自由是人类的普遍追求。人权是没有国界的。每个人的自由发展是人类社会一切发展的前提。——徐文立

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   美国罗德岛州“关注中国中心”（CCC [Caring for China Center]）4/27/04消息：徐文立应美国罗德岛州议院邀请，今天下午在罗德岛州议院发表演讲，徐文立演讲的题目是“自由是最高的人生价值”。演讲的全文如下: 

   自由是最高的人生价值 

   Freedom is the Highest Value of Human Life 

   ------2004年4月27日在罗德岛州议院民主日上的讲话 

   Speech in Rhode Island at “Democracy Day at the State House” April 27, 2004 

   徐文立 

   Xu Wenli 

   尊敬的议长 

   Respected Speaker of the House 

   女士们、先生们 

   Ladies, gentlemen 

   各位朋友： 

   Fellow friends, 

   我今天荣幸地来到贵院发表讲话，我感谢贵院特别称今天为“民主日”。 

   I am very honored to speak at the State House today. I thank you for your calling this event, “Democracy Day at the State House.” 

   罗德岛州是个美丽的州，它濒临浩瀚的大西洋，它到处散落着象Newport这样耀眼的明珠。 

   Rhode Island is a beautiful state. It borders the vast Atlantic Ocean, with glittering jewels like Newport scattered everywhere. 

   我荣幸地告诉大家，我现在也成为了罗德岛州的居民，我把罗德岛州看作是我的第二故乡。 

   I am honored to tell all of you, now I have also become a Rhode Island resident. I consider Rhode Island my second home. 

   我之所以把罗德岛州看作是我的第二故乡，决不仅仅是因为它的美丽；对于我，一个中国政治流亡者来说，更因为它在美国历史上，是第一个宣布独立的州。 

   The reason I consider Rhode Island my second home is not merely because of its beauty. For me, as political exile, it is more importantly because Rhode Island was the first state in the history of the U.S., to declare its independence. 

   罗德岛州是一个自由的州。这里有一个非常开放、自由的、我现在为之服务的布朗大学和一百万伟大的、开放的、自由的、好客的罗德岛州的人民。 

   Rhode Island is a free state. Here, it is extremely open and liberal, including my place of employment, Brown University, and the 1 million open-minded, liberal and hospitable people of Rhode Island. 

   罗德岛州的开创者——威廉姆斯先生，是一个为了追求自由，不惧艰险，勇于披荆斩棘的人。 

   The founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams, was an individual in pursuit of freedom. He did not fear the risks facing him and he hacked his way through the difficulties. 

   威廉姆斯先生的继承者——霍布金斯先生参加了美国独立宣言的签署；在他的故居，我看到了美国的开创者——华盛顿先生和杰弗逊先生的身影。 

   Williams’s successor, Stephen Hopkins was a participant in the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. In his former residence, I can almost see the figures of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, founders of America. 

   这一切，都极大地鼓舞着我继续为中国的自由、民主、人权的事业奋斗终生。 

   All of these figures have given me great encouragement to continue my life’s struggle for freedom, democracy, and human rights in China. 

   因为，我也和他们一样，从来是把自由看作为人生的最高的价值。 

   This is because I am much like them. I have always seen freedom as the greatest value of human life. 

   为此，过去，我不避牢狱之灾；今天，我也不会因为有了自由的生活，而有丝毫的懈怠。 

   Because of this, I never avoided the disaster of imprisonment. And today I will not find the slightest bit of complacency just because I now have a life of freedom. 

   我今天，我愿意借用这个神圣的讲台，告诉诸位，在未来的十年中，美国和美国人民在全部的国际关系中的最大利益在于：有13亿人口、有近千万平方公里土地、有与美国越来越广泛而深刻的经济贸易关系的中国，能否平稳地转变为宪政民主的政治制度。还在于，实行了宪政民主的中国的政府和你们的关系是友好还是不那么友好。 

   Today, I would like to use this sacred platform to tell you all that in the next ten years the benefit of the United States and the people of the United States depends on whether or not China, a nation of 1.3 billion people, about 10 million square km, that has increasingly wide-ranging and profound trade relations with the U.S, is able to realize a stable transition into a constitutional democratic governmental system. It also depends on whether or not this future Chinese government, that has implemented constitutionalism and democracy, shares a friendly relationship with you. 

   我能理解美国的政治家两党一致地认为，一个稳定、而富余的中国符合美国的最大的国家利益。 

   I can understand that the two parties of the U.S. government consistently feel that only a stable and prosperous China is compatible with the national interests of the U.S. 

   但是，我也愿意告诉诸位，只有宪政民主下的中国，才是真正稳定、富强而且友好的。 

   I would also like to tell you, however, that China can only become a stable, strong, prosperous, and friendly nation under constitutionalism and democracy. 

   一个专制的中国它不可能真正实现稳定和富强。专制的中国政府对中国人民是不安全的，对世界和平是不安全的，对美国和美国人民也是不安全的。 

   An autocratic China cannot possibly establish stability and prosperity. An autocratic Chinese government is unsafe to the Chinese people, unsafe to world peace, and unsafe to the U.S. and the American people. 

   近年来，对中国人民和世界各国人民都构成巨大生命威胁的SARS疾病，去年第一次大爆发的时候，中国共产党政府就向全世界隐瞒了事实真相，受到了全世界公正舆论的强烈谴责。 

   Recently, SARS quickly became a major threat to the lives of the Chinese people and the people of all nations of the world. Last year when it first broke out, the Chinese Communist Party government concealed the disease from the entire world and, through just international opinion, received condemnation. 

   中国共产党政府不思悔改，一方面向全世界保证再也不会隐瞒事实真相了，可是最近又因为他们决策上的错误，使肧ARS在中国大陆再一次出现爆发的可能。 

   The Chinese Communist Party has no intention to correct their mistakes, while they guarantee that they would not conceal the truth of any incidents. Due to a recent strategic error of the Chinese authorities, the possibility of another outbreak in Mainland China has again presented itself. 

   事实一再告诉我们，一个专制的政府是不可信的。 

   Reality tells us again, an autocratic government cannot be trusted. 

   我想通过这样的一个实例，会使你们更加坚定地帮助和支持我和我的同事们，为在中国实现自由、民主、尊重人权的事业而奋斗。 

   I hope that reminding you of this kind case will strengthen your resolve to help and support my colleagues and me in our struggle for the realization of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. 

   我相信，我们的事业一定会得到你们更大力、更真诚地帮助。 

   I believe that our mission will obtain your further energetic support and sincere aide. 

   谢谢大家！ 

   Thank you.