VOA标准英语2011--'Don't Ask' Repeal Gives Gay Activists R

'Don't Ask' Repeal¹ Gives Gay Activists² Renewed Hope

The law banning homosexuals from openly serving in the U.S. military has been repealed³, sparking celebrations among gay organizations. Since its implementation⁴ in 1993, thousands of service people have been expelled from the military for revealing their sexuality.
For former Air Force Major Mike Almy, this day marks the end of a painful chapter.
He was thrown out of the Air Force after 13 years of service, when superiors discovered he had a homosexual relationship with another man in the military.
"Nothing will repair that damage that was done to my career," said Almy. "I served 13 years. I did four deployments to the Middle East. I grew up in an Air Force family. I’ve been in the Air Force my whole life. I love it and I miss it."
Almy is one of about 14,000 U.S. service people expelled from the military for violating the "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" law, which implicitly⁵ allowed homosexuals to serve as long as they were not open about it.
Gay rights activists pushed for enactment⁶ of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in 1993 - ending an outright⁷ ban on homosexuals in the military. But in 2010 they fought to have it repealed, and replaced with a policy that would allow homosexuals to serve openly.
Since his discharge, Almy has joined the fight for repeal and become a symbol of the push for gay rights in the military.
He is celebrating, but hopes the day passes like any other.
"Probably not many people will notice this day and that’s a good thing," said Almy. "Because what that means is that we have far more important issues to worry about than someone’s sexual orientation⁸ that’s serving in the armed forces."
The repeal is cause for worry among those who see homosexual behavior as detrimental⁹ to good order, discipline and morale¹⁰ in the armed forces.
Tommy Sears, executive director of the Center for Military Readiness, says a person’s private life does matter in the military, where troops often live in conditions of little or no privacy.
"Our troops don’t spend all their time just on the battlefield," said Sears. "So the policy and the law was put into place to take into account as you have to in a military environment all facets¹¹ of a service member’s life."
Sears and other repeal opponents complain the measure was rushed through Congress without sufficient discussion.
For Mike Almy, enactment of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was a first step. Its repeal is a second advance. He is celebrating, and preparing for the next battle - one for nationwide legalization of same-sex marriages and the treatment of homosexual partners as military spouses¹².
"That’s going to take an act of Congress to repeal the Defense¹³ of Marriage Act, which will be the next major hurdle," added Almy. "For now, we’ll celebrate repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, but this is just the beginning towards full equality."
The Pentagon says it has been preparing troops to operate under the new policy, and officials say they expect no problems.
Discipline will ensure obedience¹⁴ of the new rules, even among those who might disagree with them.
Almy wants to re-enlist. Once inside, he pledges to work to change minds and hearts within the ranks.

1 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

2 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》

3 repealed   

撤销，废除( repeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Labour Party repealed the Act. 工党废除了那项法令。
• The legislature repealed the unpopular Rent Act. 立法机关废除了不得人心的租借法案。

4 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

5 implicitly   

adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地

参考例句：

• Many verbs and many words of other kinds are implicitly causal. 许多动词和许多其他类词都蕴涵着因果关系。
• I can trust Mr. Somerville implicitly, I suppose? 我想，我可以毫无保留地信任萨莫维尔先生吧？

6 enactment   

n.演出，担任…角色；制订，通过

参考例句：

• Enactment refers to action.演出指行为的表演。
• We support the call for the enactment of a Bill of Rights.我们支持要求通过《权利法案》的呼声。

7 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

8 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

9 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

10 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

11 facets   

n.（宝石或首饰的）小平面( facet的名词复数 )；（事物的）面；方面

参考例句：

• The question had many facets. 这个问题是多方面的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A fully cut brilliant diamond has 68 facets. 经过充分切刻的光彩夺目的钻石有68个小平面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

14 obedience   

n.服从，顺从

参考例句：

• Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
• Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。