John f Kennedy: Inaugural Address Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens le observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom -- symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning --signif ying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn bef ore you and almighty god the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. The world is very dif ferent now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe-- the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of god We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century tempered by war, isciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been comm itted and to w hich we are committed today at home and around the world Let every nation know, whether it wis hes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of libert This much we pledge --and more. To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share we pledge the loyalty of faith ul friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do-- for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder. To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting the ir own freedom and to remember that, in the past those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside. To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required - not because the Communists may be doing it,notJohn F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens: We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom -- symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning -- signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. The world is very dif ferent now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary belief s for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe -- the belief that the rights of man come not f rom the generosity of the state, but f rom the hand of God. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth f rom this time and place, to f riend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any f riend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge -- and more. To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful f riends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do -- for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder. To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the f ree, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own f reedom -- and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside. To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required -- not because the Communists may be doing it, not