英文演讲录 憨豆先生：言论自由(1)

My starting point when it comes to the consideration of any issue relating to free speech is my passionate¹ belief that the second most precious thing in life is the right to express yourself freely.

说到任何有关言论自由的问题时，我的一贯立场和坚定信念是：生命中第二珍贵的事，就是充分表达自我的权利。

The most precious thing in life I think is food in your mouth and the third most precious is a roof over your head but a fixture² in the Number 2 slot for me is free expression, just below the need to sustain life itself.

当然最重要的首先是吃得饱，第三重要的是住得暖，我认为言论自由就介于两者之间，重要性仅次于温饱生存。

That is because I have enjoyed free expression in this country all my professional life and expect to continue to do so,

因为我在整个职业生涯中都享受着言论自由，并相信未来也能继续下去。

Personally I suspect highly unlikely to be arrested for whatever laws exist to contain free expression, because of the undoubtedly³ privileged position that is afforded to those of a high public profile.

我很自信我不大可能被逮捕，无论有什么样的法律限制着言论自由，因为我享有一定的特权，这是公众人物这一身份带给我的。

So, my concerns are less for myself and more for those more vulnerable because of their lower profile.

所以我不担心自己，我更担心那些更容易受到影响和伤害的人，因为他们只是普通大众：

Like the man arrested in Oxford⁴ for calling a police horse, gay.

就像那个在牛津被捕的人，他说警马是同性恋；

Or the teenager arrested for calling the Church of Scientology a cult⁵.

又或是那名被捕的少年，他说山达基教会是邪教。

Or the café owner arrested for displaying passages from the bible on a TV screen.

还有个咖啡馆老板，他被捕只是因为在电视屏幕上放了几个圣经片段。

When I heard of some of these more ludicrous offences and charges, I remembered that I had been here before in a fictional⁶ context.

每当我听到这些荒谬的罪行，就会想起之前一个剧本。

I once did a show called Not the Nine O'Clock News, some years ago, and we did a sketch⁷ where Griff Rhys-Jones played Constable⁸ Savage⁹, a manifestly racist¹⁰ police officer to whom I,

早些年录恶搞整九新闻的时候，格里夫·林斯·琼斯扮演“野蛮警官”，一个彻头彻尾的种族主义者。

as his station commander, is giving a dressing¹¹ down for arresting a black man on a whole string of ridiculous, trumped¹² up and ludicrous charges.

我演他的站长，当时我正在骂他，因为他逮捕了一个黑人，理由滑稽可笑、荒唐无稽。

The charges for which Constable Savage arrested Mr. Winston Kodogo of 55 Mercer Road were these: 'Walking on the cracks in the pavement.'

野蛮警官对默瑟街55号的温斯顿·科多戈先生指控如下：‘走在人行道的缝上。’

'Walking in a loud shirt in a built-up area during the hours of darkness' and one of my favourites 'Walking around all over the place.'

“夜晚穿着花哨的衬衣在建筑区走路”；还有这个我最喜欢的“到处走来走去”。

He was also arrested for 'Urinating in a public convenience' and 'Looking at me in a funny way'.

他的罪行还包括“在公厕小便”，以及“用滑稽的眼神看我”。

Who would have thought that we would end up with a law that would allow life to imitate art so exactly.

谁能想到，我们制定出的法律，能使生活如此精确地重现艺术呢？

I read somewhere, a defender¹³ of the status quo claiming that the fact that the gay horse case was dropped after the arrested man refused to pay the fine

我之前读到，有人为这样的现状辩解，声称同性恋警马的案子不久便撤了，因为被捕男子拒付罚款；

and that the Scientology case was also dropped at some point during the court process was proof that the law working well,

山达基教会的案子也在法庭程序中撤了，证明我们的法律体系运作正常。

ignoring the fact that the only reason these cases were dropped was because of the publicity¹⁴ that they had attracted.

这个人完全忽视了事实：这些案子之所以能被撤诉，仅仅是因为它们引起了公众的关注。

1 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

2 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。

3 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

4 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

5 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

6 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

7 sketch   

n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述

参考例句：

• My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
• I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

8 constable   

n.(英国)警察，警官

参考例句：

• The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
• The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。

9 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

10 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

11 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

12 trumped   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

14 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。