美国国家公共电台 NPR Ore. Community Becomes Unwilling Symbol For Anti-Government Movement

Ore. Community Becomes Unwilling¹ Symbol For Anti-Government Movement

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The trial for the militants³ who seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in rural Oregon last winter is close to wrapping up. The militants were led by Ammon Bundy. And they were protesting the federal government's control of public lands. This has been a high-profile trial about an occupation that, as it happened, tore apart the nearby little town of Burns, Ore.

Reporting on the saga⁴ were NPR's Kirk Siegler and reporter Amanda Peacher with Oregon Public Broadcasting, who both recently traveled back to Burns. Good morning to you both.

KIRK SIEGLER, BYLINE⁵: Good morning, Renee.

AMANDA PEACHER, BYLINE: Good morning, Renee.

MONTAGNE: So, Kirk, take us back to the basics. How did this start?

SIEGLER: Well, this started when Ammon Bundy and his militia⁶ followers⁷, they had initially⁸ come to the area to protest the government's treatment of two local ranchers who had pled guilty to arson⁹ charges. Now, Ammon of course is the son of Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who's at the center of this sort of lands movement. And the Bundys want to turn over all federal land in the West to local control. And so this protest turned into a much larger armed occupation out at the refuge in an attempt to do just that.

MONTAGNE: Amanda, you were on the ground for most of the 41-day siege. What was it like for that community there, that rural community?

PEACHER: Well, there were a few people in the community who supported the militants and the idea of the siege. But the vast majority of the community wanted these people to go. The militants were from outside. They were strangers to this small town. And it created a very tense environment in Burns.

MONTAGNE: So Burns, Ore., was thrust into the international media spotlight¹⁰ along with the entire siege. Not, though, much has been said about it at this trial. What is it like there now?

SIEGLER: Well, that's exactly what we wanted to find out, Renee. So we went back and started our reporting at the recent Harney County Fair.

PEACHER: The Harney County Fair is probably the biggest event of the year here. There's a rodeo, there are 4-H kids showing their pigs and rabbits that they've been raising all year long.

SIEGLER: And the main event, the parade through downtown Burns. There's a float in support of the local sheriff, Dave Ward¹¹. He was one of the most vocal¹² opponents of the armed occupation.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: (Over loudspeaker) Dave Ward is a true Harney County hero.

PEACHER: And then another float passes with several people who supported the Bundys. They're dressed up as ranchers, loggers and miners. And there's a sign on the side that says, these are the endangered species.

SIEGLER: That's a riff on the Endangered Species Act. It's a favorite target of the Bundys. Now, on this float is Cheryl Smith (ph), who doesn't think the Bundys did anything wrong.

CHERYL SMITH: I do not in my heart believe at any point were they confrontational¹³. They're nice people.

PEACHER: Smith remembers a more prosperous time here. The county used to have several timber mills, and some of the highest average wages in Oregon.

SIEGLER: And for her, Ammon Bundy's message of getting the loggers back to logging and the ranchers back to ranching¹⁴ was like this awakening¹⁵.

SMITH: For me personally, I've been feeling like I've become an ostrich¹⁶. (Laughter) And I had my head in the sand because I didn't feel I had any power.

SIEGLER: This feeling like she didn't have any power, this sense of disenfranchisement you hear in places like this is something we're hearing a lot in national politics right now.

PEACHER: Now, it's true there is a lot of mistrust toward the federal government in places like this. But in this case, most people in Harney County did not support the occupiers. When that float went by, I saw one guy turn his back in protest.

SIEGLER: It was Judge Steve Grasty, the head of the county government.

STEVE GRASTY: I don't care about Bundy. He came in, used us, used our community. Yeah, it happened here. But it was the wrong place.

PEACHER: This past summer, Grasty easily survived a recall vote that was organized by Bundy supporters. But when I visited him, I noticed his shotgun is still at the ready at his front door. He put it there way back when the Bundys first arrived in town.

SIEGLER: People are still on edge. Take Jess Wenick, he grew up here and has worked as an ecologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service out at the refuge for most of his career.

JESS WENICK: This occupation kind of drove a wedge in the community. It's hurt relationships, it's divided churches. It has done a lot...

SIEGLER: Since the occupation, Wenick says some of his co-workers - biologists at the refuge - have quit or they're asking for transfers because the climate here for federal workers is just too tense. He says it's sad.

WENICK: It seems that a lot of the people that were against the government and stood very, very strongly were completely unaware¹⁷ of all the things that have been taking place over the last several years and how the community actually came along beside the refuge.

