PBS高端访谈:为什么大众开始转向支持同性结婚?

 　　JUDY WOODRUFF: A coalition¹ of groups opposing same-sex marriage rallied in Washington today outside the U.S. Capitol, marching to the Supreme² Court in support of marriage between one man and one woman.

　　This comes just days after the Obama administration announced its intent to ban federal contractors³ from discriminating⁴ on the basis of sexual orientation⁵ or gender⁶ identity, and as polls show the tide of public opinion changing rapidly.

　　To discuss how the fight over gay rights is playing out both here in Washington and across the country, we are joined by Edward-Isaac Dovere. He's senior White House reporter for Politico. And David Crary, who covers national social issues for the Associated Press.

　　And welcome to you both.

　　EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, Politico: Good to be here.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: So, Isaac Dovere, let me start with you.

　　This executive action, the order the White House issued the other day affecting federal contractors, what is it and who's affected⁷ by it?

　　EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE: Well, the White House actually has just announced that the president will sign this executive order. They haven't announced what's in it exactly yet, but it will ban discrimination against LGBT people who are working for government contractors.

　　There are questions about some of the minutia⁸ that will be in it, especially what kind of religious exemption⁹ might be in there, but it does seem like it is going forward and the president will sign it soon.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: And, David Crary, what's your understanding of why the administration is doing this now?

　　DAVID CRARY, The Associated Press: Well, when President Obama took office, the gay rights movement had a pretty long wish list of things that they hoped that this liberal president would do.

　　And he's checked off all the other items on this list, gays in the military serving openly, several other things in support for gay marriage. This was the last big item on the list, and I think there's a sense of relief and delight by gay activists¹⁰ and probably a sense of relief at the White House that they finally finished this list and can now sort of celebrate together.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: Is that how you see it, Isaac Dovere?

　　EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE: This was a promise that the president made when he was running in 2008. He didn't do anything on it during his first term. He was doing a lot of other things that gay advocates were very happy about.

　　But in the spring of 2012, when he was preparing for reelection, his advisers¹¹ told guy activists that they shouldn't expect this to happen, that it wasn't going to happen until after the election. This was definitely the last big thing. Some gay activists put it to me as the third leg of a stool, with repealing¹² don't ask, don't tell and coming out in favor of gay marriage.

　　There are lots of other things that the administration has to be touting¹³ when it comes to their record on gay rights, but those are the three big items.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: And, meanwhile, David Crary, what's happened in terms of public attitudes about same-sex marriage — and I think we have some graphics¹⁵ here to show our viewers — is really kind of remarkable¹⁶. Just in the last five years, you have seen a complete shift in the percentage of Americans who oppose same-sex marriage and those who support it.

　　DAVID CRARY: That's right, and it's across a lot of different demographic sectors¹⁷, which is interesting.

　　Young people are tilting¹⁸ hugely. A lot of Republicans, they are showing a shift there, older people. So it's not just liberals, it's not Democrats¹⁹. It's across-the-board shift, and a contrast here with the polls on the abortion²⁰ issue, for example, another hot-button issue. Those haven't budged²¹ in 20 years, if you look at the Gallup poll. It's that same 50/50 split on abortion.

　　With the gay rights, the change is very dramatic. And it seems that even the hard-core opponents of same-sex marriage see that this is going on. They don't really deny that trend.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: And, David Crary, what makes it fascinating is, we are seeing playing out across the country, as we mentioned, in state after state.

　　There are so many states that have banned same-sex marriage, but courts — the courts are putting a stop to it. Let's look at — now, this is a graphic¹⁴ showing the states in orange, same-sex marriage not allowed. In green states, it is allowed.

　　But, as I was starting to say, David Crary, the courts have stepped in to intervene.

　　DAVID CRARY: They have been more than a dozen cases since last December all striking down either state bans in their entirety or part of the state ban.

　　It's been a winning streak²² on one side, a losing streak on the other, with no exceptions. And it's pretty striking. The next step will be to go to the level of U.S. circuit courts. They will be hearing appeals of some of these decisions. Those are going to come down probably this summer, maybe in Denver. They will rule on the status of Utah's and Oklahoma's gay marriage bans. There will be a hearing in Cincinnati of four different state cases, one single hearing.

　　So it's going to be an interesting summer as all these litigated case move one step higher up on the federal court system.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: And Isaac Dovere, for the Obama administration, they really can't be involved in those cases, but they're obviously watching with interest.

　　EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE: Watch with interest and with support.

