2007年VOA标准英语-Ahmadinejad's Columbia Speech Stirs Protest

By Victoria Cavaliere
New York
24 September 2007

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University created a furor¹ in New York City. Victoria Cavaliere reports from VOA's New York Bureau protests reverberated² all the way to U.S. Congress in Washington.

Thousands of demonstrators, observers and activists³ lined the heavily-guarded streets around Columbia University where Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke⁴ Monday.

Columbia's decision to host the Iranian leader at its World Leader's Forum⁵ met with sharp criticism from U.S. politicians, New York City officials and Jewish groups.

In Washington, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell from Kentucky criticized Columbia for inviting⁶ Mr. Ahmadinejad.

"Think of the irony," said Mitch McConnell. "Columbia University, home of the core curriculum that prizes an in-depth undestanding of Western civilization and the free exchange of ideas, is brining to its campus a state sponsor of terror."

Last year, Columbia canceled an invitation for Mr. Ahmadinejad to speak after an outcry from Jewish groups. Mr. Ahmadinejad has said he supports the destruction of Israel and has described the Holocaust⁷ as a myth.

Columbia's president Lee Bollinger defended the prestigious⁸ university's decision to go forward with the speech this year, saying it was a testament⁹ to the freedom of speech guaranteed under the U.S. Constituion.

Outside the arena¹⁰, flocks of protesters said the decision was an insult. Daniel Klein, one of the main organizers of the rally, said demonstrators opposed the platform Mr. Ahmadinejad was given at Columbia.

"The fact that he's being brought here, to an Ivy¹¹ League [one of the best in the country] institution no less," he said, "is really a smack¹² in the face to students on the campus, to the American students that are here that basically say, 'we don't want his despicable views on our campus.'"

Other protesters, like Russel Whitaker, said he thought Mr. Ahmadinejad's hardline views were not in keeping with the theme of the World Leaders' Forum, which examines global challenges and discourse¹³.

"I think it was rather naïve, and I think that it was a mistake, a well intentioned mistake," said Russel Whitaker. "There are people with whom you can have dialogue, but I don't think he's one of those."

But the contentious¹⁴ public debate was two-sided. Many New Yorkers and students said they turned out because they were curious about what the controversial Iranian leader would say. Columbia students, including Mikhael Klassen, also said they support his right to speak.

"The fact that a venue¹⁵ like this exists, and that Columbia's hosting an event like this, is significant because an event like this couldn't exist in Iran," he said. "In terms of the diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States, right now are not great, I think it's good to have him here, to hear him speak, and our president can confront him on some of the controversial things he says."

Another observer Margaret North, said she showed up out of curiosity.

"I think he should be given freedom of expression," she said. "No one is going to agree on everything. We should hear his opinion."

Protests were also held at the United Nations headquarters and more protests are expected Tuesday when Mr. Ahmadinejad is scheduled to address the General Assembly.

1 furor   

n.狂热；大骚动

参考例句：

• His choice of words created quite a furor.他的措辞引起了相当大的轰动。
• The half hour lecture caused an enormous furor.那半小时的演讲引起了极大的轰动。

2 reverberated   

回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射

参考例句：

• Her voice reverberated around the hall. 她的声音在大厅里回荡。
• The roar of guns reverberated in the valley. 炮声响彻山谷。

3 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》

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

7 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

8 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

9 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

10 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

11 ivy   

n.常青藤，常春藤

参考例句：

• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
• The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。

12 smack   

vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍

参考例句：

• She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。
• I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。

13 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

14 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。

15 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。