In mid-September each year, UN member states gather in
NYC. This opening session of the UN is devoted to the
presentations by the leaders of member states. Here is a section of the address
given by President Obama and where you can access his entire speech to the UN
General Assembly.
Obama’s Speech to the United
Nations General Assembly
Text Published: September 25, 2012
And yet
the turmoil of recent weeks reminds us that the path to democracy does not end
with the casting of a ballot. Nelson Mandela once said: “To be free is not
merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and
enhances the freedom of others.”
True
democracy demands that citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they
believe, and that businesses can be opened without paying a bribe. It depends
on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear, and
on the rule of law and due process that guarantees the rights of all people.
In
other words, true democracy -- real freedom -- is hard work. Those in power
have to resist the temptation to crack down on dissidents. In hard economic
times, countries must be tempted -- may be tempted to rally the people around
perceived enemies, at home and abroad, rather than focusing on the painstaking
work of reform.
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