美国国家公共电台 NPR--George Floyd's uncle advocates for the passage of a Medical Civil Rights Act

George Floyd's uncle advocates for the passage of a Medical Civil Rights Act

Transcript¹

Three years ago George Floyd was killed in police custody² in Minneapolis. NPR's Michel Martin talks to Selwyn Jones, Floyd's uncle and co-founder of Hope929 Foundation, about advocating for justice.

: [POST-BROADCAST CLARIFICATION: Under the Medical Civil Rights Act discussed in this story, a police officer would be required to summon medical assistance if the officer observes that a person is in medical crisis or the person says they are in medical crisis. The bill is currently being introduced on a state by state basis although proponents³ hope to introduce it at the federal level in the future.]

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Three years ago this week, a store clerk thought George Floyd tried to use a fake $20 bill to buy something. Hours later, he was dead after one officer put his full body weight on Floyd's neck and three other officers who were there refused to intervene or get medical help. The horrifying⁴ episode put a worldwide spotlight⁵ on police violence in the U.S. and renewed calls for reform. One idea would make it a legal right for a person to receive medical care during a police interaction when someone is obviously in crisis or says they are. Selwyn Jones is George Floyd's uncle and is one of the people who's been pushing for this through his Hope929 foundation, and he is with us now to tell us more.

Mr. Jones, welcome. Thank you so much for talking with us.

SELWYN JONES: Thank you, ma'am.

MARTIN: Well, the first thing I just wanted to ask is, how are you doing?

JONES: You know, dear, I - this isn't something that will ever leave me because I watched my big sister's baby boy horrifically murdered in the middle of the street by hatred⁶, power and control. I started moving forward on the 26, when I found out last year. And I've been advocating and trying to make a difference in other people's lives so no one else will have to go through that horrific pain that we had to go through. And it hasn't stopped, but I sure hope one day that it will.

MARTIN: And when you say that you hope that it will stop, what are you referring to there?

JONES: Police brutality⁷ or racism⁸ in a whole. I'm tired of going to funerals. I really am. But it's something that I have to do to show people that I am in this to win it. I'm in this to fight forever.

MARTIN: So as we mentioned, you've been working to support federal passage of something called the Medical Civil Rights bill that would establish the statutory right - the legal right - to medical care during any police interaction where the person communicates that they're in a health crisis. Do you remember - like, how did the idea for this come about?

JONES: You know, I never really thought about it. It never really dawned on me. But when we mention it to people and people go, isn't there a prevention measure now? No, there isn't. Robert and Leonore Dluhy in 2015 - they decided⁹ that they would do their part and - to make a difference in this world. And they created the Medical Civil Rights bill, which basically prohibits a police officer from doing the thing that they did to George Floyd, Eric Garner¹⁰. Because as soon as a suspect yells (ph) I'm hurt, I need medical assistance, they have to, in a minimal¹¹ amount of time, get them handled and assist medical assistance to them.

MARTIN: One of the things that we see - you know, after your nephew died, there were demonstrations¹², like, not just all over the country, but all over the world. I just wondered if you feel like progress is still being made toward the things that you care about or not.

JONES: I think that every day we wake up, we have a chance and a choice. And there's a lot of people that make the choices to not give us a better chance. And that's just about being a person of color. And for the first time, I think in my life, we actually have a shot to make a difference.

MARTIN: Do you feel you're making progress?

JONES: I feel every day I wake up, I can look in the mirror and say to my nephew, my mama, my son, and say, I'm doing my part. I was sitting in a parking lot at a motel that we own, and I would watch my little 4-year-old ride his go cart around on the little track we made. And that was my destiny. That's what I was going to do until I die - watch that little boy grow. And I had to stop watching him ride that go cart because I had to start protecting everybody else's lives. So I think that winners don't quit, and quitters don't win. And whether I'm making a difference or not, I'm not going to quit.

MARTIN: Selwyn Jones is George Floyd's uncle, and he's the co-founder of the Hope929 foundation.

Mr. Jones, thank you so much for talking with us.

JONES: God bless you, sister. Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF JOE WONG'S "WE CRY")

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 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

4 horrifying   

a.令人震惊的，使人毛骨悚然的

参考例句：

• He went to great pains to show how horrifying the war was. 他极力指出战争是多么的恐怖。
• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate. 战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。

5 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。

6 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

7 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

8 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

9 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。

10 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

11 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

12 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。