"And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us... if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch of a button... then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids.
"And if so many brave men and women could wear our country's uniform and sacrifice their lives for our most fundamental rights... then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights... surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.
"If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire... if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores... if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote... if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time... if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream... and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.
"Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle."
-First Lady Michelle Obama (text, video)