一个更完善联邦.docVIP

一个更完善联邦 　　这场演讲发表于2008年民主党总统提名人初选阶段,奥巴马与希拉里的角逐正酣之际。以防被抨击为打种族牌,一直以来双方都沉着谨慎,避免围绕种族问题发表演讲。促使奥巴马首次就种族问题开腔的原因是奥巴马的前牧师耶利米?赖特(Jeremiah Wright)在布道时说出仇视白人的种族主义言论,各界纷纷要求奥巴马表态。 　　2008年3月18日,奥巴马选择了在费城的美国宪法中心发表了这篇长达30多分钟的演讲。演讲中,奥巴马一方面明确谴责了赖特牧师所持的种族主义的观点是扭曲的,另一方面他解释了这类观点的历史渊源,认清矛盾的真相并引导国民以发展的观点和客观的态度看问题。当时奥巴马在党内的民调还远远落后于希拉里,但这篇演讲犹如一剂定心丸,使他原有的支持者恢复了信心,更赢得了一片额外的掌声。 　　 　　感染力一:唤醒尘封的理想 　　 　　 “1)We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…” 　　Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America’s improbable experiment in democracy. 　　And yet words on a 2)parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from 3)bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and 4) obligations as citizens of the United States. What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part―through protests and struggles, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and 5)civil disobedience and always at great risk―to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time. 　　 　　“我们人民,为建立更完善的联邦……” 　　两百二十一年以前,在一个现今仍屹立在对街的大厅中,一群人汇聚一堂,以这寥寥数语,推启了美国这在当时看来机会渺茫的民主实验。 　　然而区区羊皮纸上的文字,并不足以助奴隶脱离桎梏;或是赋予各种肤色及信仰的男男女女,作为美国公民应有的完整权利及义务。所需要的,是世世代代愿意尽一己之力的美国人――通过在街头与法庭上的抗争与奋斗、通过内战及非暴力不合作运动并且始终冒着极大风险――以行动缩小我们的理想承诺与各时代现实之间的差距。 　　 　　感染力二:擦亮现实的镜子 　　 　　The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of 6)Reverend Wright’s 7)sermons simply reminds us of the old 8)truism that the most 9)segregated hour of American life occurs on Sunday morning. That anger is not always productive; indeed, all too often it distracts attention from solving real problems; it keeps us from squarely facing our own 10)complicity within the African-American community, in our own condition. It prevents the African-American community from forging the 11)alliances it needs to bring about real change. 　　In fact, a simi