历史可曾有过这样一个苍白而空洞的时刻？——没有梦想，没有期待，没有承诺。
无法想象这个时刻的存在。没有了思想的火种，意志与信念，世界便如同没有光亮的长夜。种子对大树作出承诺，婴儿对成年作出承诺，学子对回报社会作出的承诺。历史在因果中演进，生命在希望中传递。
可 是，并不是每一个承诺都能兑现。十九年前，自由女神曾在天安门前屹立，在世界的目光下，她郑重地对未来的中国作出了历史的承诺。这是一个惊天动地的时刻。 尽管她太年轻，壮志未酬，便被坦克的履带碾碎。中国就此与历史的契机擦肩而过，世界也痛失了年轻纯真的女神的孩子们。这一充满了理想﹑期待﹑承诺的时刻必 须被千秋万代永远牢记。所有的殉难者﹑幸存者，连同他们被碾碎的梦，都要与那一庄严的时刻永存。
今天，面对无数逝去的生命，我们愿作历史 的见证人。没有一个严肃的承诺会永远苍白空洞。历史不会忘记自由女神倒下的瞬间，她的承诺将由后人兑现。未来的民主中国，必将是一个尊重自由﹑崇尚生命的 国度。那时，没人因言而被治罪，没人因“国家安全”而被剥夺知情权。白发人不再为黑发人哭泣。孩童们将在坚固的校舍里读书，为正义疾呼的青年将不再面对牢 狱和枪弹……
届“六四”十九年﹑四川地震十九天之祭日，为自由女神的承诺祈祷，为劫后余生的同胞祝愿。
The Promise of Lady Liberty
Fengshi Yang
Opening remarks
The 19th anniversary of “Tiananmen, June 4th” Memorial Concert
6/1/2008
What is any moment without its promise, without its dreams, without its hope for the future? That moment is empty.
Please know, that such an empty moment does not exist, because every moment contains promise. Just like an acorn seed promises the oak tree; a baby promises an adult; and the student promises a mind that can think thoughts for the greater good of his people. But, not every promise becomes reality.
Nineteen years ago, Lady Liberty lived in Tiannamen Square. The moment was filled with promise and dreams and hopes for democracy in China. It was an astonishing moment in world history. The promise was great. But, it was never allowed to take root. So, China lost an opportunity; we lost courageous young souls who dared to dream of something miraculous for their country; and the world lost a chance to have the most populated country in the world turn into a democratic republic. We must remember this moment. We must honor our dead... we must honor our survivors. And we must keep vigil with the dream, with the promise of that moment.
All change requires loss. But, staying the same takes it toll, also. Why was China like Odysseus shipwrecked in a stormy sea... clinging ferociously to the shattered keel of his original ship...? What could have been our present moment now had China then the courage to try democratic freedoms? We will never know the answer to that question. But, we must hold on to our memories of the promise of that moment 19 years ago. We must remember those who gave their lives for the possibility of change, especially since that change has not yet happened.
Democracy is hard work. Freedom means the possibility of mistakes, the chance to agree to disagree and the opportunity to try again. Let us remember the promise from 19 years ago when Lady Liberty stood in Tiannamen. May she live again for the sake of our people, our troubled nation, and for the sake of world peace.
The world can tremble in many ways.
Whether it is the ideological challenge to the status quo
Or the literal quaking of the ground upon which one stands.
19 years ago
the world trembled
and then, held its breath
as the promise of the moment failed.
19 days ago
the land rumbled,
buildings tumbled
and the world trembled at the destruction and loss of life.
All must begin anew
for we are never the same after such an event.
We pray for those victims.
We pray for those in Sichuan province
who have no choice
but to exist in this strange new reality.
And we stand here today
keeping vigil with them
in our hearts and prayers.
We pause
for a moment of silence
as we light our candles
out of respect for the magnificent mystery of life.
Let us remember all those who suffer.
二○○八年六月一日
□ 寄自美国
