爱华网世界著名演讲词---美国前总统里根在挑战者号失事当天的纪念讲话
里根演讲《真正的英雄》
1
就"挑战者"号航天飞机悲剧发表的演说
发表于1986年1月28日
女士们，先生们：
今晚，我原计划就联邦政府的状况向大家做报告，但今天早些时候发生的事件已经改变了我的计划。今天是一个举国哀悼和缅怀追忆的日子。南茜和我对"挑战者"号航天飞机坠毁的悲剧感到彻骨的心痛。我们知道，我们与全国人民共同承受着悲痛，这真的是一个民族的损失。
19年前，几乎是与今天相同的一天，我们在一次恐怖的地面事故中失去了三个宇航员。但是，我们从未在飞行过程中失去任何一个太空人。我们从未遭遇过今天这样的悲剧，或许，我们已经忘却了"挑战者"号航天飞机全体宇航员身上的巨大勇气。但是他们，"挑战者号"上的七人，清楚意识到潜在的危险，却克服了恐惧并出色地工作。我们哀悼以下七位英雄：迈克尔·史密斯，迪克·斯科比，朱迪斯·雷斯尼克，雷诺德·麦克奈尔，埃利森·鬼冢，格雷戈里·贾唯斯和克莱斯特·麦考利夫。我们举国上下一致哀悼他们的远去。
对这七位英雄的家人，我要说的是，我们像你们一样，也不能承受这次悲剧带来的沉重打击。但是我们深切体会到这一巨大损失，并且我们也对你们的悲痛感同身受。你们深爱的家人是如此勇敢无畏，他们具有"给我一个挑战，我会欣然迎接"的从容及献身精神。他们如此渴望探索太空，发现宇宙的奥秘。他们期望为国服务并且真正做到了这一点，为大众服务。
在这个世纪里，我们对奇迹已习以为常，要让我们再感到惊奇不是那么容易的一件事情。但在过去的25年里，美国航天计划一直令我们叹为观止，对太空一词我们已经耳熟能详，或许我们已经忘记我们仅是刚刚起步，我们仍是先锋者，"挑战者"号的全体成员都是先锋者。
我还想对观看了"挑战者"号起飞现场报导的美国中小学生们说几句。我知道，你们对这次事件难以理解。但是像这样悲痛的事情时有发生。这次事件仅仅是科学家探索及求知进程的一部分，仅仅是大胆尝试及开拓人类视野过程的一部分。未来不属于懦夫，而属于勇敢的人。"挑战者"号的七位英雄把我们往未来推进了一大步，我们将继续追随他们的足迹前进。
我一直都对我们的航天计划充满信心和敬意，今天发生的悲剧也不会使其有丝毫逊色。我们没有隐藏我们的航天计划，也没有故作神秘，向外界隐瞒情况。我们是在外界和公众面前进行航天计划的。这是自由世界的做法，我们将始终不渝。
我们将继续太空探索，因此，将会有更多的航天飞机起飞和更多的宇航人员，毫无疑问，也将会有更多的志愿者，更多的平民和更多的教师进入太空。探索并不因此而终结，我们的希望和太空旅程将继续下去。
在此，我寄语在美国航空航天局工作的每一个人，以及致力于这一任务的所有工作人员："多年来，我们为你们的献身精神及敬业作风深受感动。我们理解你们的悲痛，让我们来共同承受它。"
今天有一个历史巧合。在390年前的今天，伟大的探险家弗朗西斯·德雷克爵士在巴拿马海岸外的一艘船上逝世。在他的有生之年，他那伟大的探索疆域是海洋。后来有位历史学家评价道："弗朗西斯生于海洋，死于海洋，并葬于海洋。"是的，今天，我们也可以这样评价"挑战者"号全体机组人员：他们的献身精神与德雷克毫无二致。
"挑战者"号航天飞机全体机组人员对待生命的态度使我们倍感荣耀。我们永远都不会忘记他们，我们也永不会忘怀今天早上我们最后一次见到他们时的情景：那时他们正在为他们的旅行作准备，挥手向我们道别，然后"滑离地球倨傲的束缚"，前往"轻触上帝的脸颊"。
谢谢!
