VOA标准英语2010年-A Year After Obama's Cairo Speech, Ske

A look at the Cairo address that held out hope of closing gap between Muslims and America on many fronts – religious, social, governmental and economic

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Elizabeth Arrott | Cairo 31 May 2010
 

US president Barack Obama called for a 'new beginning between the United States and Muslims,' in his landmark¹ address to Muslim world from the Grand Hall of Cairo University, Cairo [file photo]

One year ago, President Obama delivered a speech in Cairo meant to improve U.S. relations with the world's Muslims. He tried to show American respect for Islam and signal a break with the policies of his predecessor², George W. Bush, whose wars in Iraq and Afghanistan deepened suspicions on both sides. One year later, VOA has asked a sampling of Muslims – Arab, South Asian and Indonesian - if they feel Mr. Obama has made good on his promises.

 

Mr. Obama's Cairo address held out the hope of closing the gap between Muslims and America on many fronts – religious, social, governmental and economic.

"So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred³ rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity," said President Obama.

In hindsight, some think his sweeping⁴ and generalized promise of progress may have been the speech's fundamental flaw. Hala Mustafa, editor of the Egyptian magazine Democracy, was in the audience at Cairo University last June. 

"I feel like everybody who attended listened and heard what he or she wants to hear. So if you are working to promote democracy, you have heard that. If you are with the government side, so you have heard what could make you satisfied," says Mustafa. "For the peace process, I think the Palestinians and the Israelis they heard what each wants to hear. But anyway, at the end, I think after one year, I think the achievement is very little, almost nothing."

American University in Cairo professor Said Sadek agrees, adding that part of the problem may have been expectations.

"Because we have a long history of autocracy⁵ and chronic⁶ problems that no one can solve, there has always been the hope, the aspiration⁷ to see a hero, a superhero who would come and solve the problems, someone who would deliver democracy on a silver platter," adds Sadek. "When he came here and gave that speech at Cairo University, people were shouting 'we love you Obama! We love you Obama!' Today there is general apathy⁸, disappointment."

On the streets of majority-Muslim lands, not everyone is despairing of the possibilities. Novie Andriani spoke⁹ to VOA outside the Sunda Kelapa mosque¹⁰ in Jakarta.

"I don't think America can change that quick, just by listening to Obama's speech. I do believe that they are going to change slowing but not significantly changing," Andriani said.

In Cairo, outside the university where Mr. Obama was greeted with thunderous applause, student Ahmad Gamal Khattar gives a one year progress report that is decidedly mixed.

"Most of the things he spoke about, some of them he has done, others he hasn't. He spoke about the war in Iraq and the troop pullout and that Iraq will be freed. We haven't seen this yet.  About Afghanistan, he said the situation will improve, but it's worsening."

American University in Cairo professor Sadek ascribes some of the disappointment to Mr. Obama's mastery of rhetoric¹¹.

"He would say one thing and then he adds the famous, magical word but. And then we are in the old dilemma¹². He wants to withdraw from Iraq, but he has to keep a high military presence," Sadek said. "He wants to have democracy in the area, but he has to, at the same time, continue the same good relationship between the White House and the Arab, old dictators. This goes on and on. He wants to help the Palestinian people have a state but Israel's interests come first."

Israel looms¹³ large in U.S.-Muslim relations. In Cairo, Mr. Obama pledged to oppose Israeli settlement construction on Palestinian lands. The building has continued, to many's despair. But in Indonesia, some, including Jakarta resident Rori [one name only], still sees progress.

"With the support to the Gaza Strip and the renegotiation between the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) and Israel, I see that something has changed. So there is an effect from the speech."

But there are also long-standing suspicions and prejudices that surface with alarming ease. A university student in Islamabad, Pakistan, is quick to assign blame for a perceived sin against Islam on the website Facebook. To him, the guilty party is a frequent, and frequently erroneous, target of Muslim wrath¹⁴. 

"On one side, he's saying we'll have good relations with the Muslim world. But on the other side, other people from, like Jews, they gave such problems like you have just seen on Facebook. These things are getting conflicts. He's not doing good. These things should be brought to light," says the student.

The suspicions of a fellow university student in Islamabad also take a dark turn when considering U.S, and Mr. Obama's, intentions toward the Muslim world.

"He has continued the Bush policy of creating terrorism, said Ibrahim. "They are not having good relations with all the Muslims. They are trying to kill us and, you know, they are trying to pressurize Muslims and they are trying to have good relations with all other people in the world except the Muslims."

In Indonesia, where the future president lived as a child, some argue any failure to improve relations is not Mr. Obama's fault. Haji Djoni Subchan spoke to VOA in Jakarta.

"Obama wants America not to be extreme to the Muslim world, but apparently¹⁵ the powers behind him are not yet able to change."

Back in Islamabad, another university student, Saif Shah, takes the discussion far beyond the political powers that be.
"I don't believe in political speeches or on the else. I just believe on the reality, what is going on – and that is just hatred," Shah says. "I think hatred is a big disease. I think it is a disease between all humans and I believe Obama, or any other leader – I want that they convey the message to the people 'just leave the topic of hatred and know the value of humans'. What is the value of humans in every religion."

The sentiment echoes what Mr. Obama said in Cairo one year ago.

"America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition," said Mr Obama. "Instead, they overlap¹⁶, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance¹⁷ and the dignity of all human beings. I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. I know there's been a lot of publicity¹⁸ about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate¹⁹ years of mistrust."

Anticipating his critics, even the president asked for patience.
 

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

2 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

3 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

4 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？

5 autocracy   

n.独裁政治，独裁政府

参考例句：

• The revolution caused the overthrow of the autocracy.这场革命导致了独裁政体的结束。
• Many poor countries are abandoning autocracy.很多贫穷国家都在放弃独裁统治。

6 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

7 aspiration   

n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出

参考例句：

• Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
• Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。

8 apathy   

n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡

参考例句：

• He was sunk in apathy after his failure.他失败后心恢意冷。
• She heard the story with apathy.她听了这个故事无动于衷。

9 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。

10 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

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 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。

13 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 wrath   

n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒

参考例句：

• His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
• The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

15 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

16 overlap   

v.重叠，与…交叠；n.重叠

参考例句：

• The overlap between the jacket and the trousers is not good.夹克和裤子重叠的部分不好看。
• Tiles overlap each other.屋瓦相互叠盖。

17 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

18 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

19 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。