オバマ大統領は４月に全米科学アカデミーで約束
したことを、ちゃんと実行して、高校や市民大学を
訪ねています。政治的には批判の声も上がってい
るようですが、１２歳のこどもたちとの会話に大統
領の人間性が見えます。素晴らしいですね。
また、オバマ大統領が尊敬する人々、非暴力で
世界を変えていった人々の名前も出てきます。
ガンジー、チャベス、キング、、、ロバート・ケネディ
もそうですね。
STUDENT: How has your life changed?
STUDENT: I was wondering, you said that your father wasn't really in your life. That's kind of like me -- my parents were divorced. But how do you think your life would have been different if he would have been there for you? Like, if -- how would your education have been and would you still be President?
STUDENT: If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
THE PRESIDENT: Dinner with anyone dead or alive? Well, you know, dead or alive, that's a pretty big list. (Laughter.) You know, I think that it might be Gandhi, who is a real hero of mine. Now, it would probably be a really small meal because -- (laughter) -- he didn't eat a lot. But he's somebody who I find a lot of inspiration in. He inspired Dr. King, so if it hadn't been for the non-violent movement in India, you might not have seen the same non-violent movement for civil rights here in the United States. He inspired César Chávez, and he -- and what was interesting was that he ended up doing so much and changing the world just by the power of his ethics, by his ability to change how people saw each other and saw themselves -- and help people who thought they had no power realize that they had power, and then help people who had a lot of power realize that if all they're doing is oppressing people, then that's not a really good exercise of power. So I'm always interested in people who are able to bring about change, not through violence, not through money, but through the force of their personality and their ethical and moral stances. And that's somebody that I'd love to sit down and talk to.
STUDENT: I was just wondering what were your main goals before you graduated college, what you wanted to achieve in life?
STUDENT: Why did you decide to come to Wakefield instead of, like, Yorktown or Washington?
STUDENT: I was just wondering how you motivate yourself to do all the work that goes along with your job.
STUDENT: When I grow up, I would like to have your job. Is there any advice you can give me, or career paths that I -- things I need to know?
STUDENT: my question is, currently 36 countries have universal health coverage, including Iraq and Afghanistan, which have it paid for by the United States. Why can't the United States have universal health coverage?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, listen, guys, these have been terrific questions. I can tell you guys are going to excel in high school. You guys are going to do great. And your teachers are lucky to have you. And just remember that -- my only other piece of advice is stay focused, do well, apply yourself in school -- but also understand you're going to make some mistakes during your teenage years and you can recover from them. Just make sure that if you do make a mistake that you learn from it and you'll be fine.
下記、子供の質問です。回答ぶりは、本文へ↑