美国国家公共电台 NPR 'Prayer Can't Be Our Only Form Of Defense': Mosques Eye Security For Ramadan

 

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins tomorrow evening, and mosques² around the country are focused on security in the aftermath of the New Zealand massacres³ and attacks on synagogues, churches and other houses of worship here in the U.S. From Colorado Springs, Ali Budner of member station KRCC reports on how mosques there are preparing to celebrate Ramadan with safety in mind.

ALI BUDNER, BYLINE⁴: The Islamic Society of Colorado Springs meets in a one-story brick building in a residential⁵ neighborhood - no domes⁶ or minarets⁷, no eye-level windows, either.

KAMEL ELWAZEIR: So welcome to the mosque¹.

BUDNER: Kamel Elwazeir is the group's president. And he says preparations for weekly prayer are key.

ELWAZEIR: We try to get in early on Friday just to inspect the building on the outside and make sure everything is fine, nothing has been broken into or nothing suspicious.

BUDNER: Elwazeir says usually if he finds objects left at the mosque's door, though, it's flowers or cards of solidarity⁸ or condolence, like the ones that poured in after the recent terror attacks in New Zealand. And he tries not to dwell in fear. But still, he says, the mosque has to be cautious.

ELWAZEIR: It was truly sickening, but it's part of our life. It's part of our society that we have to be prepared in case of an emergency.

BUDNER: Elwazeir pulls his phone out of his pocket and shows me an app connected to several surveillance cameras around the property.

ELWAZEIR: If there's anything triggers movement in the middle of the night or during unusual hours, this way, at least we'll know.

BUDNER: And he says the mosque has a few people stay outside the building during prayer services.

ELWAZEIR: Many times, we have police presence outside. We have other measures of security. It's just, you know, not a good idea to discuss them publicly.

BUDNER: That's also a concern for the Colorado Muslim Society based in Aurora⁹, Colo., where Iman Jodeh says she's been thinking a lot about safety logistics.

IMAN JODEH: Obviously, just understanding how much I am able to divulge¹¹ to the public around this topic is difficult. And I have to put the safety of our congregation first.

BUDNER: She does say attendance dropped off for several weeks right after the New Zealand attacks.

JODEH: We're back at full attendance now. We are ramping¹² up for Ramadan, which is our holiest month in the lunar calendar. And people are excited for that, you know? And I don't think any amount of violence or threat level will ever be able to take that away from us.

BUDNER: And yet, safety is a real concern for the families worshiping here.

JODEH: Even as a religious community, we realize that prayer can't be our only form of defense¹³.

BUDNER: They've partnered with law enforcement to get safety trainings, including active-shooter trainings. And now they've opened those to other religious leaders.

JODEH: It's not just the Muslim community. We're feeling this need to step up and protect our parishioners.

JAY SHERWOOD: We live in a world that is filled with a lot of hate speech. And it comes from our politicians. And it comes from community leaders. And it's not just in Colorado. And it's not just in America.

BUDNER: Jay Sherwood is the rabbi at Temple Shalom in Colorado Springs and a member of the local interfaith council here. Sherwood says real, tangible¹⁴ safety precautions are critical these days. But he says beyond that, ordinary people just need to start standing¹⁰ up for what's right.

SHERWOOD: When you hear hate speech, stop it. That means if you hear it from your teacher, if you hear it from your child, if you hear it from the person in the booth next to you at the restaurant. If we stop hate speech, at least that's one little step in the right direction.

BUDNER: And Sherwood says that's a direction in which all communities of faith need to move.

For NPR News, I'm Ali Budner in Colorado Springs.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

2 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

3 massacres   

大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 )； 惨败

参考例句：

• The time is past for guns and killings and massacres. 动不动就用枪、动不动就杀、大规模屠杀的时代已经过去了。 来自教父部分
• Numberless recent massacres were still vivid in their recollection. 近来那些不可胜数的屠杀，在他们的头脑中记忆犹新。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

6 domes   

n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场

参考例句：

• The domes are circular or ovoid in cross-section. 穹丘的横断面为圆形或卵圆形。 来自辞典例句
• Parks. The facilities highlighted in text include sport complexes and fabric domes. 本书重点讲的设施包括运动场所和顶棚式结构。 来自互联网

7 minarets   

n.（清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的）光塔( minaret的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Remind you of a mosque, red baked bricks, the minarets. 红砖和尖塔都会使你联想到伊斯兰教的礼拜寺。 来自互联网
• These purchases usually went along with embellishments such as minarets. 这些购置通常也伴随着注入尖塔等的装饰。 来自互联网

8 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

9 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 divulge   

v.泄漏(秘密等)；宣布，公布

参考例句：

• They refused to divulge where they had hidden the money.他们拒绝说出他们把钱藏在什么地方。
• He swore never to divulge the secret.他立誓决不泄露秘密。

12 ramping   

土堤斜坡( ramp的现在分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• The children love ramping about in the garden. 孩子们喜欢在花园里追逐嬉戏，闹着玩。
• Have you ever seen a lion ramping around? 你看到过狮子暴跳吗？

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。