is won...The people of Berlin have spoken. We have done our duty, and we will keep on doing our duty. People of the world: now do your duty...People of the world, look at Berlin!"

但在最黑暗的那幾個小時裡，柏林的人們堅持著不讓希望的火熾熄滅。柏林的人們拒絕投降，於是在於某個秋日，數以萬計的柏林人聚集在這，提爾達登，齊聽著市長籲請世界的人們不要放棄自由。"機會僅此一次，"市長說，"我們要肩並肩一起打贏這場戰役...柏林人已經發出自由之聲了，我們已經盡了我們應盡的義務，而且將會奮戰不懈。所以，世界的人們，請盡你們的義務，世界的人們啊，請看著柏林!"

Look at Berlin, where Germans and Americans learned to work together and trust each other less than three years after facing each other on the field of battle.

看看柏林，這塊土地上的德國與美國人學著如何互助且互信，在此三年前我們還在戰場上性命相搏鬥、兵戎相見。

Look at Berlin, where the bullet holes in the buildings and the somber stones and pillars near the Brandenburg Gate insist that we never forget our common humanity.

看看柏林，布蘭登堡門這塊土地上，佈滿著彈孔的建築物與遺留的斷垣殘壁宣誓著我們從來未曾遺忘我們共同的人性價值觀。

People of the world - look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one.

世界的人們啊，請看柏林! 高牆倒下，大陸合而為一，而歷史也會證明這世上沒有一樣挑戰是如斯的艱鉅以致於世上的人們不能合眾為一。




* 註解:

一、「相信你可以改變」是歐巴馬的競選口號的縮寫: 「I'm asking you to believe, not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washinton... I'm asking you to believe in yours,.」

二、歐巴馬這次利用網路小額募款，說服選民他與其接受大企業的政治獻金而決定政策不如相信選民，成功地募得競選經費，證明希拉蕊只靠著傳統通路餐會募款失敗。

與麥坎的互動後續有待觀察，請持續密切注意美國總統大選。