VOA新闻杂志2024--US Prisoners Suing to Watch Total Eclipse after Lockdown Order

US Prisoners Suing to Watch Total Eclipse after Lockdown Order

　　Prisoners in the U.S. state of New York have taken legal action against the state corrections department. They started the measure over the state's decision to lock down prisons during next Monday's total solar eclipse.

　　The case was filed last week in a federal court in upstate New York. It argues that the April 8 lockdown violate prisoners' constitutional rights to practice their faiths by preventing them from taking part in an important religious event.

　　Six prisoners with different religious backgrounds brought forward the case at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Woodbourne, New York. They include two Christians¹, two followers² of a Cuban-born religious tradition called Santeria, a Muslim as well as an atheist³, someone who does not believe in the existence of God.

　　Their legal document, or complaint, says, "A solar eclipse is a rare, natural phenomenon with great religious significance to many." It says the Bible describes an eclipse-like phenomenon when Jesus Christ was on the cross. Additionally, Islamic works report a similar event when the Prophet Muhammad's son died.

　　The complaint says that one of the prisoners involved with the case, the atheist, received special permission last month to view the eclipse using state-provided glasses. But that was before the system-wide lockdown was issued.

　　Four of the other prisoners involved with the case then sought permission but were denied by officials. The officials ruled the solar eclipse is not listed as a holy day for their religions, the complaint says. The sixth prisoner said he never received an answer.

　　Thomas Mailey is a corrections department spokesperson. He said the agency does not comment on current court cases. But he said it takes all requests for religious accommodations under consideration. He said those related to viewing the eclipse are currently under review.

　　Daniel Martuscello III overseas the department. He issued a message on March 11 saying that all state prisons will operate on a holiday daily plan next Monday.

　　That means prisoners will remain in their housing areas except for emergency situations in the afternoon, between 18:00 and 21:00 UTC. Those are generally the normal hours for outdoor activities in prisons, the court case says.

　　There will also be no visitation at more than 20 prisons in the path where the solar eclipse will be strongest, called the path of totality, next Monday. Visitation at other prisons will end at 18:00 UTC.

　　Martuscello said the department will give out solar eclipse safety glasses for prisoner employees and prisoners at prisons in the path of totality. They are doing this so they can see the eclipse from their work or housing areas.

　　Communities in western and northern areas of the state are expected to have the best viewing of the total eclipse. Those areas include Buffalo⁴, Rochester, Syracuse, Lake Placid⁵, and Plattsburgh.

　　The total eclipse is expected to be seen in those parts of New York around 19:15 UTC. And it will only last for a few minutes as the moon passes between Earth and the sun. It will temporarily block the sun and turn day into night.

　　A total solar eclipse was last seen in the U.S. in 2017 and will not occur in the country again until 2044.

　　Words in This Story

　　eclipse – n. an occasion when the sun looks like it is completely or partially⁶ covered with a dark circle because the moon is between the sun and the Earth

　　faith – n. a system of religious beliefs

　　athiest – n. a person who believes that God does not exist

　　phenomenon – n. something (such as an interesting fact or event) that can be observed and studied and that typically is unusual or difficult to understand or explain fully⁷

　　significance – n. the quality of being important

　　accommodations – n. something done to provide what is needed or wanted for someone or something

1 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

2 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

3 atheist   

n.无神论者

参考例句：

• She was an atheist but now she says she's seen the light.她本来是个无神论者，可是现在她说自己的信仰改变了。
• He is admittedly an atheist.他被公认是位无神论者。

4 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

5 placid   

adj.安静的，平和的

参考例句：

• He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
• You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。

6 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。