Human Rights 美国人对人权的看法

     The time is 1905. A steamship¹ sails on a vast ocean. "Daddy, will we ever get to America?" asks a weary lad. "Soon, my child, soon," his father replies. "We've been on this ship for weeks. I wish we were back home in Russia," complained the boy. "Son, you know how they persecute² Jews there. We can never go back," the father reminded him. "Will things be better in America?" the young boy asked. "I hope so," his father sighed. "Look! The Statue of Liberty!" the boy shouted. "Just like in the picture!" His father smiled. "Yes, my son," he said. "I think she's waving to us."时间是在一九○五年，一艘汽船航行在浩瀚的大海上。「爹地，我们到底到不到得了美国啊？」一个小男孩疲惫地问道。「快到了，我的孩子，快到了。」他的父亲回答。「我们已经坐了好几个礼拜的船了，我真希望我们现在是在苏俄的家里。」男孩抱怨着。「孩子，在那儿他们怎么迫害犹太人，你是知道的，我们绝对不能回去。」这位父亲提醒着他。「在美国情况会比较好吗？」小男孩问道。「希望如此。」他的父亲叹气道。「你看！自由女神！」男孩喊着：「跟图片里的一模一样！」他的父亲微笑着说：「是啊，孩子。我想她正向我们招手呢。」America has long been a haven³ for immigrants from around the world. Until the 19th century, the majority of immigrants were from northern Europe. By the mid-20th century, they were coming from all over the globe. In recent years, scores of refugees from Southeast Asia and Latin America have fled to American shores. Why? To find a sanctuary--a place where human rights are respected.

    美国长久以来一直是世界各地移民们的避难所, 在十九世纪之前, 移民主要来自北欧. 到了二十世纪中期, 移民则来自全球各地. 近几年来, 很多来自东南亚和拉丁美洲的难民都逃往美国. 这是为什么呢? 为了要寻找一个避难所 -- 尊重人权的地方.

    The American idea of respecting human rights came from several sources. First, the colonists⁴ had been persecuted⁵ and deprived of their rights in the Old World. They realized that people's rights must be preserved. Moreover, the Bible and literature from Greece and Rome taught that people are born with basic rights. English writer John Locke emphasized that governments should protect these rights. As a result, the Declaration of Independence reflected the belief that God created all people equal. The U.S. Constitution included 10 amendments⁶ to guarantee citizens' basic rights. This "Bill of Rights" promised freedom of religion, freedom of speech and of the press, the right to bear arms and the right to a fair trial.

    美国人尊重人权的概念有几个起源。首先，移民们在欧洲的旧世界中曾被迫害并被剥夺权利，因此他们深觉保护人权的必要。再者，圣经以及希腊罗马文学中都教导他们人类与生俱来的一些基本权利。英国作家约翰?洛克强调政府应保障人民这些权利。于是，独立宣言中便反映出神造世人、生而平等的意念。美国宪法中包含了十项保障国民基本人权的修正案，这些权利法案承诺给予人民信仰的自由、言论及新闻的自由、拥有武器的权利，以及拥有公平审判的权利。

    Throughout American history, the belief in individual human rights has influenced government policies and laws. Slavery opponents argued that even slaves had rights as human beings. Finally, after the Civil War, slavery was outlawed⁷. As industries developed, many people protested the poor working conditions.

    纵观美国历史，尊重个人人权的信念一直影响着政府的政策和法律。反黑奴政策者认为甚至连奴隶都该拥有作为人的基本权利。终于在美国南北战争之后，法律便禁止奴隶制度的存在。随着工业的发展，很多人抗议不良的工作条件。

    Eventually, laws were passed guaranteeing workers fair wages and working hours and prohibiting child labor⁸. The Civil Rights Movement used human rights arguments in the fight against discrimination. Even today, U.S. trade relations with other countries depend on their having a positive human rights record.

    最后，终于通过法案保障工人合理的工资、工时、并且禁用童工。在美国民权运动中，也以人权的基本论点来抗议各样的歧视和差别待遇。甚至在今天，美国与其它国家的贸易关系如何，也视对方是否拥有良好的人权记录而定。

    Human rights have become a global concern. The cruelty of Nazi⁹ Germany illustrated¹⁰ the danger of not protecting human rights. As a result, the United Nations was established in 1945 with a belief in the basic human rights of all people. Three years later, the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document stated that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." Later, groups like Amnesty International were formed to keep an eye out for human rights abuses wherever they occur.

    人权已成为全球各国关注的焦点，德国纳粹党的残酷史实即说明了罔顾人权的危险。于是，联合国在一九四五年设立，该组织深信所有人类都应拥有基本人权。三年之后，联合国正式通过世界人权宣言。这一份文件提出「所有人类生而拥有尊严及权利的平等和自由」。稍后，国际特赦组织成立，以监督防止任何违反人权的事件发生。

    Most nations in the world today would agree that human beings have basic rights. Of course, different countries have different perspectives about the issue. Some governments feel the need to restrict individual rights to protect the rights of society. They resent being forced to accept America's definition of human rights. But to Americans, no matter how you define the issue, people deserve to be treated like people.

    今天，世界上大部分的国家都认同人类应拥有基本的权利。当然，不同的国家会用不同的角度来看这件事。有些政府觉得有必要以限制个人权利来保障社会权利；他们痛恨被迫接受美国的人权定义。然而对美国人而言，无论你如何定义这个主题，只要是人就应该以人的方式对待他。

1 steamship   

n.汽船，轮船

参考例句：

• The return may be made on the same steamship.可乘同一艘汽船当天回来。
• It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving the port.雾很大，汽艇差点把一只正在离港的小船撞沉。

2 persecute   

vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰

参考例句：

• They persecute those who do not conform to their ideas.他们迫害那些不信奉他们思想的人。
• Hitler's undisguised effort to persecute the Jews met with worldwide condemnation.希特勒对犹太人的露骨迫害行为遭到世界人民的谴责。

3 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

4 colonists   

n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

6 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

7 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

8 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

9 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

10 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。