The President:
There are many honors and privileges bestowed on the
occupant of this house, but few
mean as much to me as the chance
to award America's highest
civilian medal to the recipients
that are here today. This is a chance for me -- and for the
United States of America -- to say thank you to some of
the finest citizens of this country, and of all countries.
The men and women we honor today
have led very different lives
and pursued very different careers. They're pioneers in
science and medicine. They're gifted artists and indomitable
athletes. They have made their mark in the courtroom, in the
community, and in Congress. And what unites them is a belief --
that most -- forgive me to those of you who are not Americans --
but what we consider to be that most American of beliefs -- that
our lives are what we make of them; that no barriers of race,
gender, or physical infirmity
can restrain the human spirit;
and that the truest test of a
person's life is what we do for
one another. The recipients of the Medal of Freedom did not set
out to win this or any other award. They did not set out in
pursuit of glory or fame or riches. Rather, they set out,
guided by passion, committed to hard work, aided by persistence,
often with few advantages but the gifts, grace, and good
name God gave them. So, let them stand as an example here in the
United States -- and around the world -- of what we can achieve
in our own lives. Let them stand as an example of the difference
we can make in the lives of others. Let each of their
stories stand as an example of a life well lived.
One of the last things Suzy
Komen did before she passed away
was ask her sister Nancy
to make her a promise.
Nancy promised her she would
prevent other families battling
breast cancer from hurting
the way theirs had.
What began with $200 and a list
of friends has become a global
Race for the Cure, a campaign
that has eased the pain and
saved the lives of
millions around the world.
In the months after her sister's
death, Nancy lay awake at night,
thinking about the promise she
had made and wondering whether
one person could really
make a difference.
Nancy's life is the answer. While an intern at Miami's
Jackson Memorial, Dr. Pedro José Greer came across a patient in a
coma without a known name or address -- a homeless man,
found by firefighters,
suffering from tuberculosis.
In the days that followed, the
physician Little Havana knows as
Dr. Joe searched for clues
about the patient's life in the
squalor under Miami's highways.
Deciding that Miami's
homeless deserved better,
Dr. Greer founded
Camillus Health Concern,
a clinic that now offers care to over 4,000 poor and homeless
patients. It's a life that might be distilled into a question
Dr. Greer asks all of us: "If we
don't fight injustice, who
will?" Professor Stephen Hawking was a brilliant man and a
mediocre student --
(laughter)
-- when he lost his balance and
tumbled down a flight of stairs.
Diagnosed with a rare disease
and told he had just a few years
to live, he chose to
live with new purpose.
And happily, in the
four decades since,
he has become one of the
world's leading scientists.
His work in theoretical physics
-- which I will not attempt to
explain further here --
(laughter)
-- has advanced our understanding of the universe.
His popular books have advanced
the cause of science itself.
From his wheelchair, he's led us
on a journey to the farthest and
strangest reaches of the cosmos. In so doing, he has stirred our
imagination and shown us the power of the human spirit here
on Earth. Told he was too small to play college football,
Jack Kemp became a pro quarterback. Cut by four teams,
he led the Buffalo Bills to two championships. Football, he once
said, gave him a good sense of perspective about politics: He'd
"already been booed, cheered, cut, sold and traded."
(laughter)
Makes me feel better.
(laughter)
A conservative thinker, a Republican leader,
and a defender of civil rights,
he was that rare patriot who put
country over party, never
forgetting what he learned on
the gridiron -- that it takes
each of us doing our part,
and all of us working together,
to achieve a common goal.
It's a life from which
we can all draw lessons,
Democrat and Republican alike. After purchasing an $8 racket
with money earned from chores, 11-year-old Billie Jean declared
a goal to be the number one tennis player in the world.
Yet, what we honor are not
simply her 12 Grand Slam titles,
101 doubles titles, and 67
singles titles -- pretty good,
Billie Jean --
(laughter)
-- we honor what she calls "all
the off-the-court stuff" -- what
she did to broaden
the reach of the game,
to change how women athletes
and women everywhere view
themselves, and to give everyone
-- regardless of gender or
sexual orientation -- including
my two daughters -- a chance to
compete both on the
court and in life.
