美国国家公共电台 NPR--The next battle over abortion rights is taking place in Kansas

The next battle over abortion¹ rights is taking place in Kansas

Transcript²

Kansans vote Tuesday on a state constitutional amendment³ that could tighten⁴ abortion laws. It's the first voter contest over abortion since Roe⁵ v. Wade⁶ was overturned.

ASMA KHALID, HOST:

Kansans will vote tomorrow on a state constitutional amendment that could vastly tighten abortion laws. It's the first ballot⁷ measure in the country on reproductive rights since the Supreme⁸ Court overturned Roe v. Wade. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben is in eastern Kansas.

DANIELLE KURTZLEBEN, BYLINE⁹: It was heating up on the asphalt in a Shawnee, Kan., parking lot Saturday morning. Value Them Both, an anti-abortion rights group, was rallying to amp up their door-knockers.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: All right, good morning.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: All right. Are we ready to win on August 2?

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: Yeah.

KURTZLEBEN: For months now, Kansans have been answering the door to countless¹⁰ canvassers on both sides of the Value Them Both amendment. The measure centers on a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision saying the state constitution protects the right to terminate a pregnancy¹². The amendment would negate¹³ that, making explicit¹⁴ that abortion is not protected. Currently, the state bans most abortions¹⁵ after 22 weeks and imposes other rules, like a 24-hour waiting period. The amendment itself wouldn't change any laws, but it would open the door to more restrictions¹⁶.

Here's Neal Allen, political science professor at Wichita State University.

NEAL ALLEN: I wouldn't be surprised if yes passes. There could be a total ban on abortion come February of next year, or there could be just lots and lots of stringent¹⁷ regulations that make it very difficult to access abortion services.

KURTZLEBEN: The vote-yes side insists the amendment merely allows legislators to choose new laws. However, they have also been tight-lipped about what laws they might pursue. Nora Ley, an 18-year-old canvasser¹¹, was at the Value Them Both rally. She explained how she responds to concern from abortion rights supporters.

NORA LEY: I think protecting lives and also keeping women informed and keeping them safe is just so important. And even if this were to pass, it's not going to be exactly like a total ban right away, and especially not in any situations where it could endanger a woman.

KURTZLEBEN: The amendment's opponents firmly believe that if it passes, an abortion ban is coming and that it would endanger some women. Their fervor¹⁸ is further fueled by the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Even in this red state, the race is tight. A recent poll found a slight lead for the vote-yes side. Canvasser Chuck Cordray, who opposes the amendment, explained between houses on Saturday that for the vote-no side, energizing¹⁹ people to turn out is everything.

CHUCK CORDRAY: The momentum²⁰ is on our side. If we had another four weeks, I know we'd win. And I think we're going to win, but it'd be even more.

KURTZLEBEN: Some voters he spoke²¹ to don't need a nudge, like Democrat²² Lauren Van Loo.

LAUREN VAN LOO: Fun secret - found out I was pregnant the very week that - found out that was going to be overturned. And I said, it still affects me, even though I'm choosing to do this of my own volition²³. It could have been another way, and I could have had to make a different choice.

KURTZLEBEN: Similarly, there's Josh Harris, who spoke outside the Johnson County elections office just after he voted yes.

JOSH HARRIS: I think it should all be banned, period - no abortions.

KURTZLEBEN: Like, no exceptions...

HARRIS: No exceptions.

KURTZLEBEN: No. Got you.

HARRIS: No. God controls life. You know what? He'll deal with it.

KURTZLEBEN: But also important will be some voters who have not engaged much with the issue. Mick Krebs answered the door Friday to anti-abortion rights canvassers but told them he's a no because he wants his daughters to make decisions about their own bodies.

MICK KREBS: I hadn't really thought about it until this. And so I guess I really hadn't because I was kind of already on the side of, I would say, where it was, versus²⁴ now it's - you got options, I guess.

KURTZLEBEN: Tuesday's vote will be the first test of abortion politics in a post-Dobbs America and a sign for other states considering abortion measures.

Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, Overland Park, Kan.

(SOUNDBITE OF PAN AMERICAN'S "THE CLOUD ROOM")

1 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

2 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。

3 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

4 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

5 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

6 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

7 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。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

9 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

10 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

11 canvasser   

n.挨户推销商品的推销员

参考例句：

• It'seems the canvasser was once a general.那位推销员好像原来是一位将军。
• Here was a type of the travelling canvasser for a manufacturing house--a class which at that time was first being dubbed by the slang of the day drummers.这人是为生产厂家推销产品的旅行推销员,当时刚刚流行把这类人称作皮包客。

12 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

13 negate   

vt.否定，否认；取消，使无效

参考例句：

• Our actions often negate our principles.我们的行为时常与我们所信奉的原则背道而弛。
• Mass advertising could negate the classical theory of supply and demand.大宗广告可以否定古典经济学的供求理论。

14 explicit   

adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的

参考例句：

• She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
• He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。

15 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

16 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

17 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

18 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

19 energizing   

v.给予…精力，能量( energize的现在分词 )；使通电

参考例句：

• a refreshing and energizing fruit drink 提神并增加体能的果汁饮料
• The time required after energizing a device, before its rated output characteristics begin to apply. 从设备通电到它开始提供额定输出特性之间所需的时间。 来自辞典例句

20 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

21 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。

22 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

23 volition   

n.意志；决意

参考例句：

• We like to think that everything we do and everything we think is a product of our volition.我们常常认为我们所做和所想的一切都出自自己的意愿。
• Makin said Mr Coombes had gone to the police of his own volition.梅金说库姆斯先生是主动去投案的。

24 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。