免费的中小学教辅，请访问“穷人”的教辅网！
2
[三天后1986年1月31日]
今天，我们聚集在一起，沉痛地哀悼我们失去的七位勇敢的公民，共同分担内心的悲痛，或许在相互间的安慰中，我们能够得到承受痛苦的力量并坚定追求理想的信念。
对家庭、朋友及我们的太空宇航员所爱着的人们来讲，国家的损失首先是他们个人的巨大损失。对那些失去亲人的父亲、母亲、丈夫和妻子们，对那些兄弟、姐妹，尤其是孩子们，在你们悲痛哀悼的日子里，所有的美国人都和你们紧紧地站在一起。
我们今天所说的远远不够表达我们内心的真实情感，言语在我们的不幸面前显得如此软弱无力：它们根本无法寄托我们对你们深深爱着的、同时也是我们所敬佩的英勇献身的人们的哀思。
英雄之所以称之为英雄，并不在于我们颂赞的语言，而在于他们始终以高度的事业心、自尊心和锲而不舍地对神奇而美妙的宇宙进行探索的责任感，去实践真正的生活以至献出生命。我们所能尽力做到的就是记住我们的七位宇航员七位“挑战者”，记住他们活着的时候给熟悉他们的人们带来的生机、爱和欢乐，给祖国带来的骄傲。
他们来自这个伟大国家的四面八方从南加利福尼亚州到华盛顿州，从俄亥俄到纽约州的莫霍克，从夏威夷到北卡罗来纳和纽约州的布法洛。他们彼此很不相同，但他们每个人的追求和肩负的使命却又是那样的一致。 我们记得迪克•司各比，我们从升空的“挑战者”号听到的最后一句话就来自这位机长之口。在参加太空计划之前，他曾是一名战斗机飞行员，后来成为一名高空飞行器的试验飞行员。对机长司各比来说，危险从来就是一位熟悉的伙伴。
我们记得迈克•史密斯，作为战斗机飞行员获得过的奖章戴满了胸前，其中包括海军特级飞行十字勋章和来自一个国家的敢斗银星十字勋章。
我们还记得被朋友们称为J.R.的朱蒂丝•莱恩尼科，她总是对人们微笑着，总是迫不及待地想对人民有所贡献。在工作之余，她喜欢在钢琴上弹奏几曲，从中获得美的享受。
我们也不会忘记孩提时总爱光着脚板在咖啡地和夏威夷的麦卡达美亚墓地跑来跑去的埃里森•奥尼佐卡，他早就梦想有一天去月球旅行。他告诉人们，多亏成为一名飞行员，他才能够建树他的生涯中那些令人难忘的业绩。
还有那个曾告诉人们是南加州的棉田锤炼了他坚毅性格的罗纳德•麦克耐尔。他梦想着到外层空间站去生活，在失重的太空中做试验：吹奏萨克管。啊，让(罗纳德的爱称)，我们将永远怀念你的萨克管，我们将要建成你所梦想的空间站。
我们记得格里高利•杰维斯，在那次致命的飞行中，他随身带着他的母校布法洛纽约州立大学的一面旗子。他说，这是一份小小的纪念品，纪念那些曾为他指点过未来的人们。
我们还记得凝聚了整个国家想像力的科里斯塔•麦考利芙，她用她的勇气和永不停息的探索精神激励我们。她是一位教师，不仅是她的学生们的教师，而且是全国人民的教师，她以这次太空飞行作为激励我们向未来冲击的教例，孜孜不倦地讲述给我们。
我们将永远记住他们，这些杰出的专家、科学家、冒险家，这些艺术家、教师和家庭中的男女成员们。我们将珍爱他们每个人的故事，这是诉说胜利和勇敢的故事，这是真正的美国英雄的故事。
就在灾难发生的那天，我们所有美国人都关切地守候在电视机前，彻夜不眠。在那个不幸的时刻，我们的兴奋变成了战栗。我们等待着，注视着，想弄清所发生的一切。那天夜里我收听了广播电台的采访节目。老老少少都在诉说自己的悲哀，都为我们的宇航员感到骄傲。阴霾笼罩着整个国家，我们走出家门，手拉着手，互相安慰。
你们所热爱的人们的牺牲轰动了整个国家。在痛苦中我们认识到了一个意义深远的道理：未来的道路并不平坦，整个人类前进的历史是与一切艰难险阻斗争的历史。我们又一次认识到，我们的美国是在英雄主义和崇高献身精神的基础上建立起来的，它是由像我们的七位宇航员那样的男人和女人，那些把全社会的责任作为自己责任的人，那些给予人民比人民期望和要求的更多的人，那些为人类做出贡献而从不企求些微报答的人建立起来的。 我们不禁回想起一个世纪前的开拓者们，那些带着家眷和财产去开发荒凉的美国西部的刚毅不屈的人们，他们常常面临着恶劣的条件，沿着俄勒冈小道，你们仍能看见那些倒下去的拓荒者的墓碑。但是悲痛只能使他们更加坚定开拓前进的决心。
今天的荒漠就是太空和人类知识没有达到的疆域。有时，我们会感到想达到外星球还力不从心。但我们必须重新振作起来，忍受着磨难，不断前进。我们的国家的确非常幸运，因为我们依然保持着巨大的勇气、令人信赖的声誉和刚毅不屈的品质，我们仍然有像“挑战者”号上七位宇航员那样的英雄。
迪克•司各比知道，每一次太空飞行器的发射都是一个技术上的奇迹。他说：“如果出现什么，它决不意味着太空计划的结束。”我所接触的每一位英雄的家庭成员，都特别请求我们一定要继续这项计划，这是他们失去的可爱的亲人所梦求实现的计划。我们决不会使他们失望。
今天，我们向迪克•司各比和他的伙伴们保证，他们的梦想决没有破灭，他们努力为之奋斗的理想一定会成为现实。为国家航空和宇宙航行局献身工作的人们，他们的大家庭中失去了七位成员，他们仍要继续工作去实现既安全可行又冒险、大胆的更有效的太空计划。人类将继续向太空进军，不断确立新的目标，不断取得新的成就。这正是我们纪念“挑战者”号上七位英雄的最好方式。
迪克、迈克、朱蒂丝、埃里森、罗纳德、格里高利和科里斯塔，你们的家庭及你们的国家哀悼你们的逝去。安息吧，我们永远忘不了你们。对熟悉和爱你们的人们来说，痛苦的打击是沉重的、持久的；对一个国家来说，她的七位儿女、七位好友的离去是难以弥补的损失。我们所能找到的惟一安慰是，我们在心里知道飞得那样高那样自豪的你们，现在在星际之外找到了上帝许诺以不朽生命的归宿。
愿上帝在这个艰难的时刻保佑大家并给你们安慰。
免费的中小学教辅，请访问“穷人”的教辅网！
1.
Ronald Reagan
January 28, 1986
Ladiesand Gentlemen, I’d planned to speak to you tonight to report on thestate of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me tochange those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering.Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttleChallenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people ofour country. This is truly a national loss.
Nineteenyears ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in aterrible accident on the ground. But, we’ve never lost an astronautin flight; we’ve never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we’veforgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle; butthey, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcamethem and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: MichaelSmith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka,Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as anation together.
For thefamilies of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impactof this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we’re thinking about youso very much. Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they hadthat special grace, that special spirit that says, "give me achallenge and I’ll meet it with joy." They had a hunger to explorethe universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, andthey did. They served all of us.
