美国国家公共电台 NPR--How to confront rising antisemitism in the U.S.

How to confront rising antisemitism in the U.S.

Transcript¹

U.S. Special Envoy² to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt joins NPR's Steve Inskeep to discuss the rise in anti-Semitism in America and around the world.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

People who spread antisemitism have had a busy few weeks. A string of remarks by the rapper Ye is only part of the story. Human Rights Watch is documenting rising numbers of antisemitic incidents in Europe and elsewhere. So let's talk this through with Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, who is the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. Welcome to the program.

DEBORAH LIPSTADT: Thank you, Steve.

INSKEEP: OK. Let's talk about monitoring it. What's going wrong?

LIPSTADT: What's going wrong? Well, we're seeing a rise, as you just said, in antisemitism. We're seeing it internationally. We're seeing it nationally. What we're seeing also is it's not that it wasn't there before. Antisemitism is the longest or the oldest hatred³, as historians sometimes say.

INSKEEP: Sure.

LIPSTADT: But we're seeing normalization⁴ of it, that it becomes OK to say certain things. And whether it's - I don't want to focus on one rapper because the problem is much bigger than that, as you just acknowledged. But it becomes OK. I just heard a story of a kid in Montclair, N.J., who walked into the playground or the schoolyard. And her friends - one of her friends gave - other kids gave the Nazi⁵ salute⁶, you know, or throw pennies on the ground because Jews are cheap and want to get every penny or say all sorts of things. So it's both physical dangers - we just commemorated⁷ the anniversary of the Tree of Life synagogue, where people were murdered just for going to synagogue.

INSKEEP: Yeah.

LIPSTADT: It's also little kids learning that being Jewish is something to be - instead of it being a source of joy, it's something that can bring you bodily harm.

INSKEEP: Can I just mention your job, your brief, of course, is the world, is the rest of the world?

LIPSTADT: Right.

INSKEEP: But you've - you're clearly thinking about incidents in the United States, which get attention around the world. Are we unfortunately, as a country, leading the way on this at the moment?

LIPSTADT: I don't know if we're leading the way, but we certainly are getting a lot of attention. But when I go abroad, I give a message that I got directly from my boss, Secretary of State Blinken, that I don't go around the world saying, we've got it solved, and I'm wagging my finger in your face. I go and say, we don't have it solved. We're worried about it in our country. We're worried about it in your country. This job - this position has existed now through four - I think three or four administrations. I've had wonderful predecessors⁸. But we're seeing something now that we haven't seen before - the confluence⁹ of domestic and international.

It's - partially¹⁰, it's the rise of populism. I'm right. You're wrong. I'm right. You're a danger to me. You must be stopped. The rise of sectarianism, supremacy¹¹, militiaism (ph), the rise of nationalism, segments of the population feeling that they are losing out. And, of course, antisemitism has always been a conspiracy¹² theory. It's a prejudice like other prejudices, but it's - one of its distinctive¹³ characteristics is that it says the Jews are out to get you. The Jews are out to run the world. So you look - either you start out as an antisemite, and you know the Jews must have spread COVID. Or you start as a conspiracy theorist, and you look for someone who is powerful enough, connected enough, evil enough to do this, and you end up with the Jews.

INSKEEP: Do you feel that you know the way to properly combat these conspiracy theories, which are so widespread? And as you point out, it's just such a small step for some people from saying, someone is out to get me to saying, it's a Jew who's out to get me.

LIPSTADT: Yes. I don't have the easy answer, Steve. If I had the easy answer, I would have put it up on the website when - day I came into office and spend my time enjoying Washington.

LIPSTADT: (Laughter).

LIPSTADT: But I do know what...

INSKEEP: You could've put it on Twitter. People would know. Go on. Go on, please.

LIPSTADT: (Laughter) Right. But I do know that, first of all, we have to get people to take this seriously. There's been a failure to take antisemitism seriously. You know, they look at Jews. Come on. Jews can pass, unlike people of color, who don't have a choice. Jews can pass. They look at Jews, and they say, oh, they're well-set. They're in good shape. What do they have to worry about? And people just don't take it seriously. Jews don't present as many other victims of prejudice. I know Jewish parents who are now having with their children the equivalent of what Black parents have had for decades - the conversation. It's a danger.

INSKEEP: I understand exactly what you mean. Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, thanks so much.

LIPSTADT: You're welcome. Thank you, Steve.

INSKEEP: She is the United States special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

4 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。

5 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。

6 salute   

vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮

参考例句：

• Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
• The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。

7 commemorated   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Lincoln commemorated the soldiers killed in the battle in his address. 林肯在演说中表扬阵亡将士。 来自辞典例句
• You'll be commemorated for killing a spy, and be specially discharged. 你们每杀一个间谍将会被记录到特殊档案。 来自电影对白

8 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 confluence   

n.汇合，聚集

参考例句：

• They built the city at the confluence of two rivers.他们建造了城市的汇合两条河流。
• The whole DV movements actually was a confluence of several trends.整个当时的DV运动，实际上是几股潮流的同谋。

10 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。

11 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

12 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

13 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。