美国国家公共电台 NPR--Michigan shapes up as one of the next abortion battlefronts

Michigan shapes up as one of the next abortion¹ battlefronts

Transcript²

As soon as the Supreme³ Court struck down Roe⁴ v. Wade⁵, some states' trigger laws banning abortion began to take effect. In others, including Michigan, bans from before Roe had never been taken off the books, and may take effect again.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she's doing everything possible to keep that from happening — including filing a lawsuit⁶ to block the 1931 law. Advocates are also pushing for a ballot⁷ measure in the fall that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution.

It's a precarious⁸, scary time for pregnant people in her state, Whitmer told NPR — and for those in neighboring Ohio and Indiana, where abortion likely will be strictly⁹ limited.

Interview highlights

The steps being taken to protect abortion in Michigan, and the risks if those efforts fail

"We've filed a lawsuit to ask the state supreme court to recognize a woman's right to bodily autonomy under the state constitution. There's another lawsuit that was filed by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU that has got an injunction on the 1931 law. Unfortunately that's being appealed....

"Today, women still have access to full reproductive health care in Michigan. However, should that injunction fall, we would revert¹⁰ back to a 1931 law that would make it a felony; no exceptions for rape¹¹ or incest."

Medical providers are worried the impact will extend beyond Roe v. Wade

"It's not just abortion in the traditional sense — it's IVF, it's any procedure OB-GYNs do regularly to protect women, to preserve their ability to reproduce in the future, to empower women to make their own health care decisions. So there's a lot of confusion in the medical establishment, there's a lot of confusion that women in our families are feeling. It's a terribly anxious time right now for all of us."

On government warnings that the ruling could spur political violence

"This has been on my mind since the Trump¹² administration, where people felt entitled to threaten my life, and threaten the lives of public health officials, threaten lives of people who disagree with them. That's not who we are, that's not how this democracy is supposed to operate. And I do think that the Supreme Court's recent decisions have made America a more dangerous place. And I'm worried about that."

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 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。

3 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

4 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

5 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

6 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。

7 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

8 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

9 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

10 revert   

v.恢复，复归，回到

参考例句：

• Let us revert to the earlier part of the chapter.让我们回到本章的前面部分。
• Shall we revert to the matter we talked about yesterday?我们接着昨天谈过的问题谈，好吗？

11 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

12 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。