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This I Believe
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I believe in the supreme worth of the individual
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and his right to life,
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liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
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I believe that every right implies a responsibility;
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every opportunity, an obligation,
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every possession, a duty.
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I believe that the law was made for man
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and not man for the law;
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that government is the servant of the people
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and not their master.
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I believe in the dignity of labor whether with head or hand;
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that the world owes no man a living
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but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living.
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I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living
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and that economy is a prime requisite
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of a sound financial structure,
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whether in government,
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business or personal affairs.
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I believe that truth and justice
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are fundamental to an enduring social order.
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I believe in the sacredness of a promise,
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that a man’s word should be as good as his bond;
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that character — not wealth or power or position —
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is of supreme worth.
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I believe the rendering of useful service
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is the common duty of mankind
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and that only in the purifying fire of sacrifice
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is the dross of selfishness consumed
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and the greatness of the human soul set free.
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I believe in the all-wise and all-loving God,
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named by whatever name;
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and that individual’s highest fulfillment,
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greatest happiness and widest usefulness
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are to be found in living in harmony with his will.
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I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world;
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that it alone can overcome hate;
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that right can and will triumph over might.