时代周刊:漫长的清算之路(3)

For centuries, political leaders in the U.S. have used race as a cudgel to shore up support from white Americans, particularly those for whom racial hierarchy¹ afforded a sense of status they otherwise lacked. White Southerners supported slavery—going as far as fighting and dying over it in the Civil War—even though most of them could not afford to own a slave. They did so because it gave them a higher social status. In the 1960s Richard Nixon used the infamous² Southern strategy, which created the current electoral map, to stir up fear of Black empowerment and persuade white Southerners to vote for him.

几个世纪以来，美国的政治领导人一直把种族当作一根大棒以获得美国白人的支持，尤其是那些因为种族等级制度而缺乏地位感的人。南方的白人支持奴隶制——甚至在内战中为奴隶制而战甚至牺牲——尽管他们中的大多数人买不起一个奴隶。他们这样做是因为这给了他们更高的社会地位。上世纪60年代，理查德·尼克松利用臭名昭著的“南方战略”创造了当前的选举地图，以此激起人们对黑人赋权的恐惧并说服南方白人投票给他。

These are Trump³'s strategic predecessors⁴. Immersed in data, his campaign built an engagement strategy around speaking to his largely unwavering base and motivating new, largely white voters sold on Trump's personality and showmanship and his message of grievance⁵. Not relying similarly on data, Trump still effectively channels his campaign's messaging with constantly calibrated⁶ applause lines to test what energizes⁷ his audience. Trump's fanning the flames of racial resentment⁸ tells us a lot about who he is; his crowd's roaring response tells us more about where we are as a nation.

这些都是特朗普的战略前辈。沉浸在数据之中的特朗普的竞选团队构建了一种参与策略，围绕着对基本坚定的选民群体讲话，并激励以白人为主的新选民，他们被特朗普的个性、表演技巧和不满信息所打动。特朗普并不依赖类似的数据，他仍然有效地通过不断校准的掌声传递他的竞选信息，以此来测试什么能激发他的听众。特朗普对种族仇恨的火焰的煽动很好地说明了他是谁，他的支持者的欢呼声让我们了解到更多我们作为一个国家所处的位置。

Biden is deeply aware of this fissure⁹. He ran on healing it, and exit polls show he won over voters concerned about racial justice. Betting that most Americans believe in equality and justice, among other democratic values, Biden referred to his campaign as a "battle for the soul of the nation." With more than 70 million votes received and counting, Biden may be favored to win the election, but to uproot¹⁰ the forces that perpetuate¹¹ the deeply entrenched¹² racism¹³ in this country, it'll take more than maybe half the country.

拜登深刻地意识到了这个裂缝。他竞选的目的是弥合分歧，投票后民调显示，他赢得了关心种族正义的选民的支持。拜登相信大多数美国人相信平等和正义以及其他民主价值观，他把自己的竞选活动称为“为国家的灵魂而战”。已收到超过7000万张选票并正在进行清点，拜登可能会赢得选举，但要根除这个国家根深蒂固的种族主义力量，可能需要大半个国家的努力。

1 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

2 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 grievance   

n.怨愤，气恼，委屈

参考例句：

• He will not easily forget his grievance.他不会轻易忘掉他的委屈。
• He had been nursing a grievance against his boss for months.几个月来他对老板一直心怀不满。

6 calibrated   

v.校准( calibrate的过去式和过去分词 )；使标准化；使合标准；测量（枪的）口径

参考例句：

• Power pesticide dusters can be calibrated and used to apply pertilizer. 动力杀虫剂可以调整用来施肥。 来自辞典例句
• The flexible diaphragm is connected to a plat cantilever-calibrated spring. 柔韧的膜片一扁平的悬臂校正弹簧相连。 来自辞典例句

7 energizes   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的第三人称单数 )；使通电

参考例句：

• However, heating energizes the vibrational, rotational, and electronic motions all at once. 但是，加热会一下子把振动、转动和电子运动统统加强。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技
• Purpose always produces passion. Nothing energizes like a clear purpose. 目的往往会带来热忱，没有任何东西比清晰的目的更有动力。 来自互联网

8 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

9 fissure   

n.裂缝；裂伤

参考例句：

• Though we all got out to examine the fissure,he remained in the car.我们纷纷下车察看那个大裂缝，他却呆在车上。
• Ground fissure is the main geological disaster in Xi'an city construction.地裂缝是西安市主要的工程地质灾害问题。

10 uproot   

v.连根拔起，拔除；根除，灭绝；赶出家园，被迫移开

参考例句：

• The family decided to uproot themselves and emigrate to Australia.他们全家决定离开故土，移居澳大利亚。
• The trunk of an elephant is powerful enough to uproot trees.大象的长鼻强壮得足以将树木连根拔起。

11 perpetuate   

v.使永存，使永记不忘

参考例句：

• This monument was built to perpetuate the memory of the national hero.这个纪念碑建造的意义在于纪念民族英雄永垂不朽。
• We must perpetuate the system.我们必须将此制度永久保持。

12 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。

13 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。