VOA标准英语2010年-US Supreme Court Strikes Down Chicago

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley speaks during a news conference, in Chicago. Daley said he's disappointed by Monday's widely expected Supreme¹ Court decision that Americans have a right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere but promised to soon push for a new ordinance² regulating handguns in the city. He stressed that while the city's 28-year-old ban remains³ in place until a federal appeals court reconsiders its ruling, it's clear it will be overturned, 28 Jun 2010.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the  right to gun ownership applies nationwide. The High Court's decision is a response to a challenge of gun ban in Chicago and one of its suburbs, and comes two years after the justices struck down a law in Washington, D.C. banning possession of handguns.

The five-to-four decision resulted from a case against the city of Chicago and its suburb of Oak Park. Both have laws that effectively ban handgun possession by almost all private citizens.

The lead plaintiff in the Chicago case, Otis McDonald, challenged the law after he said criminals broke into his home and made repeated threats.

"At least the playing fields will be leveled," he said. "I don't have to be concerned about the young dealers⁴ and gang-bangers coming in my house, because I believe now that they think twice."

In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment⁵ protects the right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of self-defense, striking down a Washington, D.C. law that banned the possession of handguns in the home.

Monday's ruling said that right applies also to state and local gun control laws.

Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said he expects criminals convicted of gun charges to use Monday's ruling to challenge their convictions.

But the court offered little guidance on what type of gun control can be allowed.

"But even though we're going to see a lot more lawsuits⁶, I remain very confident that most of those gun laws are going to be quickly upheld," Helmke said.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley said guns in the home - even for self-defense - kill innocent people. "I don't think America should be known for 'we could kill more people than any other nation.'  We love to kill, we can kill overseas, we export more guns than anybody else, and we buy more guns than anybody else,  and ammunition," Daley said. "That should not be known as a great country."

In issuing its ruling, the Supreme Court sent the case back to Chicago for a lower court to issue the final decision, so the gun ban remains temporarily in effect.  

Mayor Daley says the city will rewrite its gun ordinance to  comply with Second Amendment rights, but he offered no explanation of how that might be achieved.
 

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 ordinance   

n.法令；条令；条例

参考例句：

• The Ordinance of 1785 provided the first land grants for educational purposes.1785年法案为教育目的提供了第一批土地。
• The city passed an ordinance compelling all outdoor lighting to be switched off at 9.00 PM.该市通过一条法令强令晚上九点关闭一切室外照明。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 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。

5 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。

6 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句