As Billie Jean once
said, we should "never,
ever underestimate
the human spirit."
Nor should we underestimate
Billie Jean King's spirit.
Born and raised in Jim Crow
Alabama, preaching in his blood,
the Reverend Joseph Lowery is a
giant of the Moses generation of
civil rights leaders. It was just King, Lowery, and a few
others, huddled in Montgomery, who laid the groundwork for the
bus boycott and the movement
that was to follow.
A founder of the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference,
Lowery was later asked
to serve as President.
He agreed to serve for one
year, but wound up serving,
as he puts it, for
20 one-year terms.
(laughter)
Throughout his life, some
have called him crazy.
But one of my favorite sermons
that I heard Dr. Lowery once
deliver, he said: There's good
crazy and there's bad crazy -
(laughter)
-- and sometimes you need a
little bit of that good crazy to
make the world a better place.
Born just a generation past the
Battle of the Little Big Horn,
a grandson of a scout for
General Custer himself,
Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow was the
first member of his tribe to
attend college and
earn a Master's.
Before completing his PhD, he
left to serve in World War II.
Wearing war paint
beneath his uniform,
and a sacred feather
beneath his helmet,
Joseph Medicine Crow completed
the four battlefield deeds that
made him the last Crow war chief. Historian, educator, and
patriot -- a good man, a bacheitche in Crow --
Dr. Medicine Crow's life reflects not only the warrior
spirit of the Crow people, but America's highest ideals.
His name was Harvey Milk, and he
was here to recruit us -- all of
us -- to join a movement
and change a nation.
For much of his early life,
he had silenced himself.
In the prime of his life, he was
silenced by the act of another.
But in the brief time in which
he spoke -- and ran and led --
his voice stirred the
aspirations of millions of
people. He would become, after several attempts, one of the
first openly gay Americans elected to public office.
And his message of
hope -- hope unashamed,
hope unafraid -- could
not ever be silenced.
It was Harvey who said it best:
"You gotta give 'em hope."
When a young Sandra Day
graduated from Stanford Law
School near the top of her class
-- in two years instead of the
usual three -- she was offered
just one job in the private
sector. Her prospective employer asked her how well she typed and
told her there might be work for
her as a legal secretary.
Now, I cannot know how she would
have fared as a
legal secretary --
(laughter)
but she made a mighty fine justice of the United States
Supreme Court.
(laughter and applause)
A judge and Arizona
legislator, cancer survivor,
child of the Texas plains,
Sandra Day O'Connor is like the
pilgrim in the poem she sometime
quotes who has forged a new
trail and built a bridge behind
her for all young women to
follow. It's been said that Sidney Poitier does not make
movies, he makes milestones --
milestones of artistic
excellence; milestones
of America's progress.
On screen and behind the camera,
in films such as The Defiant
Ones, Guess Who's Coming to
Dinner, Uptown Saturday Night,
Lilies of the Field -- for which
he became the first African
American to win an Academy Award
for Best Actor -- Poitier not
only entertained, but
enlightened, shifting attitudes,
broadening hearts, revealing the
power of the silver screen to
bring us closer together. The child of Bahamian tomato
farmers, Poitier once called his driving purpose to make himself
a better person. He did -- and he made us all a little bit
better along the way. Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero --
(applause)
-- knows the adversity that
comes with a difficult name.
(laughter)
I can relate.
(laughter)
Known to the world by the name that has lit up Broadway
marquees, Chita Rivera's career
had an improbable start.
Accompanying a nervous
classmate on an audition,
she decided to audition herself,
and impressed the choreographer,
Jerome Robbins, who would make
her famous as Anita in West Side
Story. Sassy, electric -- that rare performer who can sing,
dance, and act -- Chita Rivera revealed that still rarer
ability to overcome when she recovered from a car accident
that shattered her leg. She ended up retaking the stage, won
a Tony for Kiss of the Spider Woman. And like her
unforgettable Anita, Chita Rivera has shown that life can
indeed be bright in America. The only girl in a family of four
brothers, Mary Robinson learned early on what it takes to make
sure all voices are heard. As a crusader for women and those
without a voice in Ireland, Mary Robinson was the first woman
elected President of Ireland, before being appointed U.N.
