I grew up in a small town north of New York City I had the benefit of an
York City I had the benefit of an
York City I had the benefit of an all-american childhood I was a boy scout
all-american childhood I was a boy scout
all-american childhood I was a boy scout I played in the Little League I proudly
I played in the Little League I proudly
I played in the Little League I proudly marched in the town parades every fourth
marched in the town parades every fourth
marched in the town parades every fourth of July and along with all my other
of July and along with all my other
of July and along with all my other classmates every day in grade school I
classmates every day in grade school I
classmates every day in grade school I swore the pledge of allegiance to the
swore the pledge of allegiance to the
swore the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States something you
flag of the United States something you
flag of the United States something you did in the 1950s and it was an
did in the 1950s and it was an
did in the 1950s and it was an extraordinary experience one day on the
extraordinary experience one day on the
extraordinary experience one day on the school playground a group of kids
school playground a group of kids
school playground a group of kids taunted me your father is a communist I
taunted me your father is a communist I
taunted me your father is a communist I went home and asked my father why they
went home and asked my father why they
went home and asked my father why they would say this he was after all a Marine
would say this he was after all a Marine
would say this he was after all a Marine veteran and a Republican lawyer and I
veteran and a Republican lawyer and I
veteran and a Republican lawyer and I knew he was no communist so he sat me
knew he was no communist so he sat me
knew he was no communist so he sat me down on the arm of his chair and he told
down on the arm of his chair and he told
down on the arm of his chair and he told me a story that I’ll never forget
me a story that I’ll never forget
me a story that I’ll never forget a Democratic candidate for school board
a Democratic candidate for school board
a Democratic candidate for school board in our town had been viciously smeared
in our town had been viciously smeared
in our town had been viciously smeared in the town paper for being you guessed
in the town paper for being you guessed
in the town paper for being you guessed it a communist this is the heyday of
it a communist this is the heyday of
it a communist this is the heyday of Senator Joe McCarthy and political
Senator Joe McCarthy and political
Senator Joe McCarthy and political smears like this were being made all
smears like this were being made all
smears like this were being made all across America it was a difficult time
across America it was a difficult time
across America it was a difficult time but my father decided to do something
but my father decided to do something
but my father decided to do something extraordinary he told me that he didn’t
extraordinary he told me that he didn’t
extraordinary he told me that he didn’t know the candidate and he didn’t agree
know the candidate and he didn’t agree
know the candidate and he didn’t agree with many of her positions he was a
with many of her positions he was a
with many of her positions he was a Republican and she was a Democrat but he
Republican and she was a Democrat but he
Republican and she was a Democrat but he wrote a letter to the editor of the
wrote a letter to the editor of the
wrote a letter to the editor of the paper which was widely circulated
paper which was widely circulated
paper which was widely circulated defending her and criticizing the
defending her and criticizing the
defending her and criticizing the McCarthy smear tactics that were being
McCarthy smear tactics that were being
McCarthy smear tactics that were being used against her and saying these were
used against her and saying these were
used against her and saying these were polluting and poisoning the political
polluting and poisoning the political
polluting and poisoning the political atmosphere all across the country
atmosphere all across the country
atmosphere all across the country in the war my father said we fought for
in the war my father said we fought for
in the war my father said we fought for liberty and justice but now it’s time to
liberty and justice but now it’s time to
liberty and justice but now it’s time to stand up for them here at home fast
stand up for them here at home fast
stand up for them here at home fast forward we have a president today who
forward we have a president today who
forward we have a president today who acts and sounds like Joe McCarthy
acts and sounds like Joe McCarthy
acts and sounds like Joe McCarthy smearing minorities and immigrants
smearing minorities and immigrants
smearing minorities and immigrants pushing prejudice and turning people
pushing prejudice and turning people
pushing prejudice and turning people against each other by stirring up fear
against each other by stirring up fear
against each other by stirring up fear and insecurity we have a political
and insecurity we have a political
and insecurity we have a political climate in which those who stand up
climate in which those who stand up
climate in which those who stand up against racism are attacked and we have
against racism are attacked and we have
against racism are attacked and we have a president who blames the victims and
a president who blames the victims and
a president who blames the victims and accuses the media of spreading what he
accuses the media of spreading what he
accuses the media of spreading what he calls fake news now watching my father
calls fake news now watching my father
calls fake news now watching my father stand up against Joe McCarthy inspired
stand up against Joe McCarthy inspired
stand up against Joe McCarthy inspired me to become a human rights lawyer and a
me to become a human rights lawyer and a
me to become a human rights lawyer and a diplomat
diplomat
diplomat and I did and over time I worked as he
and I did and over time I worked as he
and I did and over time I worked as he did to defend liberty and justice today
did to defend liberty and justice today
did to defend liberty and justice today we have an even more dangerous version
we have an even more dangerous version
we have an even more dangerous version of McCarthyism and it’s even more urgent
of McCarthyism and it’s even more urgent
of McCarthyism and it’s even more urgent to stand up against it now over the
to stand up against it now over the
to stand up against it now over the years I’ve seen many kinds of injustice
years I’ve seen many kinds of injustice
years I’ve seen many kinds of injustice all of us have and I’ve learned
