Jimmy Carter

This is not a message of happiness or reassurance. But it is the truth, and it is a warning. These changes did not happen overnight. They've come upon us gradually over the last generation, years that were filled with shocks and tragedy. We were sure that ours was a nation of the ballot, not the bullet. until the murders of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is not a message of happiness or reassurance. But it is the truth, and it is a warning. These changes did not happen overnight. They've come upon us gradually over the last generation, years that were filled with shocks and tragedy. We were sure that ours was a nation of the ballot, not the bullet. until the murders of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.

We were taught that our armies were always invincible and our causes were always just, only to suffer the agony of Vietnam. We respected the presidency as a place of honor until the shock of Watergate.

We were taught that our armies were always invincible and our causes were always just, only to suffer the agony of Vietnam. We respected the presidency as a place of honor until the shock of Watergate.

We were taught that our armies were always invincible and our causes were always just, only to suffer the agony of Vietnam. We respected the presidency as a place of honor until the shock of Watergate.

In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning.

In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning.

In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning.

We can manage the short-term shortages more effectively, and we will. But there are no short-term solutions to our long-range problems. There is simply no way to avoid sacrifice.

We can manage the short-term shortages more effectively, and we will. But there are no short-term solutions to our long-range problems. There is simply no way to avoid sacrifice.

We can manage the short-term shortages more effectively, and we will. But there are no short-term solutions to our long-range problems. There is simply no way to avoid sacrifice.

I do not promise you that this struggle for freedom will be easy. I do not promise a quick way out of our nation's problems when the truth is that the only way out is an all-out effort What I do promise you is that I will lead our fight and I will enforce fairness in our struggle and I will ensure honesty and above all, I will act.

I do not promise you that this struggle for freedom will be easy. I do not promise a quick way out of our nation's problems when the truth is that the only way out is an all-out effort What I do promise you is that I will lead our fight and I will enforce fairness in our struggle and I will ensure honesty and above all, I will act.

I do not promise you that this struggle for freedom will be easy. I do not promise a quick way out of our nation's problems when the truth is that the only way out is an all-out effort What I do promise you is that I will lead our fight and I will enforce fairness in our struggle and I will ensure honesty and above all, I will act.

We know the strength of America. We are strong. We can regain our unity. We can regain our confidence. We are the heirs of generations who survived threats much more powerful and awesome than those that challenge us now.

We know the strength of America. We are strong. We can regain our unity. We can regain our confidence. We are the heirs of generations who survived threats much more powerful and awesome than those that challenge us now.

We know the strength of America. We are strong. We can regain our unity. We can regain our confidence. We are the heirs of generations who survived threats much more powerful and awesome than those that challenge us now.

With God's help and for the sake of our nation, it is time for us to join hands in America. Let us commit ourselves together to a rebirth of the American spirit, working together with our common faith We cannot fail. Thank you and good night.

With God's help and for the sake of our nation, it is time for us to join hands in America. Let us commit ourselves together to a rebirth of the American spirit, working together with our common faith We cannot fail. Thank you and good night.

With God's help and for the sake of our nation, it is time for us to join hands in America. Let us commit ourselves together to a rebirth of the American spirit, working together with our common faith We cannot fail. Thank you and good night.