美国国家公共电台 NPR--The National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston

The National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston

Transcript¹

Several hours east of Uvalde, the site of a mass shooting at an elementary school, the NRA is holding its annual convention and gun show. The NRA expressed its "deepest sympathies" over the shooting.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

A few hours east of Uvalde, in Houston, the National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention and gun show. The gun rights group is going ahead with its meeting three days after the mass shooting in Texas. Mass shootings are now common enough that it might be hard to hold the convention any other way. Back in 1999, the annual convention met in Denver shortly after the school shooting at nearby Columbine, and its approach to mass shootings today has only become more defiant² than it was then. NPR's Tim Mak traveled to Houston for the meeting. He joined us with the latest.

TIM MAK, BYLINE³: The NRA has expressed its deepest sympathies over the shooting and called it a horrific and evil crime. The NRA also said it would reflect on the shootings, but it wasn't really clear how. The group denies in general responsibility for mass shootings in America and says gun ownership in general also isn't to blame. That said, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has canceled his in-person appearance. He will still speak in a recorded video. Texas Senator John Cornyn and Congressman⁴ Dan Crenshaw have also backed out of the speaking activities today. But the NRA's messaging on mass shooting simply hasn't changed. Twenty years ago, after the Columbine shooting, the NRA was uncertain about whether it could hold the line on its view of the Second Amendment⁵ as America grieved for dead schoolchildren. But nowadays, unfortunately, mass shootings are a far more frequent event for which the NRA has a pretty established playbook. And so the NRA often argues that, for example, teachers should be armed or that the shootings, like the ones in Texas, are a byproduct of things like violent video games.

FADEL: Of course, experts say arming teachers is a bad idea. But let's talk about the financial and legal troubles of the NRA. How much is this jeopardizing⁶ the organization?

MAK: Well, the NRA is facing some very serious threats, among the most serious threats to its influence in the 150 years the organization has existed. There have been investigations⁷ by Congress and other officials, most notably⁸ New York Attorney General Letitia James. And they have revealed corruption⁹ at the very highest levels of the organization, public evidence that NRA's executives, including current CEO Wayne LaPierre, have spent tens of millions of dollars on private jets, lavish¹⁰ meals and sweetheart insider deals for those well-connected to senior officials. Now, this is all part of a lawsuit¹¹ that the New York AG has brought against the NRA, one that continues and seeks sanctions against LaPierre and others at high levels in the organization. Now, some members of the NRA board have revolted as a result of these allegations. And there is a contingent¹² of NRA members who are seeking accountability. They're looking for more transparency and a change in the NRA leadership.

FADEL: If this mismanagement has caused some members to lose faith in the NRA, how much power and influence does the group still have?

MAK: Well, the NRA has proven pretty resilient. You know, Wayne LaPierre is still the head of the organization, despite all of this evidence of mismanagement and misspending. One mistake people make is to think that the NRA has its power because of money. But the core of the NRA's power comes from its ability to mobilize millions of members at critical moments in the political process, moments like this, when some lawmakers want to pass new legislation. And it's this power that draws politicians to the NRA, politicians like Donald Trump¹³, who's scheduled to speak today as protesters gather outside the convention hall. The Houston airport was jampacked last evening as thousands of people arrived in the city.

FADEL: NPR's Tim Mak in Houston. Thank you, Tim.

MAK: Thanks 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 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

5 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

6 jeopardizing   

危及，损害( jeopardize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Plans may also become inefficient in the attainment of objectives by jeopardizing group satisfactions. 用危及群体利益方法去达到目标的计划，也是无效率的。
• That boosted government revenues in the short term, but is now jeopardizing them. Morales将天然气工业，电信业和部分采矿业收归国有的举措吓跑了投资者们。

7 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

8 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

9 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

10 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

11 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

12 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

13 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。