It"s a hard case to make because people from all of those countries come to America and share in that success.It is a hard case to make，because America"s military power was used most recently to protect poor Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo，because America led the world in debt relief for the poorest countries，and because the savings from debt relief had to be used by poor countries for education，health care，and development and nothing else.But nonetheless，if you never get to vote or stand for public office you are permanently disempowered.So they hear the siren song；it is all because of America.We have to keep urging our friends to find ways to move to greater democracy and freedom.
Finally，let me say that even more important than what we do，is who we a re.We must understa nd that thispresent conflict，as agonizing as the loss was，is about far more than the buildingscollapsing and the people dying.This is about conf lict with a global force with a fundamentally different view of the nature of truth，the value of 1ife，the character of human community.Mr.Bin Laden and the Taliban believe they have the truth that everybody who agrees with them is good，and everybody who doesn"t is evil.This great university is dedicated to the proposition that nobody has the absolute truth.So we all get to vote.We have the right to freedom of speech.We have the right of freedom of religion.We have the right of freedom of assembly.And we have the responsibilities of a free people because we believe that life is a journey，an effort to move closer and closer to the truth.But because we are finite，limited human beings，we never will achieve it.
So we have very different views about the character of community.We believe we all do better when we work together.And all you have to do in our country is to accept the rules of engagement，our rules about everybody counting，everybody getting a voice，everybody getting to vote.About showing up every day to do what is right.We have the freedom to celebrate our diversity because we are grounded in our common humanity.Their community is not united by common humanity.It is defined by what it is not.Mr.Bin Laden wants all the Middle East，to look like the Taliban.What a dreary world.We have seen on television scenes from that movie，"Behind the Veil"，showing what their beliefs are like，forcing women to wear those horrible burqas，beating them with sticks in public and worse.
They are formidable adversaries.They do not believe they are evil.Theybelieve they are good.Therefore the most important thing we can do，is to have in our minds clearly the world we are tryingto make，to affirm that our wealth is not an end in itself，but a tool to allow people to live up to their God given abilities，to keep struggling to get beyond those categories of difference to our common humanity.And we should never be blind to how difficult it is going to be.Think of the great spirits ofthe last fifty years：Ghandi killed，not by a Pakistani Muslim，but one of his own Hindus，who hated him because he wanted India for the Muslims，the Sikhs，for everybody.Sadat，killed by the organization that Mr.Bin Laden"s number two heads now，not by an Israeli，but by an Egyptian，who hated him for reaching across the religious and ethnic bloody divide to make peace.My friend Yitzhak Rabin-after a lifetime defending Israel，killed-not by a Palestinian terrorist，but an angry Israeli because he wanted to lay down arms and take up peace.This is hard.I thank God that of all the great spirits of the last fifty years，Mandela survived，probably only because he first had to pay with twenty.Seven years of his 1ife in jail.
Fanatics are defined by their hatreds；free people by their humanity.
Throughout our history，America"s mission has been to widen the circle of opportunity to deepen the meaning of freedom，to strengthen the bonds of community.Now，even beyond our borders，we can no longer deny to others what we claim for ourselves.That is the ultimate lesson for the interdependent world.We are going to get through this crisis.Our leaders are going to make good decisions.But in the end，we not only have to stop bad things from happening，we have to build for you，the best，the most prosperous，the most peaceful and most exciting time the world has ever known.And we can do it，if we remember who we are and what we believe.
Thank you and God bless you.
参考译文（赵倩译）
耶鲁建校三百年，我有幸在其中的百分之一，也就是三年的时间在这里学习。我爱法学院，我喜欢我的教授们并且和许多教授仍然保持着联系。我曾想把我的宪法教授罗伯特·博克告上法庭。他总是折磨我，而我在课堂上也经常提出异议来折磨他。三十年前我们总是争论，现在我想起那些，仿佛还历历在目。我感到非常幸运，能够和那么多优秀的同学一起来到耶鲁法学院。其中一位成为纽约州的参议员--他后来去了哈佛。在耶鲁读书时最棒的一件事就是遇见了希拉里， 可能是这三十年来唯一一件未被改变的事。
无论如何，评价耶鲁三百年的教育历史都是一件非常有意义的事情。而此刻把耶鲁大学评价为一所正在向成为全球性而努力的大学，其意义极其深远。耶鲁建校的时间比颁布《独立宣言》还要早七十五年。这三百年来，耶鲁向年轻人传授先哲的智慧，当代的科学，以及阐述放眼未来的重要性。耶鲁提出了许多尖锐的问题，并寻求正确的答案。这就是三十年前我在耶鲁大学发现的，也是今天我从这里众多的面孔中看到的。
美国目前面临很多难题。在过去的三周里，我大部分时间都在曼哈顿，访问了危机中心、地零点、消防站和警察总部，还有三所学校。其中有两所学校合并上课，因为有半数的孩子在"9·11"的事件中失去了他们的学校。我从中发现了许多问题。我和希拉里到曼哈顿下城一所小学访问，那里九、十岁的孩子们问我："为什么他们那么恨美国？"、"那个人怎么能让那么多人自杀？"我从来没有想到会从一个九岁大的孩子那儿听到这样的问题。
前不久，我和我的第一任幕僚长，也是五十多年的老朋友麦克·麦拉提谈话、我们谈到了"9·11"事件。我相信我们的谈话和成千上万与我们同龄的美国人在过去的三周里所谈论的一样，我说："麦克，如果那时候我们在那架飞过宾夕法尼亚的飞机上，你觉得我们有没有那个胆量阻止事情发生？"他说："我想会的， 我希望我会。"我接到来自全美各地许多希拉里和我的女性朋友们的电话，她们都是小孩子的母亲，她们都问了这样一个单纯的问题："比尔，一切都会好起来吧？告诉我， 一切都会好起来的。"首先， 我可以回答你， "是的，一切都会好起来。"恐怖主义因政治、宗教或经济的原因而杀害无辜的人民。它和有组织的战争一样历史悠久，它在世界上存在了很长的一段时间。如果我们公正地看待历史，会发现它存在于许多不安定的地方。在十字军东征中，欧洲的基督徒攻占了耶路撒冷，放火烧了一个清真寺，屠杀了三百名犹太人，杀死了圣殿山上所有穆斯林母亲和孩子。如果没有组织的军事力量，恐怖活动就不可能独立存在并在整个人类历史上取得胜利。事实上，恐怖活动的目的不是军事上的胜利，而是制造恐怖。我想今天在座的许多年轻人从未经历过那样一个艰难的危机，可想而知，你们被吓到了。
我国呈现出高度多元化。今天，就在这里我们有来自各个国家、各个种族和民族，和有着各种宗教传统的人。恐怖分子首先就是要让我们互相惧怕，其次是让美国恐惧未来、恐惧计划、恐惧投资、恐惧信任，那就是他们追求的。所以，只要我们合作，恐怖主义就不会得逞，这不是军事战略，而是心理和人性的战略。我们可以让他们一时得逞，但我相信我们不会让他们最终得胜。
