美国国家公共电台 NPR--Cincinnati's Democratic Mayor talks tackling gun control in a GOP-led state

Cincinnati's Democratic Mayor talks tackling gun control in a GOP-led state

Transcript¹

How does a Democratic mayor in Ohio work in a Republican-led state on changes to stop mass shootings? Steve Inskeep speaks with Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

How much can local officials do about gun violence? If there is any solution soon, it may have to come from them. Congress is debating very narrow gun reforms at best. Many states have been peeling away gun regulations. Ohio is one example. The state recently made it easier to carry a gun without a permit. Cincinnati, Ohio, still hopes to reduce gun violence this summer. And Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval is on the line to talk about that. Mayor Pureval, welcome.

AFTAB PUREVAL: Thank you so much for having me.

INSKEEP: We were just talking a minute ago. Cincinnati is a beautiful city. But I've been following the news. You have a problem with gun violence and an especially grave problem this year. How serious is the situation?

PUREVAL: The serious as - the situation is as serious as it can be. And it's not just Cincinnati. It's a challenge all across our country, which is why we are so in desperate need of federal action. Steve, there are two issues that are really driving gun violence in major American cities - that is, No. 1, the universal accessibility of guns on our streets and, No. 2, the inability of folks to resolve differences peacefully. What used to result in a fistfight, unfortunately, now results in a shootout. And mayors across the country just met in - at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Republicans and Democrats², 250 of us mayors in the United States are pleading that the Senate does something to start mitigating³ this problem.

INSKEEP: Let's talk about the first of those two problems you named. The universal accessibility of guns - are you powerless to do anything about that?

PUREVAL: We are not powerless to do anything about gun violence. Cincinnati is leading the way in innovative⁴ solutions, like sending unarmed medical professionals to some 9-1 - non-violent 911 matters to free up police resources to prevent and prosecute⁵ violent crime. But when we're talking about specifically gun control, local leaders are preempted⁶ by their statehouses or by the federal government and really don't have very many tools to manage the accessibility of guns. We're doing everything we can at the local level, partnering with the Department of Justice, ATF and the FBI, with our local law enforcement to prevent the importation of illegal guns. But the fact of the matter is, there are now more guns than people in our country. And it's creating an arms race where people don't feel safe unless they have a gun. So guns beget⁷ more guns, which, unfortunately, makes us all unsafe.

INSKEEP: Can you help me understand the debate in Ohio? That measure that made it easier to carry a gun without a permit was signed by Mike DeWine, the governor. He is in the opposite party. I'm sure you disagree on many issues. But he seems like a reasonable, fact-based guy. Have you had a chance to discuss this with him? Do you feel like there's - that he understands the problem you have in Cincinnati?

PUREVAL: Well, in 2019, an hour north of here in Dayton, Ohio, a gunman opened fire. And in 32 seconds, Steve - 32 seconds, murdered nine people and injured 27. It was a shocking tragedy of gun violence. At that time, leaders from the state, from the federal government came to Dayton and promised action. But in the three years since the tragedy in Dayton, not only have our state leaders signed into law a permit-less concealed⁸ carry law, in opposition⁹ of law enforcement, but also has signed stand your ground and also now is on the verge¹⁰ of passing a resolution which would create more guns in our schools by arming our teachers. So instead of doing something about gun violence, unfortunately, our state leaders have taken us in the opposite direction.

INSKEEP: Do you think they are actually - not intentionally¹¹, but actually encouraging further gun violence, then?

PUREVAL: Well, I think, if the two issues are the universal accessibility of guns and, No. 2, the inability to resolve conflicts, all of the measures in Columbus are doing nothing to mitigate¹² or interrupt the accessibility of guns, but rather making access to guns more easily. So there is a fundamental disconnect between the problem on our streets and the solutions being advocated at the federal and state level.

INSKEEP: So in the - I don't know - 30 seconds or so that we have here, what are you going to be doing this summer that is possible, that is practical for you to get done?

PUREVAL: We are going to do everything we can to lean into innovative law enforcement techniques that are data-driven, which is why we've launched the Gun Crimes Intelligent Unit here in Cincinnati, which looks at data and science like shell casings to connect defendants¹³ to crimes rather than relying on implicit¹⁴ bias¹⁵. As I mentioned earlier, we're also freeing up police resources by sending unarmed medical professionals. And some of the root causes of violence is poverty, so we've made a historic investment in our social services. And we're also doing as much as we can on community engagement and creating an economy that gives people hope and choices rather than despair.

INSKEEP: Mayor Pureval, good luck this summer.

PUREVAL: Thank you so much.

INSKEEP: Aftab Pureval, mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio.

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 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》

3 mitigating   

v.减轻，缓和( mitigate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Are there any mitigating circumstances in this case ? 本案中是否有任何情况可以减轻被告的罪行？ 来自辞典例句
• A sentencing judge is required to consider any mitigating circumstances befor imposing the death penalty. 在处死刑之前，要求量刑法官必须考虑是否有任何减轻罪行之情节。 来自口语例句

4 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

5 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

6 preempted   

v.先占( preempt的过去式和过去分词 )；取代；先取；先发制人

参考例句：

• A special news program preempted the scheduled shows. 特别的新节目取代预定计划的表演。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The armymen have preempted the powers of the local government. 军人已夺取了地方政府的权力。 来自互联网

7 beget   

v.引起；产生

参考例句：

• Dragons beget dragons,phoenixes beget phoenixes.龙生龙，凤生凤。
• Economic tensions beget political ones.经济紧张导致政治紧张。

8 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

11 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

12 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

13 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

14 implicit   

a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的

参考例句：

• A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
• Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。

15 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。