We’vegrown used to wonders in this century. It’s hard to dazzle us. Butfor twenty-five years the United States space program has beendoing just that. We’ve grown used to the idea of space, and perhapswe forget that we’ve only just begun. We’re still pioneers. They,the member of the Challenger crew, were pioneers.
And Iwant to say something to the schoolchildren of America who werewatching the live coverage of the shuttle’s takeoff. I know it ishard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen.It’s all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It’s allpart of taking a chance and expanding man’s horizons. The futuredoesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. TheChallenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continueto follow them.
I’vealways had great faith in and respect for our space program, andwhat happened today does nothing to diminish it. We don’t hide ourspace program. We don’t keep secrets and cover things up. We do itall up front and inpublic.
That’s the way freedom is, and we wouldn’t change it for aminute. We’ll continue our quest in space. There will be moreshuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers,more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; ourhopes and our journeys continue. I want to add that I wish I couldtalk to every man and woman who works for NASA or who worked onthis mission and tell them: "Your dedication and professionalismhave moved an impressed us for decades. And we know of youranguish. We share it."
There’s acoincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorerSir Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In hislifetime the great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian latersaid, "He lived by the sea, died on it, and was buried in it."Well, today we can say of the challenger crew: Their dedicationwas, like Drake’s, complete.
The crewof the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in whichthey lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the lasttime we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journeyand waved goodbye and "slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touchthe face of God."
Thank you.
2
[Three days later, President Reagan delivered the following remarksat a memorial service held in Houston following the Challengerdisaster, Jan. 31, 1986. ]
We come together today to mourn the loss of seven braveAmericans, to share the grief we all feel and, perhaps in thatsharing, to find the strength to bear our sorrow and the courage tolook for the seeds of hope.
Our nation’s loss is first a profound personal loss to thefamily and the friends and loved ones of our shuttle astronauts. Tothose they have left behind - the mothers, the fathers, thehusbands and wives, brothers, sisters, and yes, especially thechildren - all of America stands beside you in your time ofsorrow.
What we say today is only an inadequate expression of what wecarry in our hearts. Words pale in the shadow of grief; they seeminsufficient even to measure the brave sacrifice of those you lovedand we so admired. Their truest testimony will not be in the wordswe speak, but in the way they led their lives and in the way theylost those lives - with dedication, honor and an unquenchabledesire to explore this mysterious and beautiful universe.
