VOA慢速英语2013 AS IT IS - Marriage and rights issues

 

AS IT IS - Marriage and rights issues

This is AS IT IS.

Hello, I’m Caty Weaver¹. On today’s show we discuss marriage and rights issues in several countries. We start with Christopher Cruise in Washington, where the United States Supreme² Court is considering laws that restrict same-sex marriage rights.

Earlier this month, Rob Portman became the first Republican Senator to support for same-sex marriage.

“The joy and stability of marriage that I have had for 26 years – I want all three of my kids to have it, including our son, who is gay.”

Senator Portman’s announcement did nothing to change the opinions of fellow-Republican senators like Orrin Hatch.

“Where we differ is I do not believe we should change the traditional definition of marriage.”

The cases before the Supreme Court include a challenge to the Defense³ of Marriage Act. The 1996 law prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions. DOMA, as it is known, received support from both major political parties back then.

But some who voted for DOMA have had a change of heart, including Democratic Senator Tom Harkin.

“It is not the only vote I regret, but it is one of them. It was not a good vote. I have changed my whole view on that completely”.

Public opinion studies show a growing majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. Ten years only about one in three Americans did.

But public opinion has changed. Democrats⁴, including President Obama, have won elections while announcing their support for same-sex marriage. Democratic Senator Richard, who voted for DOMA in 1996, approves of the turn of events.

“Younger generations think that positions supporting marriage equality are more consistent with their values and vision of America.”

But some Republicans are urging their party to rethink the issue. Larry Sabato is a political scientist at the University of Virginia.

“Within the Republican Party, a majority still opposes same-sex marriage.  It is a real dilemma⁵ for Republicans.  It is a loser for them and they know it.”

If the Supreme Court decides the laws are unconstitutional, the ruling could lead to same-sex marriage rights across the country.

I’m Christopher Cruise.

You are listening to AS IT IS.

Now June Simms has a report about a marriage bill currently under discussion in Uganda.

The Marriage and Divorce Bill bans a number of traditional actions. It also requires a fair division of money and property in a divorce. The bill gives property rights to partners who live together and makes marital⁶ rape⁷ a crime.

Women’s rights groups say these measures will reduce violence at home, and give women more power over their lives. But in Uganda, where the Christian⁸ church is powerful, and cultural traditions are strong, the bill makes some people very angry.

Parliament is deeply divided on the issue. Some lawmakers have walked out of meetings in protest. The church has voiced its opposition⁹ to divorce and unmarried couples living together.

One term of the bill would make it illegal to demand a return of the so-called “bride price” when couples divorce. This is a payment a man’s family makes to the family of the woman he is to marry. Betty Kasiko of the Uganda Women’s Network says many women get trapped in marriage when their families cannot return the payment.

“Once they move away, their families are pushing them back, telling them ‘you have to stay in that marriage because you know we cannot refund¹⁰ that bride price that was given.’”

Another term of the bill concerns unmarried couples. It says men and women who have lived together ten years or more must divide money and property evenly if the relationship ends.

Many Ugandans see this term as making legal a situation they think should be avoided. This Kampala man says such a law would dishonor tradition. Then you can have the sharing when you are divorcing.”

But Betty Kasiko of Uganda Women’s Network says that view does not represent reality. She says sixty percent of Ugandan couples live together outside of marriage and when there is a separation, the Peter Atekyereza is a sociologist¹¹ at Makarere University in Kampala. He says it is difficult to make laws about issues of tradition and culture.

“Any law should be building on the cultural value systems, not the value systems building on the law.

I’m June Simms.

Finally, we hear go to Northern Nigeria, where activists¹² say girls are increasingly being married too young. Here is Kelly Jean Kelly.

Yalwa is a 13-year-old pregnant girl living in poverty in Abuja. Her husband is in his thirties. He sells goods from a wheelbarrow in the market place. Their home has no water system and electric power is undependable.

But Yalwa is not talking about those problems. She says what she wants is to go to school. Before she was married she dreamed of being a doctor or a midwife. At her parent’s house, she and her brothers and sisters sometimes ate only once a day. She thought if she got married her husband would help her go to school. But that is not what happened.

Activists in northern Nigeria say stories like Yalwa’s are increasingly common. Saratu Musa Makawa heads the National Association of Nigeria Female Students. She says when little girls get married, it is not just educational possibilities that they lose.

“Apart from the psychological and sociological effects it also has a medical side effect.”

The United Nations reports that more than 140 million girls worldwide are expected to become child brides by 2020. The UN says these girls are far more likely to die in childbirth or to give birth to a dead baby than are adult mothers.

But Ms. Makawa says it is not just marriage that robs Nigerian girls of their education, health and childhood.

At the Kaduna Central Market in northern Nigeria men shout as they make deals and sell their goods. Among the sellers are many girls. They sell everything from vegetables to shoes. Some of the girls are as young as six.

Ms. Makawa says the girls are in constant danger of rape and other sexual threats, increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancies¹³

Aisha Yusuf is with the aid organization Support Health and Education for Development. She says the solution begins with persuading parents to pay more attention to their daughters’ educations.

I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

And that’s AS IT IS for today. I’m Caty Weaver.

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

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 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。

4 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》

5 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

6 marital   

adj.婚姻的，夫妻的

参考例句：

• Her son had no marital problems.她的儿子没有婚姻问题。
• I regret getting involved with my daughter's marital problems;all its done is to bring trouble about my ears.我后悔干涉我女儿的婚姻问题, 现在我所做的一切将给我带来无穷的烦恼。

7 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

8 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 refund   

v.退还，偿还；n.归还，偿还额，退款

参考例句：

• They demand a refund on unsatisfactory goods.他们对不满意的货品要求退款。
• We'll refund your money if you aren't satisfied.你若不满意，我们愿意退款给你。

11 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。

12 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》

13 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。