評論
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But we, as a nation, we are left with some hard questions. Someone once described the joy and anxiety of parenthood as the equivalent of having your heart outside of your body all the time, walking around. With their very first cry, this most precious, vital part of ourselves — our child — is suddenly exposed to the world, to possible mishap or malice. And every parent knows there is nothing we will not do to shield our children from harm. And yet, we also know that with that child’s very first step, and each step after that, they are separating from us; that we won’t — that we can’t always be there for them. They’ll suffer sickness and setbacks and broken hearts and disappointments. And we learn that our most important job is to give them what they need to become self-reliant and capable and resilient, ready to face the world without fear.
但是，我們整個國家都還有一些棘手的問題要面對。有人說，作為一個家長的喜悅和焦慮就像是讓自己的心在自己身體外到處跑一樣。隨著我們的孩子呱呱墜地，隨著他們的初啼，我們最珍視，最重要的一個部分就這樣我們的孩子開始面對各種各樣可能的災禍和惡意。每個家長都知道，我們為了保護我們的孩子會不惜付出一切，但是我們也知道，隨著他開始學著走路，他的每一步都是在遠離我們。我們沒法永遠守護在他的身旁。他們會生病，會受挫折，會傷心，會失落，而我們所能做的最重要的事只能是幫他們越來越自我獨立，漸漸開始無畏地面對世界。
And we know we can’t do this by ourselves. It comes as a shock at a certain point where you realize, no matter how much you love these kids, you can’t do it by yourself. That this job of keeping our children safe, and teaching them well, is something we can only do together, with the help of friends and neighbors, the help of a community, and the help of a nation. And in that way, we come to realize that we bear a responsibility for every child because we’re counting on everybody else to help look after ours; that we’re all parents; that they’re all our children.
而我們沒法獨自做到這一點。在某一刻，你會驚訝地意識到無論你多愛你的孩子，你都沒法靠一己之力去保護他的安全，去教他好好成長，這時我們必須和朋友、鄰居、整個社區乃至整個國家一起來完成。我們從而漸漸明白，我們有責任幼人之幼，因為我們也依賴別人去幫助我們自己的孩子。我們每個人都是他們的家長，而他們也都是我們的孩子。
This is our first task — caring for our children. It’s our first job. If we don’t get that right, we don’t get anything right. That’s how, as a society, we will be judged.
這是我們首要的任務：照顧自己的孩子。如果我們連這個都干不好，其它都無從談起。這是我們作為一個社會被評判的標準。
And by that measure, can we truly say, as a nation, that we are meeting our obligations? Can we honestly say that we’re doing enough to keep our children — all of them — safe from harm? Can we claim, as a nation, that we’re all together there, letting them know that they are loved, and teaching them to love in return? Can we say that we’re truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance they deserve to live out their lives in happiness and with purpose?
以這個標準來看，對整個國家我們能不能拍著良心說：我們已經盡了自己的責任？我們能不能實事求是地說我們已經為保護我們的孩子免受傷害而盡了全力？我們能不能說作為一個國家我們已經讓他們了解了我們有多愛他們，并且教導他們以同樣的愛來回報他人？我們能不能說我們已經確實為了給這個國家的每個孩子他們所應有的機會去過他們想要的快樂和有意義的生活而做了我們所能做的一切？
I’ve been reflecting on this the last few days, and if we’re honest with ourselves, the answer is no. We’re not doing enough. And we will have to change.
我這些天一直在想這個問題。如果捫心自問的話，答案是不能。我們做的不夠，我們必須改變了。
Since I’ve been President, this is the fourth time we have come together to comfort a grieving community torn apart by a mass shooting. The fourth time we’ve hugged survivors. The fourth time we’ve consoled the families of victims. And in between, there have been an endless series of deadly shootings across the country, almost daily reports of victims, many of them children, in small towns and big cities all across America — victims whose — much of the time, their only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
自從我擔任總統以來，我們站在一起向一個因槍擊而愴痛的社區致意，擁抱幸存者，安慰受難者家屬，這已經是第四次了。在此期間，還有數不勝數的別的槍擊案在這個國家發生，幾乎每天在大大小小的城鎮里都有人死于槍擊，很多還是孩子。他們很多人只是不幸在錯誤的時間置身于錯誤的地點而已。
We can’t tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change. We will be told that the causes of such violence are complex, and that is true. No single law — no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world, or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society.
我們不能再忍受這種狀況了。這種悲劇必須有個盡頭。我們必須改變。我們都聽過很多次，說這種事情原因很復雜，這是對的。沒有一部或者一套法律能夠徹底根絕這世界上的惡行，或者保護社會免受非理性行為的傷害。
But that can’t be an excuse for inaction. Surely, we can do better than this. If there is even one step we can take to save another child, or another parent, or another town, from the grief that has visited Tucson, and Aurora, and Oak Creek, and Newtown, and communities from Columbine to Blacksburg before that — then surely we have an obligation to try.
但是這不是我們不作為的理由，我們當然應該做得更好。即使我們只能向著保護另一個孩子或者另一個家長或者另一個城鎮和社區免受圖森、奧羅拉、奧克里克、紐敦、倫比亞到布萊克斯堡社區（注：均為槍擊案事發地）所遭受的痛苦的方向邁出一小步，我們也有去嘗試一下的責任。
