2006年VOA标准英语-Muslim Demonstrations Continue, Government

By Amy Katz
Washington, DC
09 February 2006
 
watch Controversy¹ report

This week anger grew over those published cartoons depicting² the Muslim Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist.  Wednesday, U.S. President George W. Bush denounced the violence of protestors and called on world leaders to help restore calm. 

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King Abdullah (l) and President Bush   
  

During a White House meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah, U.S. President George W. Bush had this reaction to the violence. “We reject violence as a way to express discontent with what may be printed in a free press.  I call upon the governments around the world to stop the violence, to be respectful, to protect property, to protect the lives of innocent diplomats³ who are serving their countries overseas.”

Protesters across the Muslim world are angry about the cartoons, first published in a Danish newspaper, and have taken to the streets to show it.  With some of the protests becoming increasingly violent, the U.N., the E.U., and the Islamic Conference are appealing for calm -- saying that "aggression⁴ against life and property can only damage the image of a peaceful Islam."
 

Anders Fogh Rasmussen  
  
The Prime Minister of Denmark, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says the protests could spin out of control. "We are today facing a growing global crisis that has the potential to escalate⁵ beyond the control of governments and other authorities.  Right now, radicals⁶, extremists and fanatics⁷ are adding fuel to the flames in order push forward their own agenda."

But anger over the cartoons is increasingly spilling into the streets of many cities in the Muslim world.

In Afghanistan, protesters attacked a NATO base demonstrating against the cartoons.  At least four participants were killed and at least four NATO soldiers were wounded.  Several protesters were also hurt in nearby Indian Kashmir.

In Pakistan, women and children are part of a group protesting the controversial cartoons.
 

Indonesian students burn a Danish flag during a demonstration   
  
In the Philippines, Muslim protesters burned Denmark's flag and displayed banners reading "Danish go home" and "Danish enemy of Islam." 

In Indonesia -- the world's most populous⁸ Muslim country -- demonstrators rallied at the Danish embassy in Jakarta.

In Iran, protesters gathered at the Norwegian embassy, setting fires and throwing stones.

The country's Supreme⁹ Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameni, says the protests are not against Christians¹⁰ but rather are against the "malicious¹¹ hands, which are playing upon the politicians of the world." 

Professor Akbar Ahmed of American University in Washington, D.C. says the uproar¹² highlights the tension between religious tolerance¹³ and freedom of speech:

Professor Ahmed   
  
“In a sense you’re seeing an irresistible¹⁴ force, the Muslims, and an immovable object, that is the principle of freedom of expression in the West.  And these two are clashing.  You saw it earlier with the Salman Rushdie crisis when he wrote the “Satanic Verses” over a decade ago and you had the reaction by the Muslims.  And in a sense you’re seeing a resonance¹⁵ and echo of the same kind of crisis where two cultures, as it were, are in conflict and clash.  And in some sense not understanding the sensitivities of each other.”

Professor Ahmed, who was the Pakistani Ambassador to the United Kingdom, called on Western and Muslim nations to be more sensitive to each other’s cultures:

“Understanding that the world we’re living in is a world which is mixed up, it’s a kind of salad bowl of cultures.  And if we are to live with some harmony, we need to respect each other. Muslims need to be much more sensitive to how the West functions.  And the West must understand how Muslims respond to religiosity to the Divine and to theology itself,” Professor Ahmed said.

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

5 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

6 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

7 fanatics   

狂热者，入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The heathen temple was torn down by a crowd of religions fanatics. 异教徒的神殿被一群宗教狂热分子拆除了。
• Placing nukes in the hands of baby-faced fanatics? 把核弹交给一些宗教狂热者手里？

8 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

9 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。

10 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。

11 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

12 uproar   

n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸

参考例句：

• She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。
• His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。

13 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

14 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

15 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。