经济学人209:美国种族问题 弗格森的教训

 　　Race relations in America

　　美国种族问题

　　The lessons of Ferguson

　　弗格森的教训

　　There is no excuse for rioting. But smarter policing would make it less likely

　　暴乱无可原谅，但有能力的警察能尽力避免冲突。

　　AFTER more than a week of rioting in Ferguson, Missouri, what can America learn? The first and simplest lesson is that cops should wear cameras. Knowing that they are being recorded, the police would be less likely to shoot suspects, and vice¹ versa. Also, had Officer Darren Wilson been wearing a camera on August 9th, Americans would know what happened just before he shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old. As it is, there are two conflicting stories and no way to choose between them. The police say that Mr Brown attacked Mr Wilson and tried to wrestle² away his gun. In the ensuing struggle the officer, fearing for his life, shot and killed the teenager. Mr Brown's friend, who was with him at the time, gives a completely different account: he says the officer grabbed Mr Brown by the neck and later shot him as he was trying to surrender. Early autopsy³ results show that Mr Brown was hit by at least six bullets but do not settle the dispute.

　　经过超过一周的密苏里弗格森骚乱，美国能学到些什么？首先，最简单的一点，警察应该携带影像记录设备。当值班过程被记录下来，警察射击嫌犯的概率将降低，反之亦然。同时，假如戴伦·威尔逊警官在八月九日执勤时配戴相机，民众就能直观了解景观开枪射击了一位18岁的黑人青年迈克尔·布朗，布朗当时手无寸铁。关于此事，两个截然不同的说法无法证实，警方的说法是布朗袭击了威尔逊警官，并试图抢夺他的枪。威尔逊警官由于生命受到威胁，开枪打死了这位黑人青年布朗。与布朗先生同在案发现场的朋友提供了一个完全不同的说法：警察抓住了布朗先生的脖子，后来布朗想自首的时候被开枪杀死了。早期的尸检结果表明，布朗身中至少六发的子弹，但这未能成为事件有力的证据。

　　美国种族问题.jpg

　　His death sparked protests that soon turned violent. Looters smashed up shops and picked them clean. The police responded with a staggering display of force, rolling military-style armoured cars onto the streets, pointing rifles at the protesters, dispersing⁴ crowds with tear gas and detaining not only rioters but also peaceful demonstrators and journalists.

　　他的死引发了暴力性的抗议活动。暴徒砸毁抢光了店铺，警方对此做出强有力的回应，将军用装甲车开上街道，用实枪荷弹震慑，用催泪瓦斯驱散人群，并逮捕暴徒，甚至和平示威者和记者。

　　There is a racial gulf⁵ in how these events are perceived. Some 65% of black Americans think the police went too far in responding to the protests; only 33% of whites agree. Many blacks in Ferguson disbelieve anything the police say. Mr Brown's family describe him as a gentle giant. The Ferguson police beg to differ:they released a video purportedly⁶ showing him violently robbing a liquor store minutes before he met Officer Wilson. Some locals dismissed this as a smear⁷. The liquor store was promptly⁸ looted.

　　有一个种族隔阂的说法能说明这些事件是如何发生的。大约65%的黑人认为警察对抗议活动的反应过于激烈，只有33%的白人同意警方的做法。在弗格森许多黑人不相信任何警察的话。布朗先生的家人将他描述为一个温和的巨人。弗格森警方不敢苟同：他们发布了一个视频，据称是他遇到警官威尔逊之前几分钟暴力抢劫酒类商店。一些当地人否认了视频内容。该酒类商店经常被抢劫。

　　Rioting will do nothing to resolve Ferguson's problems. On the contrary, it will make businesses flee, leaving locals with fewer jobs and shops. So the immediate⁹ priority is to restore order. Next, the investigations¹⁰ of the shooting already under way must be pursued vigorously and transparently¹¹. In the longer term, America should ponder three things.

　　暴乱无益于解决弗格森的问题。相反，它将使商铺离开弗格森，造成一部分人失业。所以当务之急是维持秩序。下一步，正在进行的案件调查应该更加仔细和彻底。从长远来看，美国人应该思考三个问题。

　　To protect and serve

　　保护民众，服务民众

　　First, as Barack Obama noted¹² on August 18th, “there is a big difference between our military and our local law enforcement and we don't want those lines blurred¹³.” In fact, those lines have already been blurred, as the armoured cars on the streets of Ferguson attest¹⁴. In 2012, according to the FBI, American police officers shot and killed 409 people. Their British counterparts shot and killed no one. The German police, who unlike the Brits are routinely armed, shot and killed eight people; the Japanese have killed one in the past six years. In their defence, American cops face greater risks than those in other rich countries. The civilians¹⁵ they meet are often armed; small wonder they are jumpy when they cannot see your hands.

　　首先，正如奥巴马总统八月十八日所说，“这是我们的军事和当地执法部门之间行事原则上的差异，我们不想要部门之间的界线模糊。“事实上，这些界线已经模糊，在弗格森的街道行驶装甲车就是证明。根据美国联邦调查局的统计，首先，正如巴拉克奥巴马指出，八月十八日，“这是我们的军事和当地执法部门之间的大的差异，我们不想要那些线模糊。“事实上，这些线路已经模糊，在弗格森的街道的装甲车的证明。2012，美国警察开枪打死409人。他们的英国同行未打死一个嫌犯。德国警方，他们不像英国人，配备常规武器，开枪打死八人；日本在过去六年中已经杀死了一人。在他们的正当防卫的范围内，美国警察面对比其他发达国家更大的危险。他们面对持枪的平民，也难怪他们看不到嫌犯双手时，心情多么紧张。

　　Yet this is a reason for cops to work harder to improve relations with the communities they serve. Many police forces in America are good at this, but some have developed a warrior¹⁶ culture that stresses brute¹⁷ force over pounding the beat. A Pentagon programme that gives surplus military hardware to local law-enforcement agencies can make them seem like occupying armies rather than public servants. That is both costly¹⁸ and counterproductive—the public are more likely to volunteer information to officers they trust than to those they fear.