High Commissioner for Human Rights. When she traveled abroad
as President, she would place a light in her window that would
draw people of Irish descent to pass by below. Today, as an
advocate for the hungry and the hunted, the forgotten and the
ignored, Mary Robinson has not only shone a light on human
suffering, but illuminated a better future for our world.
After graduating from the
University of Chicago School of
Medicine in 1948, Janet
Rowley got married,
and gave birth to four sons,
making medicine a hobby and
making family her priority.
It was not until she was almost
40 that she took up serious
medical research, and not until
almost a decade later that she
discovered, hunched over
her dining room table,
examining small
photos of chromosomes,
that leukemia cells are notable
for changes in their genetics --
a discovery that showed
cancer is genetic,
and transformed how
we fight the disease.
All of us have been touched
in some way by cancer,
including my family -- and so we
can all be thankful that what
began as a hobby became
a life's work for Janet.
The glint in the eye and the
lilt in the voice are familiar
to us all. But the signature quality of Archbishop Desmond
Tutu, says Nelson Mandela, is a
readiness to take unpopular
stands without fear. Perhaps that explains what led the Arch,
as he's known, to preach amid tear gas and police dogs,
rallying a people against apartheid. And later, when a
free South Africa needed a heart big enough to forgive its sins,
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was called to serve once more -- as
chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Tribune of the downtrodden,
voice of the oppressed,
cantor of our conscience,
Desmond Tutu possesses that
sense of generosity, that spirit of unity, that essence of
humanity that South Africans know simply as Ubuntu.
Thirty-five years ago, a young
economics professor at a
university in Bangladesh was
struck by the disconnect between
the theories he was teaching in
class and the reality of the
famine outside. So, determined to help, Mohammed Yunus left the
classroom for a village, and discovered that just $27 would
free dozens of artisans, vendors, and rickshaw pullers
from debt. Offering himself as a
guarantor, he withdrew a loan,
paid off their debts, and
founded Grameen Bank -- a bank
that has disbursed
over $8 billion,
lifting millions of people
from poverty with microloans.
Mohammed Yunus was just
trying to help a village,
but he somehow managed
to change the world.
There's a story Ted
Kennedy sometimes tells.
It's about a boy who sees an old
man tossing starfish stranded by
a receding tide
back into the sea.
"There are so many,"
asks the boy,
"what difference can your
efforts possibly make?"
The old man studies the
starfish in his hand and tosses
it to safety, saying: "It makes
a difference to that one."
For nearly half a century, Ted
Kennedy has been walking that
beach, making a difference
for that soldier fighting for
freedom, that refugee looking for a way home, that senior
searching for dignity, that worker striving for opportunity,
that student aspiring to college, that family reaching
for the American Dream. The life of Senator Edward M. Kennedy has
made a difference for us all. These are the 2009 recipients of
the Medal of Freedom. At a moment when cynicism and doubt
too often prevail, when our obligations to one another are
too often forgotten, when the road ahead can seem too long or
hard to tread, these extraordinary men and women --
these agents of change -- remind us that excellence is not beyond
our abilities, that hope lies
around the corner, and that
justice can still be won in the forgotten corners of this world.
They remind us that we each have
it within our powers to fulfill
dreams, to advance
the dreams of others,
and to remake the
world for our children.
And it is now my distinct and
extraordinary honor to ask each
of them to come forward
to receive their award,
as a military aide
reads their citation.
(applause)
Military Aide:
Drawing strength from tragedy, Nancy Goodman Brinker has
transformed the nation's
approach to breast cancer.
When her sister was
diagnosed in 1977,
most breast cancer victims knew
relatively little about the
disease and suffered
from popular stigmas.
Nancy G. Brinker promised to challenge these norms.
She founded Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of her sister,
and today, the organization supports research and community
awareness programs across the United States and around the
world. Nancy G. Brinker's unique passion and determination have
been a blessing to all those whose lives have been
touched by breast cancer.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Pedro José Greer Jr.
Dr. Pedro José "Joe" Greer Jr. has devoted his career to
improving medical services for
 the uninsured.