all of us have and I’ve learned
all of us have and I’ve learned sometimes the hard way how to respond as
sometimes the hard way how to respond as
sometimes the hard way how to respond as a teenager I saw the brutality the
a teenager I saw the brutality the
a teenager I saw the brutality the brutal reality of racial segregation as
brutal reality of racial segregation as
brutal reality of racial segregation as a young lawyer
a young lawyer
a young lawyer I saw anti-war leaders and civil rights
I saw anti-war leaders and civil rights
I saw anti-war leaders and civil rights leaders attacked for being unpatriotic
leaders attacked for being unpatriotic
leaders attacked for being unpatriotic enemies of the people and when I was a
enemies of the people and when I was a
enemies of the people and when I was a diplomat I saw the slaughter of Rwandan
diplomat I saw the slaughter of Rwandan
diplomat I saw the slaughter of Rwandan Tutsis and Bosnian Muslims by the writ
Tutsis and Bosnian Muslims by the writ
Tutsis and Bosnian Muslims by the writ by the racist leaders of their own
by the racist leaders of their own
by the racist leaders of their own countries now when we are confronted by
countries now when we are confronted by
countries now when we are confronted by extreme injustice like this it’s very
extreme injustice like this it’s very
extreme injustice like this it’s very hard to know what to do life gets in the
hard to know what to do life gets in the
hard to know what to do life gets in the way we
way we
way we think that we’re too busy we don’t think
think that we’re too busy we don’t think
think that we’re too busy we don’t think that we can really make a difference and
that we can really make a difference and
that we can really make a difference and we worry about the impact this getting
we worry about the impact this getting
we worry about the impact this getting involved might have on our careers or
involved might have on our careers or
involved might have on our careers or our families or we might get attacked by
our families or we might get attacked by
our families or we might get attacked by extremists or like my father we may be
extremists or like my father we may be
extremists or like my father we may be smeared in our own hometowns but
smeared in our own hometowns but
smeared in our own hometowns but standing up is important sometimes in
standing up is important sometimes in
standing up is important sometimes in fact often we can have the support of
fact often we can have the support of
fact often we can have the support of others when we stand up when I defended
others when we stand up when I defended
others when we stand up when I defended the anti-war leaders who were attacked
the anti-war leaders who were attacked
the anti-war leaders who were attacked by the Nixon administration I had the
by the Nixon administration I had the
by the Nixon administration I had the support of the ACLU and when later in a
support of the ACLU and when later in a
support of the ACLU and when later in a court case I took the deposition of
court case I took the deposition of
court case I took the deposition of President Nixon I had the backing of a
President Nixon I had the backing of a
President Nixon I had the backing of a federal judge who had reached the
federal judge who had reached the
federal judge who had reached the conclusion that President Nixon had
conclusion that President Nixon had
conclusion that President Nixon had violated the constitutional rights of
violated the constitutional rights of
violated the constitutional rights of American citizens by wiretapping his
American citizens by wiretapping his
American citizens by wiretapping his political enemies so we can often get
political enemies so we can often get
political enemies so we can often get support for standing up but standing up
support for standing up but standing up
support for standing up but standing up is complicated we need to understand
is complicated we need to understand
is complicated we need to understand those with whom we disagree in order to
those with whom we disagree in order to
those with whom we disagree in order to be effective in defending the principles
be effective in defending the principles
be effective in defending the principles for which we stand now later in my
for which we stand now later in my
for which we stand now later in my career just recently I was the president
career just recently I was the president
career just recently I was the president of an International University in
of an International University in
of an International University in Hungary and I faced a hostile government
Hungary and I faced a hostile government
Hungary and I faced a hostile government and in order to defend the academic
and in order to defend the academic
and in order to defend the academic freedom of the University I had to
freedom of the University I had to
freedom of the University I had to engage in a long and difficult dialogue
engage in a long and difficult dialogue
engage in a long and difficult dialogue with this government constantly
with this government constantly
with this government constantly searching for some small areas of common
searching for some small areas of common
searching for some small areas of common ground when I knew we disagreed about
ground when I knew we disagreed about
ground when I knew we disagreed about almost everything else today we need to
almost everything else today we need to
almost everything else today we need to enter into a similar kind of dialogue
enter into a similar kind of dialogue
enter into a similar kind of dialogue with our political opponents in order to
with our political opponents in order to
with our political opponents in order to discuss the differences we have over
discuss the differences we have over
discuss the differences we have over such fundamental issues as liberty and
such fundamental issues as liberty and
such fundamental issues as liberty and justice now over the years I learned the
justice now over the years I learned the
justice now over the years I learned the hard way
hard way
hard way that standing up means never giving up
that standing up means never giving up
that standing up means never giving up even when you fail at first when I was
even when you fail at first when I was
even when you fail at first when I was in the government I worked with others
in the government I worked with others
in the government I worked with others to try to get the u.s. to intervene to
to try to get the u.s. to intervene to
to try to get the u.s. to intervene to stop the killing in Bosnia and Rwanda
stop the killing in Bosnia and Rwanda
stop the killing in Bosnia and Rwanda that I talked about earlier as the
