I think that is one of the great questions of our age. Aren't they all
our children? It is a question that deserves an answer.

Aren't they all our children? Those who live under our roof and those
who reside with another family? Those to whom we are related as well
as those whom we have never known?

Aren't they all our children? Those on our side of the border as well
as those on the other side? Those of our nation no more or less than
those of another?

Aren't they all our children? Those who worship like us and those who
worship differently? Those who look like us and those who do not?

Aren't they all our children? The well-educated and the
under-educated? The well-fed and the under-fed? Those who are secure
and those who are at risk?

Aren't they all our children? The highly valued and highly esteemed as
well as the castaways and the lost?

Aren't they all our children? Aren't they all our responsibility? ALL
of them? Ours to nurture? Ours to protect? Ours to love?

I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that the survival of our
world hinges on the answer to that question.

To say they are NOT all our children is to condemn the world to more
struggle – family against family, group against group, nation against
nation.

Aren't they all our children? If we say yes, can we ever again pit
them against each other? "If we have no peace," said Mother Teresa,
"it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Aren't they all our children?

There may be no greater question for our generation. And how we answer
that question will determine the shape of our world for years to come.

I think that is one of the great questions of our age. Aren't they all
our children? It is a question that deserves an answer.

Aren't they all our children? Those who live under our roof and those
who reside with another family? Those to whom we are related as well
as those whom we have never known?

Aren't they all our children? Those on our side of the border as well
as those on the other side? Those of our nation no more or less than
those of another?

Aren't they all our children? Those who worship like us and those who
worship differently? Those who look like us and those who do not?

Aren't they all our children? The well-educated and the
under-educated? The well-fed and the under-fed? Those who are secure
and those who are at risk?

Aren't they all our children? The highly valued and highly esteemed as
well as the castaways and the lost?

Aren't they all our children? Aren't they all our responsibility? ALL
of them? Ours to nurture? Ours to protect? Ours to love?

I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that the survival of our
world hinges on the answer to that question.

To say they are NOT all our children is to condemn the world to more
struggle – family against family, group against group, nation against
nation.

Aren't they all our children? If we say yes, can we ever again pit
them against each other? "If we have no peace," said Mother Teresa,
"it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Aren't they all our children?

There may be no greater question for our generation. And how we answer
that question will determine the shape of our world for years to come.