罗纳德·威尔逊·里根：拆掉这堵墙吧
Ronald Wilson Reagan/罗纳德·威尔逊·里根
After these four decades，then，there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion：Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor.
And now the Soviets themselves may，in a limited way，be coming to understand the importance of freedom. We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness. Some political prisoners have been released. Certain foreign news broadcasts are no longer being jammed. Some economic enterprises have been permitted to operate with greater freedom from state control.
Are these the beginnings of profound changes in the Soviet state？ Or are they token gestures，intended to raise false hopes in the West，or to strengthen the Soviet system without changing it？ We welcome change and openness；for we believe that freedom and security go together，that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable，that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.
General Secretary Gorbachev，if you seek peace，if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe，if you seek liberalization：Come here to this gate！ Mr. Gorbachev，open this gate！ Mr. Gorbachev，tear down this wall！
I understand the fear of war and the pain of division that afflict this continent— and I pledge to you my country’s efforts to help overcome these burdens. To be sure，we in the West must resist Soviet expansion. So we must maintain defenses of unassailable strength. Yet we seek peace，so we must strive to reduce arms on both sides.
Today thus represents a moment of hope. We in the West stand ready to cooperate with the East to promote true openness，to break down barriers that separate people，to create a safe，freer world. And surely there is no better place than Berlin，the meeting place of East and West，to make a start.
Free people of Berlin：Today，as in the past，the United States stands for the strict observance and full implementation of all parts of the Four Power Agreement of 1971. Let us use this occasion，the 750th anniversary of this city，to usher in a new era，to seek a still fuller，richer life for the Berlin of the future. Together，let us maintain and develop the ties between the Federal Republic and the Western sectors of Berlin，which is permitted by the 1971 agreement.
And I invite Mr Gorbachev：Let us work to bring the Eastern and Western parts of the city closer together，so that all the inhabitants of all Berlin can enjoy the benefits that come with life in one of the great cities of the world.
To open Berlin still further to all Europe，East and West，let us expand the vital air access to this city，finding ways of making commercial air service to Berlin more convenient，more comfortable，and more economical. We look to the day when West Berlin can become one of the chief aviation hubs in all central Europe.
With our French and British partners，the United States is prepared to help bring international meetings to Berlin. It would be only fitting for Berlin to serve as the site of United Nations meetings，or world conferences on human rights and arms control or other issues that call for international cooperation.
There is no better way to establish hope for the future than to enlighten young minds，and we would be honored to sponsor summer youth exchanges，cultural events，and other programs for young Berhners from the East. Our French and British friends，I’m certain，will do the same. And it’s my hope that an authority can be found in East Berlin to sponsor visits from young people of the Western sectors.
One final proposal，one close to my heart：Sport represents a source of enjoyment and ennoblement，and you may have noted that the Republic of Korea—South Korea has offered to permit certain events of the 1988 Olympics to take place in the North. International sports competitions of all kinds could take place in both parts of this city. And what better way to demonstrate to the world the openness of this city than to offer in some future year to hold the Olympic Games here in Berlin，East and West？ In these four decades，as I have said，you Berliners have built a great city. You’ve done so in spite of threats—the Soviet attempts to impose the East-mark，the blockade. Today the city thrives in spite of the challenges implicit in the very presence of this wall. What keeps you here？ Certainly there’s a great deal to be said for your fortitude，for your defiant courage. But I believe there’s something deeper，something that involves Berlin’s whole look and feel and way of life—not mere sentiment. No one could live long in Berlin without being completely disabused of illusions. Something instead，that has seen the difficulties of life in Berlin but chose to accept them，that continues to build this good and proud city in contrast to a surrounding totalitarian presence that refuses to release human energies or aspirations. Something that speaks with a powerful voice of affirmation，that says yes to this city，yes to the future，yes to freedom. In a word，I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love—love both profound and abiding.