that I talked about earlier as the
that I talked about earlier as the highest US Human Rights official I
highest US Human Rights official I
highest US Human Rights official I traveled to the killing fields and
traveled to the killing fields and
traveled to the killing fields and described what I had witnessed as a
described what I had witnessed as a
described what I had witnessed as a genocide I was criticized back in
genocide I was criticized back in
genocide I was criticized back in Washington and I was told that I had
Washington and I was told that I had
Washington and I was told that I had gone beyond the US policy at the time
gone beyond the US policy at the time
gone beyond the US policy at the time and I was sidelined from further policy
and I was sidelined from further policy
and I was sidelined from further policy discussions but I didn’t give up I knew
discussions but I didn’t give up I knew
discussions but I didn’t give up I knew I was right and by persisting I was able
I was right and by persisting I was able
I was right and by persisting I was able to help establish an International
to help establish an International
to help establish an International Criminal Tribunal that brought some of
Criminal Tribunal that brought some of
Criminal Tribunal that brought some of the people involved in the genocide to
the people involved in the genocide to
the people involved in the genocide to justice and I became the first US
justice and I became the first US
justice and I became the first US official to reach some of the survivors
official to reach some of the survivors
official to reach some of the survivors of the genocide in a town called Streb
of the genocide in a town called Streb
of the genocide in a town called Streb Anissa and their horrific tales of what
Anissa and their horrific tales of what
Anissa and their horrific tales of what had happened to them which they told to
had happened to them which they told to
had happened to them which they told to me ultimately helped change the policy
me ultimately helped change the policy
me ultimately helped change the policy that I was seeking to change all along
that I was seeking to change all along
that I was seeking to change all along now I know and I’ve learned that small
now I know and I’ve learned that small
now I know and I’ve learned that small actions all of us think about what small
actions all of us think about what small
actions all of us think about what small actions we can take small actions can
actions we can take small actions can
actions we can take small actions can make a huge difference Robert Kennedy
make a huge difference Robert Kennedy
make a huge difference Robert Kennedy once gave a famous speech about
once gave a famous speech about
once gave a famous speech about confronting injustice he said each time
confronting injustice he said each time
confronting injustice he said each time a person stands up for an ideal they
a person stands up for an ideal they
a person stands up for an ideal they send forth a tiny ripple of hope and
send forth a tiny ripple of hope and
send forth a tiny ripple of hope and crossing each other from a million
crossing each other from a million
crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring
different centers of energy and daring
different centers of energy and daring these ripples create a mighty current
these ripples create a mighty current
these ripples create a mighty current that can sweep down the highest walls of
that can sweep down the highest walls of
that can sweep down the highest walls of oppression now each of us has the
oppression now each of us has the
oppression now each of us has the capacity to send forth a ripple of hope
capacity to send forth a ripple of hope
capacity to send forth a ripple of hope and these ripples will define who we are
and these ripples will define who we are
and these ripples will define who we are and what we can do together by standing
and what we can do together by standing
and what we can do together by standing up BOTS left hobble the famous Czech
up BOTS left hobble the famous Czech
up BOTS left hobble the famous Czech dissident who was later the president of
dissident who was later the president of
dissident who was later the president of this country was once asked how it was
this country was once asked how it was
this country was once asked how it was that he and other dissidents were able
that he and other dissidents were able
that he and other dissidents were able to confront all powerful regimes when
to confront all powerful regimes when
to confront all powerful regimes when they had no power his answer was very
they had no power his answer was very
they had no power his answer was very simple he said we did what we could and
simple he said we did what we could and
simple he said we did what we could and when we did what we could we found that
when we did what we could we found that
when we did what we could we found that we could do a little more so we did a
we could do a little more so we did a
we could do a little more so we did a little more now today that promise of
little more now today that promise of
little more now today that promise of liberty and justice that we so loyally
liberty and justice that we so loyally
liberty and justice that we so loyally recited every day in grade school in the
recited every day in grade school in the
recited every day in grade school in the pledge of allegiance to the flag is
pledge of allegiance to the flag is
pledge of allegiance to the flag is under attack from all quarters it’s time
under attack from all quarters it’s time
under attack from all quarters it’s time to stand and defend it standing up means
to stand and defend it standing up means
to stand and defend it standing up means voting voting this year next year
voting voting this year next year
voting voting this year next year voting in all elections it means getting
voting in all elections it means getting
voting in all elections it means getting others to vote it means persisting it
others to vote it means persisting it
others to vote it means persisting it means protesting it means never giving
means protesting it means never giving
means protesting it means never giving up and it means above all what Havel
up and it means above all what Havel
up and it means above all what Havel said which is doing what we can and then
said which is doing what we can and then
said which is doing what we can and then doing a little more because that’s how
doing a little more because that’s how
doing a little more because that’s how we will change the world thank you
we will change the world thank you
we will change the world thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
”
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