前总统奥巴马致辞：卡明斯的N uà?ê??N?yV?|^y
发布时间：2019/10/26 16:22:48 作者：蔡N?yWS 点击：
10月17日周四，马里兰州的国会议员以利亚·卡明斯(Elijah Cummings)去世，享年68岁。本周四，卡明斯的遗体告别仪式在美国国会大厦内举行。他是美国历史上获此殊荣的首位非裔政治家。卡明斯的葬礼于今天在巴尔的摩市的新诗篇浸信会教堂举行。
美国前总统巴拉克·奥巴马(Barack Obama)和比尔·克林顿(Bill Clinton)，前国务卿希拉里·克林顿(Hillary Clinton)和众议院议长南希·佩洛西(Nancy Pelosi)，在周五举行的卡明斯的葬礼中致悼词，缅怀这位著名的民主党政治家。
生于1951年的卡明斯，是农民的儿子。卡明斯从1983年到1996年在马里兰州众议院任职。1996年起在美国国会众议院为马里兰州的第七国会区服务，2019年1月起担任监督与改革委员会主席，直到2019年去世。
卡明斯为美国的民权运动奋斗一生，贡献杰出。他将民众放在党派之上，是位坚守信念的战士。其勤勉的工作风格和高尚的人格，被世人怀念。
奥巴马对卡明斯的悼词
https://people.com/ Photo: JULIO CORTEZ-POOL
尊敬的总统、第一夫人、主教、唱诗班、卡明斯先生的家人、(前)总统先生、国务卿女士、众议院议长女士、州长、朋友们、同仁和各位工作人员：
(引用圣经故事)高尚的心灵就像沃土里的种子，它接受上帝的教诲，记在心里，可以生根发芽。以利亚·卡明斯(Elijah Cummings)就是来自沃土的好种子。
在这样的环境中，善良获得生根发芽。他的父母是南方的租户农民。他们曾靠采摘烟草和草莓为生，后来搬到南巴尔的摩市，寻求更好的生活。
卡明斯的父亲罗伯特在一家工厂倒班，母亲露丝(Ruth)做家庭清洁工。他们养育了七个孩子，成了一个传教小团队。
我有幸见到过卡明斯的母亲露丝，她说每天为我祈祷。我知道那是真的，我为此高兴。有时，人们说他们在为你祈祷，可能只是嘴上说说。但是我知道，露丝不同，她很真诚。
他们是最简单友善的那种人，将力量和勇气，善意和信念传递给了他们的儿子。卡明斯小的时候，一次他的父亲让他擦亮鞋子并系好领带，然后带他去机场——不是登机，而是看别人上飞机。卡明斯跟我讲这个故事的情景还历历在目。罗伯特说：“我没有坐过飞机。我可能不会有机会，但有一天你会。我们现在买不起机票，但将来你能。”
正如卡明斯所说，像一些老人一样，他的祖母有时候会不太耐烦。她说，你的父亲，“他一直在等待，等待更好的一天。您也要那样(空等)吗。”
卡明斯没有等。 他冲破各种阻碍，获得各种学位。大概还有通过看电视剧，从佩里·梅森(Perry Mason，热门电视剧里一个虚构的辩护律师形象)那里，学到了什么是美国人应享有的基本权利。
卡明斯后来成为一名民权律师，为老百姓的权利奋斗。天赋人权。无论是从州议会到众议院，他从不动摇护卫正义和他人权利的信念，并付诸于行动。
卡明斯的成绩有：他出生在贫穷的家庭，父母只挣一点钱。卡明斯成为一个公职人员，竭力保证我们中尽可能多的人能获得与他类似的机会。他为人民而活，曾经说过会为人民而死。他的一生也证明，在这个国家可没有什么梦想是不可能实现的。或许我们无法绝对保证，但至少能做到信念不灭。我们的命运不由他人做主。相反，通过努力、奉献以及向所有人敞开心扉传递上帝所说的博爱之情，我们可以过上充满希望的生活。我们可以收获丰收。我们不会像掉在大石上的种子那样枯萎，虽然不保证得到奖赏，但作为个人和国家，我们有能力，有机会在沃土中扎根。
卡明斯明白。这就是为什么他为正义而战。这就是为什么他拥抱着他挚爱的巴尔的摩社区。这就是为什么他继续为整个美国而不仅仅是他所在地区的被遗忘的人群，争取权利和机会。他从不自满，因为他知道，如果没有明确的目标和坚定的信念，以及追求自由所需要的坚韧，国家对国民的承诺将可能消亡。他知道，自满不仅腐蚀我们的社会，也腐蚀我们的个人生活。
有人说卡明斯是个好人。我告诉我的女儿们——不得不说，当听到卡明斯的女儿们致辞时，我眼睛湿润了。我敢肯定，那些有儿子的人也有同样的感觉，但是女儿和父亲之间有些特别的亲情。当时我在想，我想让我的女儿知道我有多爱她们，但我也想让她们知道，善良是做一个坚强的人的必备品质。仁慈和同情心并不代表懦弱。理解别人并不是示弱。尊重他人并不是一种弱点。拥有正直和谦卑的心的人并不傻。我在这里，注意到以利亚·卡明斯的荣耀头衔。卡明斯获得了当选公职人员的一种最高荣誉。我们应该以介绍这些为荣。
但是，卡明斯的荣光在他当选之前就开始了。这是不一样的。得到人的尊敬和瞩目和能平易近人之间，并不完全相同。在聚光灯之外，在路边， 在安静的时刻，向你的同事谦虚求教，让你的女儿们知道你爱她们。
