奥巴马父亲节演讲.docVIP

　Of all the rocks upon which we build our lives， we are reminded today that family is the most important． And we are called to recognize and honor how critical every father is to that foundation． They are teachers and coaches． They are mentors and role models． They are examples of success and the men who constantly push us toward it． 　“在我们建立我们生活所依附的岩石中，今天我们要记起来的是，最重要的岩石是家庭。我们须要认识到并予以肯定的是，每位父亲对这个基础能起多么关键的作用。父亲是教师和教练，他们是导师和生活角色的模范，是成功的榜样，亦是老推动我们走向成功的人。 　　But if we are honest with ourselves， we’ll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing — missing from too many lives and too many homes． They have abandoned their responsibilities， acting like boys instead of men． And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it． 　　“但如果我们坦诚的话，我们应该承认有太多的父亲不在其位——不在太多人的生活里，不在太多的家里。他们置他们的责任于不顾，表现得像小男孩而不是男子汉。我们许许多多家庭的基础也因此而变得更加薄弱了。 　　You and I know how true this is in the African－American community． We know that more than half of all black children live in single－parent households， a number that has doubled — doubled — since we were children． We know the statistics — that children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime； nine times more likely to drop out of schools and 20 times more likely to end up in prison． They are more likely to have behavioral problems， or run away from home or become teenage parents themselves． And the foundations of our community are weaker because of it． 　　“你我都知道这种情况在非洲裔美国人的社会里多么真实。我们知道一半以上的黑人小孩住在单亲的家庭里，这个数字比我们童年时代高出一倍。统计资料告诉我们：生活里没有父亲的孩子比较容易落入贫困或犯罪的可能性高出五倍；他们比较容易弃学的可能性高出九倍；比较容易关进监狱的可能性高出二十倍。他们比较可能出现行为问题，比较可能离家出走，比较可能成为青春发育年龄期父母。由于父亲的缺席，我们社会的基础变得更加薄弱。 　　How many times in the last year has this city lost a child at the hands of another child? How many times have our hearts stopped in the middle of the night with the sound of a gunshot or a siren? How many teenagers have we seen hanging around on street corners when they should be sitting in a classroom? How many are sitting in prison when the