美国国家公共电台 NPR--Seattle makes history: First U.S. city to ban caste discrimination

Seattle makes history: First U.S. city to ban caste discrimination

Transcript¹

Seattle has become the first city in the country to ban discrimination based on caste — the social hierarchy² many South Asians are born into.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Here in the United States, Seattle has become the first city in this country to ban discrimination based on caste. That new law in the Pacific Northwest applies to the social hierarchy into which many South Asians are born - or are told that they are born. Some people opposed the legislation. Here's Lilly Ana Fowler from our member station KNKX.

LILLY ANA FOWLER, BYLINE³: There was a bit of chaos⁴ at Seattle City Hall ahead of yesterday's vote to ban caste discrimination. Both those for and against the idea gathered in the lobby hours before the vote was set to take place.

(SOUNDBITE OF PROTESTS)

FOWLER: Some held signs that read heal from caste. But others accused Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, an immigrant from India who first introduced the proposal a month ago, of not doing her due diligence.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: I completely request you to consider this. Take time - there is no rush - understanding properly.

FOWLER: As councilmembers prepared to vote, hundreds of people signed up for public comment. Some thought of the proposal as anti-Hindu. But the majority urged city officials to take their experiences with discrimination seriously.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: I say ban caste and vote yes. I'm facing caste discrimination from the age of 5. I used to touch the lady, and she used to take a shower because they would consider me as untouchable. It was such a disgusting thing. And the same thing happening in the United States.

FOWLER: The new law will add caste to a list of protected classes such as race, age and religion. It's meant to protect workers from South Asia who are members of oppressed castes and experience discrimination in Seattle. NPR sat down with one software engineer who works in Seattle on an H-1B visa. He says his manager discriminated⁵ against him after finding out he was a Dalit, formerly⁶ known as an untouchable, the lowest stratum⁷ of castes in India.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: And immediately after that, he stopped sending me critical work.

FOWLER: The tech worker, who asked not to be named because of possible repercussions⁸ at his company, says he's already beginning to look for a new job.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: People never leave their caste. They might leave their country, but caste never leaves.

FOWLER: He and other supporters of the measure to ban caste discrimination say they hope other cities will copy Seattle and soon pass similar bills.

For NPR News, I'm Lilly Ana Fowler in Seattle.

(SOUNDBITE OF ROBOHANDS' "LOST")

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 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

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 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

5 discriminated   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的过去式和过去分词 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• His great size discriminated him from his followers. 他的宽广身材使他不同于他的部下。
• Should be a person that has second liver virus discriminated against? 一个患有乙肝病毒的人是不是就应该被人歧视？

6 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

7 stratum   

n.地层，社会阶层

参考例句：

• The coal is a coal resource that reserves in old stratum.石煤是贮藏在古老地层中的一种煤炭资源。
• How does Chinese society define the class and stratum?中国社会如何界定阶级与阶层？

8 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》