Excerpt: America's Confidence in Freedom

By Condoleezza Rice on 07 September 2006

These are critical, important, and even trying times for America, but it is a time when we must affirm what we stand for as a nation and what role we must play in the world. We in America are blessed with lives of tremendous liberty: the freedom to govern ourselves and elect our leaders; the freedom to own property; the freedom to educate our children; and of course the freedom to think as we please and to worship as we wish. America embodies these liberties, but we do not own them. We stand for ideals that are greater than ourselves, and we go into the world not to plunder but to protect, not to subjugate but to liberate, not as masters of others but as servants of freedom.

Our world needs America's leadership now more than ever. While we rightly celebrate our own freedom, our thoughts turn to the many people throughout the world who are not as fortunate. We are mindful that many men and women beyond our shores still live at the mercy of thieves, thugs, and petty tyrants. We are mindful that many still suffer from scourges like poverty and disease that are offensive to human dignity. And of course, we are mindful that too many people of faith can only whisper to God in the silent sanctuaries of their conscience because they fear persecution for their religious beliefs.

Last updated 12 January 2009