VOA标准英语2008年-Jewish Groups, Israeli Supporters in NY Rally A

American Jewish organizations, Israeli activist¹ groups and other supporters of Israel rallied in New York City Monday to protest Iran's nuclear program and the appearance of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the United Nations' General Assembly opening session. From VOA's New York Bureau, Mona Ghuneim reports.
　
Anti-Iran demonstrators near UN building, 22 Sep 08

Waving Israeli and American flags, singing songs and chanting verses, thousands of demonstrators rallied outside the United Nations building in New York.

John Ruskay of the United Jewish Appeal Federation² of New York said he and supporters gathered to send a message to Iran's leader. "When President Ahmadinejad comes to New York, we will, as we have, as we must do, say what he intends to do with his nuclear program is an anathema³ to all Americans -- Republican and Democrat⁴, young and old, Christian⁵, Jew, Muslim -- to everyone," he said.

The rally faced political controversy⁶ last week when former Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton, who was invited to speak at the event, backed out. Clinton's aides announced her pull out after learning that Republican vice⁷ presidential candidate Sarah Palin had also been invited.

Days after the Clinton announcement, organizers of the protest rescinded⁸ their invitation to Palin, saying they did not want the rally to turn into a partisan⁹ political event. The move angered Republican presidential nominee¹⁰ John McCain who accused his Democratic rivals of having Palin "disinvited".

One politician who did appear at the event, however, was Dalia Itzik. The Israeli Knesset [Parliament] Speaker said Iran's nuclear ambitions pose a serious danger to not just her country, but many others. "These weapons will not only threaten Israel, they will also threaten Paris, Rome, London and New York. Iran's leadership is a threat to peace, a threat to the whole world, a threat to its own people," he said.

Eva-Lee Baird said she too is concerned about the safety of everybody in the world, but she said the "hawk-like rhetoric¹¹ in the rally" was not the best thing for Israel either. A member of the progressive women-initiated grassroots movement, CODEPINK, Baird and other group members stood on the outskirts¹² of the rally.

"Our message is negotiation¹³. I think Ahmadinejad should be allowed to come to the United Nations. I think George Bush should be allowed to come to the United Nations. I don't have very much respect for either one of them as leaders, but I want them here talking to other people because that's the only way that we can save our world," he said.

Baird added she is glad she lives in a country where both leaders are allowed to come to the United Nations, especially if it can prevent what she called a "nuclear catastrophe¹⁴".

 

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

3 anathema   

n.诅咒；被诅咒的人(物)，十分讨厌的人(物)

参考例句：

• Independence for the Kurds is anathema to Turkey and Iran.库尔德人的独立对土耳其和伊朗来说将是一场梦魇。
• Her views are ( an ) anathema to me.她的观点真叫我讨厌。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 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。

6 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 rescinded   

v.废除，取消( rescind的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Rescinded civil acts shall be null and void from the very beginning. 被撤销的民事行为从行为开始起无效。 来自互联网
• They accepted his advice and rescinded the original plan. 他们听从了他的劝告，撤销了原计划。 来自互联网

9 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

10 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

11 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

12 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

13 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

14 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。