VOA标准英语2015--Economic Disparity Persists on Old Civil Rights Battleground

Economic Disparity Persists on Old Civil Rights Battleground

SELMA, ALABAMA—

Thousands of people are gathering¹ Saturday in the small U.S. Southern City of Selma, Alabama, to commemorate² the 50th anniversary of a historic voting rights march.

The 1965 event, known as “Bloody Sunday,” cast a spotlight³ on racial discrimination and the plight⁴ of millions of African-Americans denied the right to vote in parts of the South. Decades after civil rights battles in Selma and surrounding communities the focus has shifted to economic priorities.

“What about better jobs, better training, and schooling⁵? We need more things going. We have to come together and work together,” said Selma business owner Kevin Seay, who is trying to make it through tough economic times.

“If Selma is growing in the right way, then we can have the greatest economic expansion that anybody could ever look for,” he said.

While Seay and his wife opened a clothing and accessory store last year and started making some money, many black-owned businesses were forced to close during the economic downturn seven years ago. The boarded up storefronts indicate the area lacks job opportunities — even though the institutional segregation⁶ of five decades ago is a thing of the past.

Longtime Alabama State Senator Hank Sanders says it is tragic⁷ a worldwide symbol of the civil rights struggle has not prospered⁸.

“The economics and the political [situation] did not come together in Selma to produce the desired results, and one of the things I hope out of this is that people will see that Selma now needs to harvest those seeds that were planted,” he said.

High unemployment

Unemployment for young blacks here is more than 20 percent and some families live in government subsidized housing, as they did 50 years ago. Selma radio station owner Glenn King is pushing economic development by supporting black-owned businesses. He says if every black business could add one employee it would reduce black unemployment to the level of whites.

"I have encouraged blacks that, together we stand — divided we fall, and [to] show other blacks what they can do if they invest in something in their community,” he said.

Cromwell Handy, the pastor⁹ of the Reverend Martin Luther King’s historic church in Montgomery, says, “I believe that we are a lot better now clearly than we were before [50 years ago]. I believe our biggest issue now is a polarization due to the economic issues of today, rather than race,” he said.

Handy says African Americans can fulfill¹⁰ Dr. King's dream by demanding income equality.

"We must forward march. We must stay away from what we know from a military term 'marking time.' We just cannot march in place, focus on the past. We have to forward march from here for a better nation and a better world,” he said.

Staying involved

Birmingham Mayor William Bell believes blacks can create or generate economic opportunities by staying involved in the political process.

“To protect those opportunities you have got to fully¹¹ participate. You got to be a full-fledged citizen and that right to vote is critical to economic power, it is critical to social power, and it is critical to cultural power," he said.

In Selma, Kevin Seay wants to help fellow entrepreneurs. Someday he hopes to hire more workers, giving something back to the community.

“Now you are starting to see more blacks are coming together to help one another," he said. "Because I feel that if one can make it then the next one can make it. If I can get started then something I can probably do will pull you up and help you along the way.”

Community leaders believe by working together they can bring about better financial times for this community that was so pivotal to the civil rights movement.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

3 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

4 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

5 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

6 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

7 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

8 prospered   

成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Mr. Black prospered from his wise investments. 布莱克先生由于巧妙的投资赚了不少钱。

9 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

10 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。