PEACHER: What Wenick is talking about is something you hear a lot in Harney County. After decades of disputes, more recently ranchers and environmentalists and the government had figured out how to work together on the refuge. Pretty much the antithesis¹⁸ of the story the Bundys told here.

SIEGLER: And this collaboration¹⁹ was a big deal because in rural western counties like this, the government owns almost all of the land. And decisions about who can do what on that land are always contentious²⁰.

PEACHER: And now in Harney County, there's concern that the occupation threw a wrench²¹ into all that hard work.

(SOUNDBITE OF COWS MOOING)

PEACHER: So here's Gary Miller²² (ph). His family has ranched²³ here for generations.

SIEGLER: On this cold and drizzly²⁴ morning, he and his sons are moving hundreds of cattle across a highway near the wildlife refuge. Miller says he's not sure where all that collaboration sits now after all the drama.

GARY MILLER: There's people that have drawn²⁵ a side. And they will not do business with someone that's got an opinion on it.

SIEGLER: Now around the West, I've talked to quite a few ranchers like Miller who resent what happened out here. They say these outside guys just stormed in with their guns and took over a refuge, when ranchers like him had spent years of their own time sitting around a table with all sides, trying to work out deals.

MILLER: You know, I felt better than the last six or eight years than I have felt in a long time. Just, you know, there's been some good things happened in Harney County. You know, really they should be a role model for the nation on some of the collaborative efforts.

PEACHER: Now, people like Miller are ready for this trial to be over. The occupation itself was a huge disruption to his cattle operation. But he doesn't have time to follow it too closely. He's got a lot of work to do. This is his livelihood²⁶ out here.

(SOUNDBITE OF COWS MOOING)

MONTAGNE: Amanda Peacher of Oregon Public Broadcasting and NPR's Kirk Siegler reporting there from rural Eastern Oregon.

And just one last thought here. I'm curious if there might still be more trouble in the future at that wildlife refuge?

PEACHER: Well, that is still a big concern. The refuge hasn't fully²⁷ reopened yet. And there is some worry that it could be a target for people who sympathize with the Bundys.

SIEGLER: And in fact, Renee, I'd say some people when I was out there even told me that since the trial had begun again, they've started seeing more people trickling²⁸ back into town, people that they suspected were militia or militia sympathizers. So it's something we'll have to watch.

MONTAGNE: Kirk and Amanda, thank you very much.

PEACHER: You're welcome.

SIEGLER: Glad to be here.

1 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

2 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 saga   

n.(尤指中世纪北欧海盗的)故事，英雄传奇

参考例句：

• The saga of Flight 19 is probably the most repeated story about the Bermuda Triangle.飞行19中队的传说或许是有关百慕大三角最重复的故事。
• The novel depicts the saga of a family.小说描绘了一个家族的传奇故事。

5 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。

6 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

7 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

10 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

11 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

12 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

13 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

14 ranching   

adj.放牧的

参考例句：

• They cleared large tracts of forest for farming, logging and ranching. 他们清除了大片的森林以经营农耕、采伐与畜牧。
• This is a trade center in a ranching and oil-producing region. 这是一个牧场与产油区的贸易中心。

15 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

16 ostrich   

n.鸵鸟

参考例句：

• Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物。
• The ostrich indeed inhabits continents.鸵鸟确实是生活在大陆上的。

17 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

18 antithesis   

n.对立；相对

参考例句：

• The style of his speech was in complete antithesis to mine.他和我的讲话方式完全相反。
• His creation was an antithesis to academic dogmatism of the time.他的创作与当时学院派的教条相对立。

19 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

20 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

21 wrench   

v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受

参考例句：

• He gave a wrench to his ankle when he jumped down.他跳下去的时候扭伤了足踝。
• It was a wrench to leave the old home.离开这个老家非常痛苦。

22 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

23 ranched   

经营牧场（ranch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Three ago they came here and ranched the mountainous dry land. 他们三年前来到这里，在山区旱地经营农场。
• Many animals may be farmed or ranched to create a valuable legal trade. 许多动物都可以驯化或放养，从而形成合法产业。

24 drizzly   

a.毛毛雨的(a drizzly day)

参考例句：

• This section of the country is drizzly in the winter. 该国的这一地区在冬天经常细雨蒙蒙。
• That region is drizzly in winter. 那个地区冬天常下小雨。

25 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

26 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

27 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

28 trickling   

n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。
• The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》