I am part of the largest generation in the history of this country
one of those 47 million people born into what we refer to today as "The Baby Boom Generation."
We were born in the glow of the emergence of the United States as not just the victor in World War II,
but as the pre-eminent force in the entire Free World.
It must have been pretty heady stuff being an American in those days --
- our economy had been rescued by war time production and was churning our product in number and variety never before seen in this country or in the world ...
- our political status in the world community made us one of only two global Super Powers ... and
- the morale of the country was higher than it had ever been in our history.
No wonder so many of us were born in those days of power and glory:
the present in America was bright and the prospects for our future were even brighter -- economically ... politically ... and socially.
The glow of our national optimism carried us into the Sixties ...
when most of my generation began the process of coming of age.
We dreamed dreams never before imaginable ... we set goals never before thought attainable... we voiced hopes never before thinkable ...
about what we wanted for our people and what we expected from the country.
At the same time, the world made demands on us as well.
We wore the mantle as freedom's watchdog with pride, investing the blood of my generation on far-flung battlefields around the globe.
We matched the menace of communism and the militarism of the Soviet Union weapon for weapon.
When the Soviets fomented revolutions of arms, we responded in kind.
But throughout the world, another revolution was taking place,
a quiet revolution that blended the best of ideas with the newest in technology.
And when the United States wiped the blood and the sweat and the dust from our eyes as victors of the Cold War,
we saw a world turned topsy-turvy ...
a world in which one Super Power dissolved to second rate status ...
and a world in which the vanquished of World War II were emerging as the economic super powers of the 21st Century.
We of the Baby Boom generation ascended to power and responsibility in a nation where our idealistic dreams were in direct conflict with modern reality.
Where once we thought the greatest nation on earth would always be able to finance its dreams,
we have awaken to the stark realization the real world we simply don't have the resources to translate all of our traditional expectations into reality.
While still an economic and military super power, the United States is confronted with new challenges, new realities, and new potential. The City of Buffalo is a microcosm of that brave new world that we find ourselves in.
Even though it was inevitable that the explosive growth would adversely impact on the stability of the city
we never thought of the day when the city wouldn't be able to fund all of things all of the people want all of the time.
But the inevitable is now the present, and "that day" is today.
We must simply face up to the undeniable fact that Buffalo needs to rethink itself, retool itself, and reinvent itself
to respond to the modern challenges of a new and smaller world.
One of the ways our nation and our city can, and must, respond to this changing world environment is through cooperation.
Painful, bloody experience has taught us the undeniable truth that we gain more in concert than we can ever hope to accomplish in conflict.
Our Japanese friends recognize this simple fact as NIN-JEN CAN K-EYE.
Our 33 year relationship with our Sister City of Kanazawa, Japan had paid big dividends to both cities.
We have exchanged ideas, people, and culture. We have shared interests, learning, and technique. We have enjoyed ...we have experienced, and we have grown --
as a city, as a people, and as citizens of the world community.
For more than three decades, we have learn the mutual benefit to be derived from paying attention to each other.
We have offered our respect and our admiration and we have seen them both returned a hundred fold.
Broad new horizons have opened for Buffalo --
and I hope for Kanazawa --
as we have learned that more unites us than once divided us.
We look into the eyes of each other's children, and we see the same hope.
We walk the streets of each other's cities and we see the same needs.
We listen to the voices of each other's leaders, and we see the same vision
for peace, prosperity, and harmony.
Like most older cities, Buffalo has made some mistakes in its recent history.
But there is no doubt that we did exactly the right thing when we embraced the Sister City concept
and when we were joined with Kanazawa, Japan those 33 years ago in common recognition that the people of two great cities could become better, smarter, and stronger by sharing common concerns.
I am proud to raise my glass ...
much as this visit from Mayor YA MA DA has raised the spirits of Buffalo ...
to salute our distinguished visitors from Kanazawa
and to bid them welcome to Buffalo, New York, USA ...
The City of Good Neighbors ...
whether those neighbors are here or in Japan.
Please join me in a toast to the continuing friendship and lasting relationship between Buffalo and Kanazawa.