奥巴马总统每周电台演讲:美国拟立法管制枪支泛滥

Hi, everybody.

This week, I announced a series of concrete steps we should take to protect our children and our communities from gun violence.

These proposals grew out of meetings Vice¹ President Biden and his task force held over the last month with more than 200 different groups—from parents and teachers; to law enforcement and sportsmen; to religious leaders and mental health professionals.

And in the weeks ahead, I will do everything in my power to make them a reality.

Because while we may not be able to prevent every senseless act of violence in this country, if there is even one thing we can do to reduce it—if even one life can be saved—we've got an obligation to try.

My administration is taking a series of actions right away—from strengthening our background check system, to helping² schools hire more resource officers if they want them, to directing the Centers for Disease Control to study the best ways to reduce gun violence.

But the truth is, making a real and lasting³ difference also requires Congress to act—and act soon.

First, it's time for Congress to require a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun.

The law already requires licensed⁴ gun dealers⁵ to perform these checks, but as many as 40% of all gun purchases are conducted without one.

That's not safe, it's not smart, and it's not fair to responsible gun buyers or sellers.

An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that anyone trying to buy a gun should at least have to prove they're not a felon⁶, or someone legally prohibited from owning one.

That's just common sense.

Second, Congress should restore a ban on military-style assault weapons, and a 10-round limit for magazines.

Many assault rifles, when combined with high-capacity magazines, have one purpose and one purpose only: to fire as many bullets as possible as quickly as possible.

These weapons have no place in our communities.

And a majority of the American people agree with me.

Finally, Congress needs to make it easier, rather than harder, for law enforcement to do its job.

We should get tougher on people who buy guns only to turn around and sell them to criminals.

And at a time when many communities have been forced to make cuts to their police force, we should put more cops back on the job and back on the street.

Like most Americans, I believe the Second Amendment⁷ guarantees an individual right to bear arms.

We have a strong tradition of gun ownership in this country, and the vast majority of gun owners act responsibly.

But I also believe most gun owners agree that we can respect the Second Amendment while keeping an irresponsible, law-breaking few from causing harm on a massive scale.

That's what these reforms are designed to do.

None of this will be easy.

Already, we're seeing pundits⁸, politicians, and special-interest lobbyists calling any attempt at commonsense⁹ reform an all-out assault on liberty—not because that's true, but because that's how they get higher ratings and make more money.

And behind the scenes, they're doing everything they can to protect the status quo.

But this time, it can't be up to them.

It's got to be up to you.

If, like me, you want this time to be different, then I need your help to make it different.

Ask your Member of Congress if they support universal background checks and renewing a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

And if the answer is no, ask them why not.

Ask them why an A-grade from the gun lobby is more important than keeping kids safe in a first grade classroom.

Since the tragedy in Newtown, I've gotten letters from all over the country—including many from our young people.

One of them was from 8-year-old Rachel, who lives in Brooklyn, New York.

She wrote: “Please do something so that bad people cannot get guns to kill other people.

Children should be safe, especially in school.”

Rachel is counting on us.

Let's get this done for her, and let's make this country a safer place for all our children to learn and grow.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

4 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

5 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

6 felon   

n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的

参考例句：

• He's a convicted felon.他是个已定罪的重犯。
• Hitler's early "successes" were only the startling depredations of a resolute felon.希特勒的早期“胜利 ”，只不过是一个死心塌地的恶棍出人意料地抢掠得手而已。

7 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

8 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

9 commonsense   

adj.有常识的；明白事理的；注重实际的

参考例句：

• It is commonsense to carry an umbrella in this weather.这种天气带把伞是很自然的。
• These results are no more than a vindication of commonsense analysis.这些结果只不过是按常理分析得出的事实。