The best we can do is remember our seven astronauts - ourChallengerSeven - remember them as they lived, bringing life andlove and joy to those who knew them and pride to a nation.
They came from all parts of this great country - from SouthCarolina to Washington State; Ohio to Mohawk, New York; Hawaii toNorth Carolina to Concord, New Hampshire. They were so different,yet in their mission, their quest, they held so much in common.
We remember Dick Scobee, the commander who spoke the last wordswe heard from the space shuttle Challenger. He served as a fighterpilot in Vietnam, earning many medals for bravery, and later as atest pilot of advanced aircraft before joining the space program.Danger was a familiar companion to Commander Scobee.
We remember Michael Smith, who earned enough medals as a combatpilot to cover his chest, including the Navy Distinguished FlyingCross, three Air Medals - and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantrywith Silver Star, in gratitude from a nation that he fought to keepfree.
We remember Judith Resnik, known as J.R. to her friends, alwayssmiling, always eager to make a contribution, finding beauty in themusic she played on her piano in her off-hours.
We remember Ellison Onizuka, who, as a child running barefootthrough the coffee fields and macadamia groves of Hawaii, dreamedof someday traveling to the Moon. Being an Eagle Scout, he said,had helped him soar to the impressive achievement of hiscareer.
We remember Ronald McNair, who said that he learned perseverancein the cotton fields of South Carolina. His dream was to liveaboard the space station, performing experiments and playing hissaxophone in the weightlessness of space; Ron, we will miss yoursaxophone and we will build your space station.
We remember Gregory Jarvis. On that ill-fated flight he wascarrying with him a flag of his university in Buffalo, New York - asmall token he said, to the people who unlocked his future.
We remember Christa McAuliffe, who captured the imagination ofthe entire nation, inspiring us with her pluck, her restless spiritof discovery; a teacher, not just to her students, but to an entirepeople, instilling us all with the excitement of this journey weride into the future.
We will always remember them, these skilled professionals,scientists and adventurers, these artists and teachers and familymen and women, and we will cherish each of their stories - storiesof triumph and bravery, stories of true American heroes.
On the day of the disaster, our nation held a vigil by ourtelevision sets. In one cruel moment, our exhilaration turned tohorror; we waited and watched and tried to make sense of what wehad seen. That night, I listened to a call-in program on the radio:people of every age spoke of their sadness and the pride they feltin `our astronauts.’ Across America, we are reaching out, holdinghands, finding comfort in one another.
The sacrifice of your loved ones has stirred the soul of ournation and, through the pain, our hearts have been opened to aprofound truth - the future is not free, the story of all humanprogress is one of a struggle against all odds. We learned againthat this America, which Abraham Lincoln called the last best hopeof man on Earth, was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It wasbuilt by men and women like our seven star voyagers, who answered acall beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, andwho gave it with little thought to worldly reward.
We think back to the pioneers of an earlier century, and thesturdy souls who took their families and the belongings and set outinto the frontier of the American West. Often, they met withterrible hardship. Along the Oregon Trail you can still see thegrave markers of those who fell on the way. But grief only steeledthem to the journey ahead.
Today, the frontier is space and the boundaries of humanknowledge. Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short.But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain.Our nation is indeed fortunate that we can still draw on immensereservoirs of courage, character and fortitude - that we are stillblessed with heroes like those of the space shuttle Challenger.
Dick Scobee knew that every launching of a space shuttle is atechnological miracle. And he said, if something ever does gowrong, I hope that doesn’t mean the end to the space shuttleprogram. Every family member I talked to asked specifically that wecontinue the program, that that is what their departed loved onewould want above all else. We will not disappoint them.
Today, we promise Dick Scobee and his crew that their dreamlives on; that the future they worked so hard to build will becomereality. The dedicated men and women of NASA have lost sevenmembers of their family. Still, they too, must forge ahead, with aspace program that is effective, safe and efficient, but bold andcommitted.
Man will continue his conquest of space. To reach out for newgoals and ever greater achievements - that is the way we shallcommemorate our seven Challenger heroes.
Dick, Mike, Judy, El, Ron, Greg and Christa - your families andyour country mourn your passing. We bid you goodbye. We will neverforget you. For those who knew you well and loved you, the painwill be deep and enduring. A nation, too, will long feel the lossof her seven sons and daughters, her seven good friends. We canfind consolation only in faith, for we know in our hearts that youwho flew so high and so proud now make your home beyond the stars,safe in God’s promise of eternal life.
May God bless you all and give you comfort in this difficulttime.
