美国国家公共电台 NPR--Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas on the fatal Walmart shooting in her stat

Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas on the fatal Walmart shooting in her stat

Transcript¹

NPR's A Martinez speaks with Democratic Virginia state Senator L Louise Lucas about the shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake that killed five people.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Let's hear next from Democratic State Senator L. Louise Lucas of Virginia. The tragedy in Chesapeake is in her district. Senator, before we get to gun control, I just want to know how Chesapeake is coping on this Thanksgiving Day.

L LOUISE LUCAS: Well, you know, holidays are really tough for some people anyway. And right now, we have - our region is in mourning because first - when it first happened, people were in shock. They were - just couldn't believe that it had come so close to home. And then once the reality set in, after the names started being released, people were in mourning. People are sad. People are fearful. I purposely went out to three supermarkets on Thanksgiving eve, just to kind of get a sense of how people were feeling. People were rushing around, still getting prepared for the holidays, but clearly, in their minds, was the tragedy just - that just happened in Chesapeake. And so people are mourning. I mean, people who didn't know any of these individuals or any of the victims are mourning.

As I was walking through the different malls, people were saying, this is such a tragic² thing. When are we going to do something about gun violence protection? And that's just clearly what's on the minds of people that I've had an opportunity to speak to. They are fearful for their lives because nobody knows where the next incident is going to happen. So we are a region that's in shock. We're in mourning. It is a tough time because, as I indicated earlier, holidays are tough enough for some people. And to have this tragedy on top of all of that is just unimaginable.

MART?NEZ: And so on that, on solutions - because Virginia has had an awful run of shootings just in the past couple of weeks. You've said that the only real solution to mass shootings is gun control. And Democrats³ in your state, Senator, were able to do that in 2020. You were able to tighten⁴ control - gun control. But now Republicans control the House and the governor's office. So how possible is that now?

LUCAS: Well, I'd like to refer to it more as gun violence prevention. Gun violence prevention is the operative term for us because in order to get there, we have got to - we've got to get a grip on how we limit access to firearms to people who should not have them. Based on just some of the reports that we've got from the state police, we realize that once criminal history background checks are done, that there's a significant number of people who fall out who should not have been able - should not have firearms. And as a matter of fact, they've been denied a permit to carry. And as a matter of fact, a good number of those people who come up on that register also are in line for arrest because they know they should not even be - try to purchase a firearm. And so we've tightened⁵ the reins⁶ on firearm prevention, violence prevention, but we need to do so much more.

The bill that I introduced for universal background checks needs to be tightened up. We need to do something about firearms of mass destruction. And so there's so much more that we can do. And even President Biden said, with what he has presented, it just doesn't go far enough. So what we need to do is have legislators finally come to the reality that they are sitting back, allowing their constituents⁷ to be killed in these mass shootings because of our failure - when I say our failure, I'm talking about all elected officials - to do something to curb⁸ or curtail⁹ this violent streak¹⁰ that we're experiencing...

MART?NEZ: So, Senator, real quick. You mentioned...

LUCAS: ...Not just in Virginia, but all across the states.

MART?NEZ: Yeah. You mentioned President Biden. I know that earlier this year, Congress passed the first bipartisan gun control bill in decades. And poll after poll shows that Americans favor most of its provisions. Given a level of support like that, why do you think there is so little lawmaking on this? Just about 30 seconds, Senator.

LUCAS: OK. It is thought - it is because of the legislators themselves. They just don't have the backbone¹¹, the spine¹² to stand up to the NRA and do what's necessary just to even save the lives of their constituents. And, again, President Biden has done a great thing, but he needs the support of his - of other elected officials.

MART?NEZ: That's Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas. Senator, happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and your community.

LUCAS: We'll do the best we can. Thank you so much.

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 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

5 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

6 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

7 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

9 curtail   

vt.截短，缩短；削减

参考例句：

• The government hopes to curtail public spending.政府希望缩减公共事业开支。
• The minister had to curtail his visit.部长不得不缩短访问日期。

10 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

11 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

12 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。