After 30 years in the U.S. House, Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush is leaving

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After 30 years in the U.S. House, Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush is leaving

Transcript¹

NPR's A Martinez talks with longtime Illinois Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush about his decision to leave Congress, and his expectations for the Democratic party and democracy.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Bobby Rush is leaving Congress. The longtime representative from South Side Chicago is ending a chapter in a life that's seen military service, the fight for civil rights for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating³ Committee and the Illinois Black Panther Party, and also elected office as city alderman and congressman⁴. The only person to defeat Barack Obama at the ballot⁵ box during a primary in 2000 says he's not retiring but returning.

BOBBY RUSH: My best self is in my expression of service to others. My love language is service. That's who I am.

MARTINEZ: I spoke⁶ with Bobby Rush yesterday and asked him about a talk he had with his 19-year-old grandson that had him rethinking his work on Capitol Hill.

RUSH: To have your grandson saying that, you know, you're not accessible to him because you're really doing important work, but there's no more work that's more important than having the right relationship with your grandchildren and with this younger generation. I don't want my grandchildren to know me from a history book, from a media outlet⁷. I want them to know me personally, the sound of my voice, my inflections of my voice. You know, I just have some - a lot of shared experiences. So they can pass it on to their children and their grandchildren.

MARTINEZ: Now, you were very clear, though, in saying that this is not a retirement⁸. You mention your church, Beloved Community Church of God in Christ in Chicago, the South Side of Chicago. When it comes to remaining on the front lines of your community, what's that going to look like for you?

RUSH: You know, I am - I'm looking forward to - and frankly⁹, I'm excited about going into the gangways and the hallways and on the streets. You know, where young people hang out and where they live, I'm going to go in there and try to inspire them and show them the way to take advantage of some of the opportunities that exist in our nation.

MARTINEZ: Back in 1968, Congressman, you co-founded the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party. And back then, you know, many Americans saw your group as terrorists. Now, today we have more sympathetic portraits, such as the movie "Judas And The Black Messiah." Congressman, do you think that there is a greater sense of understanding, perhaps even a validation¹⁰ now for what you were trying to do back then?

RUSH: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. We engaged in what we called survival programs. And those programs included the Free Breakfast for Children program, free medical clinics around the nation. Obamacare is one variation of the free health clinics. We have qualified¹¹ health clinics now who, under Obamacare, are getting billions of dollars to provide health care and health centers located in the same neighborhoods that the Panther Party was trying to organize. School lunch programs now - they are necessary items right now at schools all across the nation, not just in Black communities but poor communities all across this nation. We've got a long way to go, and we have a short time to get there. So on January 6 today, on the anniversary of the attack on our deomcracy, I can only say that we still have a long way to go in a very short time to get there. And as a matter of fact, if we don't get it done in the next two years, then I think that we are going to really be in a very difficult, difficult place.

MARTINEZ: Congressman, what did you think of what the president and vice² president said at the Capitol to mark the anniversary of the insurrection there? What stood out to you the most?

RUSH: The vice president and certainly the president gave every freedom-loving, justice-seeking, democracy-believing American citizen some real - a real clear, precise, potent¹² picture of where we have to go as a nation. He did not try to dilute¹³ it. He didn't try to paint a wonderful picture. He gave us the real deal. He gave us the truth. And I am one who believes if you know the truth, then the truth ought to set you free.

MARTINEZ: When it comes to protecting that democracy, Congressman, what do you think Congress should do? What can be done? What's the No. 1 thing? What would be top on your wish list to be done?

RUSH: I think the voting rights bill, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act - immediately, that should be passed. That is the one thing that the U.S. government can do to protect the right to vote for all American citizens in every state of the Union. We have got to pass that bill. That would mean almost as important to our democracy as the Emancipation¹⁴ Proclamation.

MARTINEZ: Yeah, both stressed the importance of the Voting Rights Act, and both also alluded¹⁵ to the importance of the midterms that are coming up. Congressman, do you think that January 6, as the president said, could possibly mark a renaissance¹⁶ for democracy?

RUSH: Well, I believe that he voiced it. It should be a turning point. But again, there's a lot of work to be done. We have got to change the hearts of so many people. And that takes more than a 15- or 20-minute speech on television. I don't think that the president - he did not wave a magic wand. He called us to action. I intend to be on the front line in the thick of this pursuit, of this effort to protect our democratic form of government, protect our democracy.

MARTINEZ: Bobby Rush has represented the 1st Congressional District in Illinois for nearly 30 years. Congressman, thank you very much for joining us.

RUSH: Thank you so very much. I really enjoyed being with you.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILL LAURANCE'S "BALM")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 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。

3 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

4 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。

5 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 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。

7 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

8 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

9 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

10 validation   

n.确认

参考例句：

• If the countdown timer ever hits zero, do your validation processing. 处理这种情况的方法是在输入的同时使用递减计时器，每次击键重新计时。如果递减计时器变为零，就开始验证。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Although the validation control is a very widespread idiom, most such controls can be improved. 虽然确认控件是非常广泛的习惯用法，但还有很多有待改进的地方。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

12 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

13 dilute   

vt.稀释，冲淡；adj.稀释的，冲淡的

参考例句：

• The water will dilute the wine.水能使酒变淡。
• Zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids.锌置换了稀酸中的氢。

14 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 alluded   

提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。
• She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

16 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。