VOA常速英语2020--美国在海外促进人权

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government. America’s commitment to unalienable human rights at home has proved a beacon¹ of hope for men and women abroad pursuing their own liberties. The recently released Commission on Unalienable Rights report stresses the importance of American leaders championing human rights as a guiding principle of U.S. foreign policy, said Peter Berkowitz, Director of Policy Planning at the State Department: “At a minimum it is important for our leaders to speak forcefully about the American conviction rooted in the American Declaration of Independence, rooted in the American form of government that all legitimate² political power springs from the consent of the governed. And the first purpose of government is to secure the rights that inhere in all persons. Championing that is a crucial part of American foreign policy.”

以下是一篇反映美国政府政策立场的社论。美国在国内对不可剥夺权利的承诺，为其他国家追求自由的人们提供了希望的灯塔。天赋权利委员会最近公布的报告，强调了美国领导人将人权作为美国外交政策的指导原则的重要性，美国国务院政策规划办公室主任彼得·博尔考维茨表示：“最起码，我们的领导人必须能够有力地说明美国信仰，这种信仰根植于《美国独立宣言》和美国政府形态，也就是所有合法的政治权力都源于被统治者的同意。政府的首要目标是保障所有人与生俱来的权利。推行这个信仰是美国外交政策的重要组成部分。”

The Commission report also found that the United States can be most effective in championing human rights abroad when it protects those rights at home, said Mr. Berkowitz. And finally, human rights must be cultivated in society, so they become firmly rooted in the political culture, said Director Berkowitz: “The protection of human rights, the championing of human rights, these are not actions that come automatically. They need to be cultivated. How are they cultivated, this respect for human rights? Cultivated in families, in communities, in an educational system, in a public political culture of a certain type that fosters in citizens a certain sensibility, which teaches them to respect the rights inherent in all persons.” For the promotion³ of human rights abroad to succeed, noted⁴ Director Berkowitz, it is crucial to focus on not only the Declaration of Independence, but also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in order to find a small core of fundamental rights that can serve as a standard for politics everywhere. That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

博尔考维茨表示，天赋权利委员会的报告还发现，当美国在国内捍卫人权时，就能最有效地推动海外的人权支持。人权最终必须在社会中得到培育，使之得以深深扎根于政治文化中，博尔考维茨表示：“保护人权，推动人权，这些都不是自然而然的行动。他们需要培育。那又该如何培养对人权的尊重呢？就是在家庭，在社区，在教育系统，在某种公共政治文化中进行培育，培育公民的某种认知，教他们尊重所有人与生俱来的权利。”博尔考维茨表示，要想成功在海外提倡人权，不仅要注重《独立宣言》，还要注重《世界人权宣言》，以便找到基本权利的最核心内容，成为适用世界各地的政治标准。这是一篇反映美国政府政策立场的社论。

1 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

2 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

3 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。