　　然而，这也正是警察努力改善与所服务的社区关系的原因。许多美国警察部队懂得如何与社区打成一片，但也有一些警察崇尚强权镇压的方针。有一个国防部的项目将冗余的军事装备给予地方执法机构，这使他们看起来像是占领军而不是公务员。这是花钱起到反作用的项目，因为对于执法者来说，公众的信任比畏惧更加可贵。

　　Second, unlike plumbers¹⁹ or accountants, it matters what colour police officers are. Ferguson's population has shifted from 75% white in 1990 to 67% black in 2010, but the police force is still 95% white. This is partly due to bureaucratic²⁰ inertia²¹. Public servants have rock-solid job security and generous pensions, so the workforce²² turns over slowly. A fast-food joint²³ in a town that becomes Hispanic will quickly hire Spanish-speaking cashiers. The police are much slower to hire officers with a feel for a changing community. This is not to say that Ferguson should have sacked the white officers and replaced them with blacks; that would be illegal. But it ought to be easier to shift officers between towns, bring in fresh faces and retrain the old hands to be more racially sensitive.

　　第二，不像管道工和会计师，警官的肤色似乎也影响到办案过程。弗格森的黑人人口已从1990年的75%变为2010年到67%，但警察中仍然是95%的白人。一是因为官僚主义的传统，公务员失业风险低，待遇相对较好，工作节奏相对较慢。而其他岗位不如公务员稳定，比如快餐店的收银员就可以随时雇佣母语为西班牙语的雇员。社区警察却很难让不同背景警员适应社区治安工作。这虽然不是说弗格森应该用黑人警官代替白人警官，这也不合法，但这样的做法应该能更加方便开展社区工作，也能减少因为种族问题带来的不便。

　　Third, policing would be a lot easier, and race relations a little more cordial, if America legalised drugs. One reason why so many African-Americans distrust the police is that so many young black men are sent to prison for non-violent drug offences. If drugs were legal, no one would be patted down for pills or jailed for possessing them. Illicit²⁴ drug gangs would go out of business. And the police would be able to concentrate on tracking down thieves and rapists, making everyone safer. Legalising marijuana would be a good first step, following the examples of Colorado and Washington state.

　　第三，假如美国让民间药品流通合法，警察会轻松很多，种族问题也能得到缓和。如此多的非洲裔美国人之所以不信任警察是因为许多年轻的黑人男性由于违禁药品犯罪入狱。如果药物是合法的，没有人会因为药物而入狱。非法贩卖药物团伙自然会消失。和警察能够专注于追捕小偷，强奸犯，使社区更加安全。在科罗拉多州和华盛顿州，大麻合法化将是一个很好的尝试。

　　The ills of shrinking rust-belt towns with tetchy race relations cannot be fixed²⁵ quickly. But the broken windows of Ferguson should remind America's leaders that they have to try.

　　有种族矛盾问题缠身的城镇不能迅速解决。但弗格森的惨剧应该提醒美国领导人，他们必须解决类似的问题。

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

3 autopsy   

n.尸体解剖；尸检

参考例句：

• They're carrying out an autopsy on the victim.他们正在给受害者验尸。
• A hemorrhagic gut was the predominant lesion at autopsy.尸检的主要发现是肠出血。

4 dispersing   

adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Whereas gasoline fumes linger close to the ground before dispersing. 而汽油烟气却靠近地面迟迟不散。
• Earthworms may be instrumental in dispersing fungi or bacteria. 蚯蚓可能是散布真菌及细菌的工具。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 purportedly   

adv.据称

参考例句：

• This is purportedly the oldest tree in the world. 据称这是世界上最古老的一棵树。 来自互联网
• Mayor Oh Se-Hoon launched the campaign last year, purportedly to improve efficiency. 据悉，首尔市市长吴世勋于去年提出了这项旨在提高工作效率的计划。 来自互联网

7 smear   

v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• He has been spreading false stories in an attempt to smear us.他一直在散布谎言企图诽谤我们。
• There's a smear on your shirt.你衬衫上有个污点。

8 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 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。

11 transparently   

明亮地，显然地，易觉察地

参考例句：

• "Clearly plots,'said Jacques Three. "Transparently!" “显然是搞阴谋，”雅克三号说，“再清楚不过了。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• All design transparently, convenient for the file identification inside the bag. 全透明设计，方便袋内文件识别。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 attest   

vt.证明，证实；表明

参考例句：

• I can attest to the absolute truth of his statement. 我可以证实他的话是千真万确的。
• These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place. 这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

15 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

16 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

17 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

18 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

19 plumbers   

n.管子工，水暖工( plumber的名词复数 )；[美][口]（防止泄密的）堵漏人员

参考例句：

• Plumbers charge by the hour for their work. 水管工人的工作是以小时收费的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Plumbers, carpenters, and other workmen finished the new house quickly. 管道工、木工及其他工匠很快完成了这幢新房子。 来自辞典例句

20 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

21 inertia   

adj.惰性，惯性，懒惰，迟钝

参考例句：

• We had a feeling of inertia in the afternoon.下午我们感觉很懒。
• Inertia carried the plane onto the ground.飞机靠惯性着陆。

22 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

23 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

24 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

25 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。