奥巴马每周电视讲话：美国总统奥巴马告别演讲(13)

It is that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse,

这一精神起源于启蒙时代。正是这一精神使我们国家成为世界经济的引擎。

the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk¹ and Cape² Canaveral;

小鹰镇和卡纳维拉尔角起飞的航天飞机承载的也正是这一精神。

the spirit that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.

在这一精神的指导下，我们治愈了疾病、将电脑放进了每个人的口袋。

It's that spirit, a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might,

这一精神是一种信念，是对理性、进取心的信念，对权利应始终高于权力的信念，

that allowed us to resist the lure³ of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression;

这一信念引导我们在经济萧条时期拒绝了法西斯和专制的诱惑，

that allowed us to build a post-World War II order with other democracies,

引导我们在二战后同其他民主政体一起建立了战后秩序。

an order based not just on military power or national affiliations⁴ but built on principles,

我们建立的战后秩序不仅基于军事力量和国家的团结，更是基于我们坚守的原则，

the rule of law, human rights, freedom of religion, and speech, and assembly, and an independent press.

法制、人权、宗教自由、言论自由、集会自由和媒体自由。

That order is now being challenged, first by violent fanatics⁵ who claim to speak for Islam;

这一秩序现在正经受挑战。首先，挑战来自号称伊斯兰代言人的狂热暴力分子；

more recently by autocrats⁶ in foreign capitals who see free markets and open democracies and and civil society itself as a threat to their power.

如今外国资本中的独裁者将自由市场、开放的民主政体和公民社会视为威胁他们权力的眼中钉，他们开始挑战民主秩序。

The peril⁷ each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile.

这两方面远比汽车爆炸和导弹对民主政体带来的威胁要深远。

It represents the fear of change; the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently;

他们带来的威胁源于对变化的恐惧，对不同外表、言行和信仰的恐惧；

a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable; an intolerance of dissent⁸ and free thought;

法治是保证当权者承担责任的手段，他们却蔑视法治，他们对异见和思想自由从来不尊重。

a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or the propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter⁹ of what's true and what's right.

他们认为刀枪、炸弹和宣传机器即是正义。

1 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

2 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

3 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

4 affiliations   

n.联系( affiliation的名词复数 )；附属机构；亲和性；接纳

参考例句：

• She had affiliations of her own in every capital. 她原以为自己在欧洲各国首府都有熟人。 来自辞典例句
• The society has many affiliations throughout the country. 这个社团在全国有很多关系。 来自辞典例句

5 fanatics   

狂热者，入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The heathen temple was torn down by a crowd of religions fanatics. 异教徒的神殿被一群宗教狂热分子拆除了。
• Placing nukes in the hands of baby-faced fanatics? 把核弹交给一些宗教狂热者手里？

6 autocrats   

n.独裁统治者( autocrat的名词复数 )；独断专行的人

参考例句：

• Still, the widespread pessimism doesn't explain the relatively high scores enjoyed by the autocrats. 不过，普遍的悲观情绪并没有解释为何独裁者得到相对较高的分数。 来自互联网

7 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

8 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

9 arbiter   

n.仲裁人，公断人

参考例句：

• Andrew was the arbiter of the disagreement.安德鲁是那场纠纷的仲裁人。
• Experiment is the final arbiter in science.实验是科学的最后仲裁者。