　　At this point, just in the last week, the last state that didn't have a court challenge to a gay marriage ban now has one. That was North Dakota. This is something that the administration is in favor of, and they have been doing what they can to interpret the legal rulings that have come down in favor of gay marriage as broadly as possible, specifically the Windsor decision that struck down the Defense²³ of Marriage Act last spring.

　　They have tried in every way that they can to figure out how to apply as many rights to gay couples under federal marriage statutes²⁴ as possible.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: Isaac Dovere, staying with you, what are the politics of this? We are in an off-year, a congressional election year. The administration would like to energize²⁵ the Democratic base, the liberal base.

　　How much does this, what's happening, what we have been talking about, play into that?

　　EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE: Well, this is definitely part of it. When the president talks about what Democrats need to do for the midterms, he every time, at every fund-raiser says Democrats have a tendency to fall asleep or not pay attention in midterms.

　　He wants to make sure as few people as possible, specifically the base, buy into the narrative²⁶ that the president is done with any big things. This is about making people believe that the president is still doing things, making the gay community believe that, and also to progressives in a wider way who we have seen poll after poll views the gay marriage, gay rights issue as a way of connecting with the president's progressive values.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: And, David Crary, in the LGBT community, how do they read what the administration is doing?

　　DAVID CRARY: Well, I think they're very pleased with what the administration is going.

　　I also think they're very pleased at what they see happening in the Republican Party in terms of the Republican officeholders beginning to shy away from this battle. You see Republican governors in gay marriage states kind of accepting the fait accompli, Chris Christie in New Jersey²⁷, Governor Corbett in Pennsylvania, who decided²⁸ not to appeal when a judge struck down their law against gay marriage.

　　That's replicating²⁹ itself. I think, at the march today in Washington, there was one Republican member of Congress who appeared. Four or five, 10 years ago, there would have been more. So I think LGBT activists are cautiously pleased that Democrats see this as a winning issue, gay marriage, and Republicans no longer seem to want to go to the mat to fight about it.

　　JUDY WOODRUFF: Fascinating changes.

　　David Crary, Edward-Isaac Dovere, we thank you both.

　　EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE: Thank you.

　　DAVID CRARY: Thank you.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 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。

3 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 discriminating   

a.有辨别能力的

参考例句：

• Due caution should be exercised in discriminating between the two. 在区别这两者时应该相当谨慎。
• Many businesses are accused of discriminating against women. 许多企业被控有歧视妇女的做法。

5 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

6 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 minutia   

n.微枝末节，细节

参考例句：

• They are take great pains for the every minutia.他们为每个细节煞费苦心。
• Much of his early work is concerned with the minutiae of rural life.他早期的许多作品关注的是农村生活中一些鸡毛蒜皮的琐事。

9 exemption   

n.豁免，免税额，免除

参考例句：

• You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
• These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

12 repealing   

撤销，废除( repeal的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In addition, repealing the alternative minimum tax would also help. 此外，废除替代性最低税也会有所帮助。
• Repealing the investment tax credit. 取消投资税款扣除。

13 touting   

v.兜售( tout的现在分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• He's been touting his novel around publishers for years. 他几年来一直到处找出版商兜售自己的小说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Technology industry leaders are touting cars as a hot area for growth. 科技产业领袖吹捧为增长热点地区的汽车。 来自互联网

14 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

15 graphics   

n.制图法，制图学；图形显示

参考例句：

• You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
• Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。

16 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

17 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 tilting   

倾斜，倾卸

参考例句：

• For some reason he thinks everyone is out to get him, but he's really just tilting at windmills. 不知为什么他觉得每个人都想害他，但其实他不过是在庸人自扰。
• So let us stop bickering within our ranks.Stop tilting at windmills. 所以，让我们结束内部间的争吵吧！再也不要去做同风车作战的蠢事了。

19 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》

20 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。

21 budged   

v.（使）稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步

参考例句：

• Old Bosc had never budged an inch--he was totally indifferent. 老包斯克一直连动也没有动，他全然无所谓。 来自辞典例句
• Nobody budged you an inch. 别人一丁点儿都算计不了你。 来自辞典例句

22 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

23 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

24 statutes   

成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程

参考例句：

• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

25 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

26 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

27 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

28 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

29 replicating   

复制( replicate的现在分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生

参考例句：

• Applications create these partitions for storing and replicating data. 应用程序创建这些分区用来储存和复制数据。
• The closest real things to these creatures were bits of self-replicating RNA. 最贴近这些造物的实物是能做一点微不足道的自复制的核糖核酸。