美国总统每周电台发言(2008-12-23)
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, millions of Americans gather with loved ones for Christmas. This is a season of hope and joy. And it is an occasion to remember a humble birth that has helped shape the world for more than two thousand years.
One of the things that makes Christmas special is that it allows us to step back and take stock of what is truly meaningful in our lives. As years pass by, we often forget about the gifts and the parties, but we remember special moments with families and friends.
This year, as you spend time with those you love, I hope you’ll also take time to remember the men and women of our armed forces. Every one of them has volunteered to serve our Nation. And with their incredible sacrifices, they preserve the peace and freedom that we celebrate during this season.
This tradition of service is as old as our Nation itself. In 1776, it looked as if America’s first Christmas as an independent Nation might also be its last. After a series of crippling defeats by the British, George Washington’s army was exhausted and disheartened. With their terms of service expiring in just a few weeks, many soldiers were planning on leaving the army. And it seemed that without a miracle, America’s fight for freedom would be doomed.
That miracle took place on Christmas night, 1776. George Washington planned a surprise attack on the enemy forces camped across the Delaware River in Trenton, New Jersey. Under the cover of darkness, he led a few thousand soldiers across the icy waters in the midst of a driving snowstorm. Most generals would not have taken such a risk. But the commitment of Washington and his men was absolute. They headed into battle with a bold password — “Victory or death.”
In a matter of hours, victory was theirs. Morale immediately improved. And the American people began to believe that our Nation possessed the perseverance and courage to protect our liberty. The turnaround that began that night would end with the United States’ triumph in the American Revolution — and the permanent establishment of a free Nation.
Two hundred and thirty-two years have passed since George Washington crossed the Delaware. But on this Christmas, his legacy lives on in the men and women of the United States military. Some of them are spending this holiday helping defend emerging democracies like Iraq and Afghanistan. Others are spending it in lands where we defeated tyranny long ago, such as Germany or Japan. And some of them are spending it stateside, recovering in places like Bethesda National Naval Medical Center or Walter Reed.
Regardless of where they are, our men and women in uniform and the families who support them remind us of a clear lesson: Defending freedom is a full-time job. Our enemies do not take holidays. So the members of our armed forces stand ready to protect our freedom at any hour. For their service, they have the thanks of a grateful Nation — this Christmas and always.
Thank you for listening.
总统：早上好。本周，数百万美国人和家人齐聚一堂，欢度圣诞。这是充满希望和快乐的季节。这是怀念2000多年前那个形成了整个世界的卑微了生命的季节。
让圣诞节比较特别的一点是，它让我们回忆过去，明白什么我们的生命中到底什么是最有意义的。那么多年过去了，我们忘记了那些礼物，忘记了那些派对，但是我们仍然记得和家人朋友在一起的特别时刻。
今年，当你和亲爱的人欢度节日时，我希望你们也花时间想想我们的军人。他们每一个人都志愿为国家服役。有他们的牺牲，有他们保卫我们的和平和自由，我们才得以庆祝节日。
这项传统与我们的国家同龄。1776年，似乎美国作为独立的国家的第一个圣诞节也是最后一个。经过与英国军队的残酷战斗，乔治-华盛顿的军队已经疲惫不堪，非常沮丧。他们的服役期限还有周就要到期，许多士兵已经打算离开军队。除非有奇迹，否则美国的自由之战永远不可能成功。
1776年圣诞夜，奇迹发生了。乔治-华盛顿计划对驻扎在新泽西州特伦顿的敌军进行突袭。在夜色的掩护下，他带领数千名士兵在暴风雪中穿过冰面。大部分将军都没有冒过这种风险。但是华盛顿和他的士兵决心坚定。他们带着“胜利或死亡”的口令进入战斗。
几个小时之内，他们取得了胜利，士气高涨。美国人民开始相信，我们的国家有着捍卫自由的毅力和勇气。战局的扭转标志这美国革命的胜利——和一个自由的国家的永久性建立。
自从华盛顿横渡特拉华河，232年已经过去了。但是在这个圣诞节，他的精神仍然存在于美国军人身上。他们有些人节日期间正在帮助新兴的民主国家，比如伊拉克和阿富汗。其他人则坚守在我们长久以来反抗殖民统治的岛上，比如日本和德国。还有人则在国内Bethesda海军医疗中心和Walter Reed陆军医疗中心。
无论他们在哪里，我们的军人和支持他们的家庭时刻提醒我们：捍卫自由是永久的工作。我们的敌人不会过节。所以，我们的军人时刻准备保护我们的自由。为了他们的风险，所有美国人民都衷心的感谢他们——永远！
感谢收听。
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