A native of Miami, he followed
his passion for helping others
to medical school and founded
the Camillus Health Concern
(CHC) in 1984 as a medical intern. Today, CHC treats
thousands of homeless patients a year, serving as a model clinic
for the poor, and inspiring physicians everywhere to work
with indigent populations. Dr. Greer's tremendous contributions
to the South Florida community, and our nation as a whole,
stand as a shining example of
the difference one person can
make in the lives of many.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Stephen Hawking.
Persistent in his
pursuit of knowledge,
Stephen Hawking has unlocked
new pathways of discovery and
inspired people
around the world.
He has dedicated his life to
exploring the fundamental laws
that govern the universe, and he
has contributed to some of the
greatest scientific discoveries of our time. His work has
stirred the imagination of experts and lay persons alike.
Living with a disability and
possessing an uncommon ease of
spirit, Stephen Hawking's
attitude and achievements
inspire hope, intellectual curiosity, and respect for the
tremendous power of science.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Joanne Kemp, accepting
on behalf of her husband,
Jack French Kemp.
A statesman and a sports icon,
Jack French Kemp advocated for
his beliefs with an unwavering
integrity and intellectual
honesty. On the football field, he earned the respect and
admiration of his teammates for his judgment and leadership.
As a public servant, he
placed country before party,
and ideas before ideology. Jack Kemp saw bridges where others
saw divisions, and his legacy serves as a shining example for
all those who strive to challenge conventional wisdom,
stay true to themselves,
and better our nation.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Kara Kennedy, accepting on behalf of her father,
Edward M. Kennedy.
For more than four
decades, Senator Edward M.
Kennedy has boldly fought for
equal opportunity, fairness,
and justice for all Americans.
In his tireless quest
for a more perfect Union,
Senator Kennedy has
reformed our schools,
strengthened our civil rights,
helped seniors and working
families, lifted up the poor,
and worked to ensure that every
American has access to quality
and affordable health care.
With volumes of laws bearing his
name and countless lives touched
by his extraordinary passion,
Senator Kennedy has accumulated
several lifetimes'
worth of achievements.
The United States proudly
recognizes this righteous
citizen, devout public
servant, and giant among men.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Billie Jean Moffitt King.
(applause)
Through her example and advocacy, Billie Jean Moffitt
King has advanced the struggle for greater gender equality
around the world. In an age of
male-dominated sports,
her pioneering journey took her
from Long Beach, California,
to the lawns of All England Club
and the International Tennis
Hall of Fame. Her athletic acumen is matched only by her
unwavering defense of equal rights. With Billie Jean King
pushing us, the road ahead will
be smoother for women,
the future will be brighter
for LGBT Americans, and our
nation's commitment to equality will be stronger for all.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Reverend Joseph E. Lowery.
(applause)
Reverend Joseph E. Lowery has marched through life with faith
and purpose, carrying with him the legacy of a movement that
touched America's conscience
and changed its history.
At the forefront of the major
civil rights events of our time
-- from the Montgomery bus
boycott to protests against
apartheid -- he has served as a
tireless beacon for nonviolence
and social justice. As a pastor and civil rights advocate,
he co-founded the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference
and championed the cause of
peace and freedom around the
world. The United States proudly honors this outstanding leader.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Joseph Medicine Crow.
As a warrior and living legend,
history flows through Dr. Joseph
Medicine Crow -- High Bird. Born on a reservation and raised by
traditional grandparents, he became the first member of his
tribe to earn a Master's degree. For his valiant service in World
War II, he was awarded the
status of Crow War Chief,
and his renowned studies
of the first Americans and
contributions to cultural and
historical preservation have
been critical to our understanding of America's
history. Joe Medicine Crow is a symbol of strength and survival,
and the United States honors
him for his dedication to this
country and to all
Native Americans.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Stuart Milk accepting on behalf of his uncle,
Harvey Bernard Milk.
(applause)
Harvey Bernard Milk dedicated his life to shattering
boundaries and challenging assumptions. As one of the first
openly gay elected officials in this country, he changed the
landscape of opportunity for the nation's gay community.
