VOA标准英语2010年-Obama Speech Does Not End Controversy

President Barack Obama hosts an iftar dinner, the meal that breaks the dawn-to-dusk fast for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, 13 Aug 2010

U.S. President Barack Obama's support for an Islamic center to be built near the scene of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks has done little to mollify critics of the plan.  However, it has strengthened the argument that it should be allowed in because of America's tradition of religious freedom.

The proposed cultural center and mosque¹ would be built a few blocks away from Ground Zero in New York city. That's the site of the former World Trade Center, which was destroyed when hijackers from the Muslim militant² group al-Qaida crashed passenger planes into the Twin Towers, killing³ nearly 3,000 people.

Initially⁴, President Obama stayed out of the controversy⁵ over the Islamic center. The White House had called it a matter to be decided⁶ locally in New York.

But on Friday night,the President finally spoke⁷ about it at the White House. And he did so while hosting an Iftar meal that Muslims eat to break the daily Ramadan fast.

"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," he said. "And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances⁸."

The president said he understood the emotions triggered by the construction of a mosque near what he called "hallowed ground." But he said al-Qaida does not represent Islam, and America's commitment to religious freedom "must be unshakeable."

The President's comments, however did little to mollify the project's opponents.

Pamela Geller leads a group called "Stop Islamization of America." It has organized protests against the project in lower Manhattan. "He's just dismissing - so callously⁹ - the feelings of the 9/11 families and all of us," she said.

She and other opponents argue that planning a mosque near Ground Zero disrespects the memory of Sept. 11 attack victims.

Another prominent opponent of the project is Republican Congressman¹⁰ Peter King of New York. In a written statement, he said "the President caved into political correctness."

Some critics have supported the right to build the center, but worry that extremists will claim it as a victory for their radical¹¹ brand of Islam.

Nihad Awad of the Council on American-Islamic Relations told VOA the president's comments serve to counter that argument.

"In fact, if that center is not built, it's a victory for the terrorists and it's a victory for the extremists, who do not see that Muslim Americans enjoy the rights that every other American enjoys," said Awad.

The plan for the mosque caused little debate until it was criticized by prominent figures including former Republican vice¹² presidential candidate Sarah Palin. They voiced their opposition¹³ following the arrest of a Pakistani-born American who allegedly tried to set off a car bomb in New York's Times Square.

According to a CNN opinion poll taken before the president's speech, 70 percent of Americans oppose the building of a mosque near Ground Zero.

 

1 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。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 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。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 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。

8 ordinances   

n.条例，法令( ordinance的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These points of view, however, had not been generally accepted in building ordinances. 然而，这些观点仍未普遍地为其他的建筑条例而接受。 来自辞典例句
• Great are Your mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your ordinances. 诗119:156耶和华阿、你的慈悲本为大．求你照你的典章将我救活。 来自互联网

9 callously   

参考例句：

• Sri Lanka has callously ignored calls for a humanitarian cease-fire. 斯里兰卡无情地忽视人道停火的呼吁。 来自互联网
• The pendulum ticks callously, heartlessly. 这是谁的遗训？ 来自互联网

10 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

11 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

12 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。

13 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。