VOA标准英语2010年-US Labor and Civil Rights Organization

Angry demonstrations¹ over Arizona's new immigration law have been sweeping² across the United States

A coalition³ of U.S. Civil Rights and Labor⁴ organizations say they intent to boycott⁵ major events in the Southwestern state of Arizona.

This development is the latest in a growing number of protests across the country after Arizona recently passed a law that requires police to check the status of people they believe to be in the U.S. illegally.

Angry demonstrations over Arizona's new immigration law have been sweeping across the United States. The law, known as SB 1070 is due to take effect in late July.  The law requires police to check the status of people they suspect of being illegal immigrants and also requires immigrants to carry registration⁶ documents at all times.

The latest protests come in the form of boycotts⁷ against Arizona's convention and tourism industry.

Janet Murguia is the President of the National Council of La Raza, one of the largest Latino Civil Rights groups in the U.S.

"We pledge not to hold major conventions, conferences or other special events involving significant travel to Arizona from out of state," she said. "SB 1070 will blow the door open to increased racial profiling wrongful arrests and other discrimination against anyone who police reasonably suspect may be undocumented."

Some supporters of the bill, including these Los Angeles radio hosts, are calling for a counter boycott.

"We thought we'd come here and talk truth to our listeners and inspire them to spend money on Arizona companies and Arizona tourism," said radio host John Cobylt.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has condemned⁸ the immigration law, saying it opens doors to intolerance and hate. Mexico has also issued a travel warning for Mexicans going to or living in Arizona.

"We don't like this law. We believe it affects Mexican nationals, even those who may reside legally in Arizona, and we believe we may have much more problems than solutions on its behalf," said Mexico's interior secretary, Fernando Gomez-Mont.

Many police officers worry the law would make it more difficult for them to get information from crime victims.

"It takes officers away from doing what our main core mission of local law enforcement is," said Phoenix⁹ Arizona police chief, Jack¹⁰ Harris.

Supporters of the law say it will help fight a wave of crime blamed on illegal immigrants.  Arizona Republicans say the state needed to take action because U.S. officials have failed to enforce existing laws that could stop the flow of illegal immigrants from Mexico.  Arizona Governor Jan Brewer¹¹ signed the bill into law.

"I support it, I think the people of Arizona support it, and I believe the majority of people throughout the country support it.  We're going to stand up and push back and call on the Federal government to secure our borders," said Brewer.

While the Obama administration is critical of the new law, Homeland Security Secretary and former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano says she understands why Arizona residents are so frustrated¹² with the problem of immigration.

"It remains¹³ one of the gateway¹⁴ states into the country for narcotics¹⁵ and contraband¹⁶ and illegal immigration.  And we have put many resources into Arizona over the last 15 months.  More men, more technology and more infrastructure¹⁷, more money for local law enforcement," said Napolitano.

President Obama is urging Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.  Many civil rights organizations support the president and say it is the only answer to combating the immigration problem in the America.
 

1 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

2 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

3 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。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

6 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

7 boycotts   

（对某事物的）抵制( boycott的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their methods included boycotts and court action, supplemented by'sit-ins". 他们的主要方法包括联合抵制、法庭起诉，还附带进行静坐抗议。
• Are boycotts for other purposes illegal? 至于用于其它目的的联合抵制行动是否也是非法的呢？

8 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

9 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

10 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

11 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

12 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

15 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 contraband   

n.违禁品，走私品

参考例句：

• Most of the city markets were flooded with contraband goods.大多数的城市市场上都充斥着走私货。
• The customs officers rummaged the ship suspected to have contraband goods.海关人员仔细搜查了一艘有走私嫌疑的海轮。

17 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。