作为总统，我知道我总是可以信赖卡明斯的人品和判断力。人们都在谈论他的发声。如果他的声音有什么，那也只是让你感觉更好。有一些人，他们有那么深的男中音，充满智慧和先见的声音。 在美好时光中，我们一起取得了胜利，那声音和笑声是一种礼物。但是在艰难的时期，当前方的道路看起来弯弯曲曲，障碍重重时，我们需要更多这样的鼓舞。每当我们感到疑惑，或者看到战斗中的人开始动摇时，恰是最需要卡明斯的声音的时刻。
在我担任总统期间，不止一次，经济看上去仍然可能陷入萧条，医疗保健法案在国会被否决。每当这种时候，我就看到卡明斯召集他的同事们开会。他说：“什么都不做并不是没有代价”，“我们不能忘记选民选择我们的原因和我们肩负的使命”。他说：“我们的孩子是通往未来的使者。”他提醒我们所有人，时不待我，我们要为一个善意、真实、最好的美国而战。
他会说，200到300年之后，人们回顾历史会问一个问题：“您做了什么?”恰如他指出的，这取决于我们每个人，能否替沉默的人群发声，为病人提供安慰，给缺少条件的人提供机会，捍卫和保护我们的democracy制度。
卡明斯是一个高尚而善良的人。他的父母和他的信仰让他在美好的土地上种下了希望、爱、同情和公义的种子。他已经获得了人生的大丰收。上帝现在召唤卡明斯回家，让他的这位谦卑忠实的信徒安息。
现在，继续卡明斯的工作的责任就落在了我们的头上。为了让巴尔的摩、马里兰州、美国以及世界各地的男孩和女孩们，继续有健康成长和欣欣向荣的机会而战。这是我们尊重纪念他的方式。也是他所希望的。
上帝保佑一生荣耀的卡明斯。上帝保佑他所爱的城市，州和这个国家。上帝保佑你们。
To the bishop, and the first lady, and the New Psalmist family, to the Cummings family, Maya, Mr. President, Madam Secretary, Madam Speaker, governor, friends, colleagues, staff.
The seed on good soil, the parable of the sower tells us, stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. The seed on good soil.
Elijah Cummings came from good soil. And in this sturdy frame, goodness took root. His parents were sharecroppers from the south. They picked tobacco and strawberries, and then sought something better in this city, south Baltimore. Robert worked shifts at a plant, and Ruth cleaned other people's homes. They became parents of seven, preachers to a small flock. I remember I had the pleasure of meeting Elijah's mother, Ruth, and she told me she prayed for me every day, and I knew it was true, and I felt better for it. Sometimes, people say they are praying for you, and you don't know. They might be praying about you, but you don't know if they are praying for you. But I knew Miss Ruth was telling the truth.
So they were the proverbial salt of the earth, and they passed on that strength and that grit, but also that kindness and that faith to their son. As a boy, Elijah's dad made him shine his shoes and tie his tie, and they’d go to the airport—not to board the airplanes, but to watch others do it. I remember Elijah telling me this story. Robert would say, "I have not flied. I may not fly, but you will fly one day. We can't afford it right now, but you will fly."