Throughout his life, he fought
discrimination with visionary
courage and conviction. Before his tragic death in 1978, he
wisely noted, "Hope will never be silent," and called upon
Americans to stay true to the guiding principles of equality
and justice for all. Harvey Milk's voice will forever echo
in the hearts of all those who carry forward
his timeless message.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Sandra Day O'Connor.
(applause)
Sandra Day O'Connor has paved
the way for millions of women to
achieve their dreams. Completing law school in just two years,
she graduated third in her class
at a time when women rarely
entered the legal profession. With grace and humor, tenacity
and intelligence, she rose to become the first woman on the
United States Supreme Court. Her historic 25-term tenure on the
Court was defined by her integrity and independence, and
she has earned the nation's lasting gratitude for her
invaluable contributions to history and the law.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Sidney Poitier.
(applause)
Ambassador and actor, Sidney
Poitier has left an indelible
mark on American culture. Rising from the tomato farms of the
Bahamas, his talent led him to Broadway, Hollywood, and global
acclaim. In front of black and white audiences struggling to
right the nation's moral compass, Sidney Poitier brought
us the common tragedy of racism,
the inspiring possibility of
reconciliation, and the simple joys of everyday life.
Ultimately, the man would mirror the character, and both would
advance the nation's dialogue on race and respect.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Chita Rivera.
(applause)
From stage to screen, Chita Rivera has captured America's
imagination with her magnetic
presence and radiant voice.
Over a career that has
spanned a half-century,
she has received numerous
accolades for her performances,
including two Tony Awards, six
additional Tony nominations,
and the Kennedy
Center Honors Award.
As fearless as "Anita"
in West Side Story,
and as self-reliant as "Aurora"
in Kiss of the Spider Woman,
she has broken barriers under
Broadway's lights and inspired a
generation of women to follow
in her remarkable footsteps.
The United States honors Chita
Rivera for her lifetime of
achievement as one of
America's great artists.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Mary Robinson.
(applause)
For Mary Robinson, the fight to end discrimination and suffering
is an urgent moral imperative. She has been a trail-blazing
crusader for women's rights in Ireland and a forceful advocate
for equality and human rights around the world. Whether
courageously visiting conflict-stricken regions, or working to
inject concern for human rights into business and economic
development, Mary Robinson continues this important work
today, urging citizens and nations to make common
cause for justice.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Janet Davison Rowley.
(applause)
Dr. Janet Davison Rowley was the first scientist to identify a
chromosomal translocation as
the cause of leukemia and other
cancers -- considered among
the most important medical
breakthroughs of
the past century.
After enrolling at the
University of Chicago at age 15,
she went on to challenge the
conventional medical wisdom
about the cause of cancer in the 1970s, which had placed little
emphasis on chromosomal abnormalities. Her work has
proven enormously influential to researchers worldwide who have
used her discovery to identify genes that cause fatal cancers
and to develop targeted therapies that have
revolutionized cancer care. The United States honors this
distinguished scientist for advancing genetic research and
the understanding of our most devastating diseases.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu.
(applause)
With unflagging devotion to
justice, indomitable optimism,
and an unmistakable
sense of humor,
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond
Mpilo Tutu has stirred the
world's conscience for decades.
As a man of the cloth, he has
drawn the respect and admiration
of a diverse congregation.
He helped lead South Africa
through a turning point in
modern history, and with an
unshakable humility and firm
commitment to our
common humanity,
he helped heal wounds and lay
the foundation for a new nation.
Desmond Tutu continues to give
voice to the voiceless and bring
hope to those who
thirst for freedom.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
Muhammad Yunus.
(applause)
With his belief in the self-reliance of all people,
Professor Muhammad Yunus has
altered the face of finance and
entrepreneurship. As an academic, he struggled with
pervading economic theories and their effects on the people of
his native Bangladesh. Yearning for a new way of lifting people
out of poverty, he revolutionized banking to allow
low-income borrowers access to credit. In the process, he has
enabled citizens of the world's poorest countries to create
profitable businesses,
 support their families, and 
help build sustainable communities. In doing so,
Muhammad Yunus has unleashed new avenues of creativity and
inspired millions worldwide to imagine their own potential.
(The medal is presented)
(applause)
The President:
Before we break up, why don't we all give an extraordinary round
of applause to these
remarkable men and women.
(applause)
