The Obama administration says Muslim-Americans continue to be prime targets for hate, abuse and discrimination, a situation that requires proactive efforts by authorities to combat. Safeguarding the rights of Muslims in the United States was the focus of a hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
奥巴马政府指出，美国穆斯林继续是仇恨、施虐和歧视的主要对象，有关当局应当采取积极措施打击这种行为。捍卫美国穆斯林的权利是国会最近一次听证会的主题。
Nearly 10 years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, the incidents may no longer be fresh in America's collective consciousness, but the fallout for the nation's Muslim community remains all too real. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas Perez testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil Rights.
美国2001年9月11日遭受恐怖主义袭击，至今过去近10年了。在一般美国公众心里，对当年事件的记忆也许不再那么清晰，然而对美国的穆斯林来说，9/11恐怖袭击的后果仍然是他们每天切身感受到的东西。司法部负责民权事务的助理部长托马斯·佩雷斯在参议院司法小组委员会的听证会上说：
"Regrettably, we continue to see a steady stream of violence and discrimination targeting Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian communities," said Perez. "In each city and town where I have met with [Muslim and other minority] leaders, I have been struck by the sense of fear that pervades their lives: fear of violence, bigotry, hate, discrimination."
“遗憾的是，我们继续看到穆斯林、阿拉伯裔、锡克族和南亚社区成为一系列暴力活动和歧视的对象。在每一个我与穆斯林和其他少数族裔领袖见面的城镇，那里居民在日常生活中感到的恐惧都使我震惊。他们害怕暴力、偏见、仇恨和歧视。”
Perez says the abuse is particularly acute and painful for U.S.-born Muslim children.
佩雷斯说，对在美国出生的穆斯林儿童来说，遭受虐待是最痛苦的。
"I consistently hear complaints that children face harassment in schools, that they are called terrorists and told to go home, even though this [the United States] is their home," added Perez.
“不断有人向我抱怨说，孩子们在学校遭到骚扰，被称为恐怖主义分子，被要求滚回家去，尽管美国就是他们的家。”
Federal statistics show a substantial increase in hate crimes targeting Muslim-Americans since 2001. Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois placed part of the blame on political and religious figures in the United States who denigrate Islam.
联邦统计数字显示，2001年以来，针对美国穆斯林的仇恨犯罪活动大幅度增加。来自伊利诺伊州的民主党参议员理查德·德宾把这种现象部分归咎于美国一些政治和宗教人物妖魔化伊斯兰。
"A leading member of Congress stated bluntly: 'There are too many mosques in this country.' And even a prominent religious leader said Islam is 'wicked and evil.' Such inflammatory speech from prominent public figures creates a fertile climate for discrimination," said Durbin.
他说：“国会一位主要成员直言不讳地宣称，这个国家有太多的清真寺了。一位著名宗教领袖甚至形容伊斯兰是邪恶的。著名公众人物这种煽动性讲话造就了歧视的肥沃土壤。”
Along with freedom of worship, freedom of speech is a cherished American civil right, even when words are used in objectionable ways. The balance of rights and responsibilities in a free society was the focus of comments by South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who decried intolerance while stressing what he sees as a prime responsibility of Muslim-American citizens. Specifically, he called on Muslims to battle the spread of radical Islam.
和信仰自由一样，言论自由是人们珍惜的一种公民权利。南卡罗来纳州共和党参议员林赛·格雷厄姆在讲话中重点谈到在一个自由社会中权利与责任的平衡。他反对不容忍行为，同时强调指出他所说的美国穆斯林的一个主要责任。他特别呼吁穆斯林要抵制激进伊斯兰的蔓延。
"To the American Muslim community, I will stand with you as you practice your religion and you exercise your rights under the Constitution," said Graham. "But I am asking you to get in this fight as a community, and let it be known to your young people that there are lines you will not cross. And there are radical messages being spread by people who would kill every moderate Muslim, Jew, Gentile and agnostic alike. That we are all in this together."
他说：“我要告诉美国穆斯林社区，在你们依照宪法信仰你们的宗教和行使你们的权利时，我站在你们一边。但是我要求你们作为一个社区参与这场斗争，告诉你们的年轻人，有一些界限是不能跨越的。有人散布激进言论，要杀死每个温和的穆斯林、犹太人、非犹太人和不可知论者。我们共同面对着这种形势。”
Last year saw a domestic terror plot to bomb New York's Times Square foiled thanks to a vigilant Muslim who alerted authorities, a fact that Senator Durbin was quick to highlight.
去年，多亏一名警惕性高的穆斯林提醒有关当局注意，才使爆炸纽约时报广场的恐怖阴谋没有得逞。德宾参议员不失时机地提到了这个事件。
"Since 9/11, we have worked to combat terrorism," said Durbin. "We continue to solicit and receive the support of many Muslim-Americans who love this nation and work with our government to protect it."
他说：“9/11以来，我们努力打击恐怖主义。我们继续争取并得到许多美国穆斯林的支持。他们热爱这个国家，和我们的政府一起保卫它。”
A 2010 study funded by the National Institute of Justice concluded that, although Muslim-Americans continue to be victims of bias and discrimination, the community has adopted self-policing practices to guard against radical ideology, and that the proportion of radicalized Muslim-Americans is extremely small.
国家司法研究所2010年的一项研究得出结论说，尽管美国穆斯林继续是偏见和歧视的牺牲品，但穆斯林社区也主动采取措施，防范激进思潮。激进的美国穆斯林为数极少。 |