His grandmother— as Elijah related—and as grandmothers do, was a little more impatient with her advice. Your daddy, she said, "He’s been waiting and waiting for a better day. Don't you wait." And Elijah did not wait. Against all odds, Elijah earned his degrees. He learned about the rights that all people in this country are supposed to possess, with a little help, apparently, from Perry Mason. Elijah became a lawyer to make sure that others had rights, and his people had their god-given rights, and from the statehouse to the House of Representatives, his commitment to justice and the rights of others would never, ever waver.
Elijah's example: A son of parents who rose from nothing to carve out just a little something, a public servant who toiled to guarantee the least of us have the same opportunities that he had earned. A leader who once said he would die for his people, even as he lived every minute for them—his life validates the things we tell ourselves about what’s possible in this country. Not guaranteed, but possible. The possibility that our destinies are not preordained. But rather, through our works, and our dedication, and our willingness to open our hearts to God's message of love for all people, we can live a purposeful life. That we can reap a bountiful harvest. That we are neither sentenced to wither among the rocks nor assured a bounty, but we have a capacity, the chance, as individuals and as a nation, to root ourselves in good soil.
Elijah understood that. That's why he fought for justice. That's why he embraced his beloved community of Baltimore. That's why he went on to fight for the rights and opportunities of forgotten people all across America, not just in his district. He was never complacent, for he knew that without clarity of purpose and a steadfast faith, and the dogged determination demanded by our liberty, the promise of this nation can wither. Complacency, he knew, was not only corrosive for our collective lives, but for our individual lives.
It has been remarked that Elijah was a kind man. I tell my daughters—and I have to say, listening to Elijah’s daughters speak, that got me choked up. I am sure those of you who have sons feel the same way, but there is something about daughters and their fathers. And I was thinking, I would want my daughters to know how much I love them, but I would also want them to know that being a strong man includes being kind. That there is nothing weak about kindness and compassion. There is nothing weak about looking out for others. There is nothing weak about being honorable. You are not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect. I was sitting here and I was just noticing the honorable elijah e. cummings and you know, this is a title that we confer on all kinds of people who get elected to public office. We’re supposed to introduce them as honorable.
But Elijah Cummings was honorable before he was elected to office. There's a difference. There is a difference if you are honorable and treated others honorably outside the limelight. On the side of a road; in a quiet moment, counseling somebody you work with; letting your daughters know you love them. As president, I knew I could always count on Elijah being honorable and doing the right thing. And people have talked about his voice. There is something about his voice. It just made you feel better. There’s some people, they have that deep baritone, a prophetic voice. And when it was good times and we achieved victories together, that voice and that laugh was a gift. But you needed it more during the tough times, when the path ahead looked crooked, when obstacles abounded. When I entertained doubts, or I saw those who were in the fight start to waver, that’s when Elijah's voice mattered most.
More than once during my presidency, when the economy still looked like it might plunge into depression, when the health-care bill was pronounced dead in Congress, I would watch Elijah rally his colleagues. “The cost of doing nothing isn't nothing,” he would say, and folks would remember why they entered into public service. “Our children are the living messengers we send to a future we will never see,” he would say, and he would remind all of us that our time is too short not to fight for what's good and what is true and what is best in America.
Two-hundred years to 300 years from now, he would say, people will look back at this moment and they will ask the question, “What did you do?” And hearing him, we would be reminded that it falls upon each of us to give voice to the voiceless, and comfort to the sick, and opportunity to those not born to it, and to preserve and nurture our democracy.
Elijah Cummings was a man of noble and good heart. His parents and his faith planted the seeds of hope, and love, and compassion, and righteousness in that good soil of his. He has harvested all the crops that he could, for the Lord has now called Elijah home, to give his humble, faithful servant rest. And it now falls on us to continue his work, so that other young boys and girls from Baltimore, across Maryland, across the United States, and around the world might too have a chance to grow and to flourish. That's how we will honor him. That's how we will remember him. That's what he would hope for. May God bless the memory of the very honorable Elijah Cummings. And may God bless this city, and this state, and this nation that he loved. God bless you.
link：
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/10/barack-obamas-eulogy-elijah-cummings/600697/
原文链接：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzUzMzU4NzM2NQ==&mid=2247494381&idx=1&sn=79822f4ca84ce4eacc9bda56dedba387&chksm=faa31e27cdd49731055c79d7eeee1354a73df1bb150624ce730e59578661c1669ee8f0494b73&mpshare=1&scene=24&srcid=&sharer_sharetime=1572048978025&sharer_shareid=4008f0b491c507c5b53dee926d490dae#rd
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