美国国家公共电台 NPR Dan Rather, An Unlikely Essayist, On 'What Unites Us'

 

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Dan Rather's career has entered a new phase. At age 86, he's speaking to millions of people every day not at CBS where he anchored the "Evening News" for more than 20 years. Instead, Facebook has given him a new audience where he writes about the news of the day. Now Dan Rather also has a new book. It's a collection of personal essays called "What Unites Us: Reflections On Patriotism¹." There are chapters about inclusion, the vote and service. I asked him to read an excerpt² of the first piece called "What Is Patriotism?"

DAN RATHER: (Reading) Our founding documents contain some of the most beautiful and noble words ever put on paper. I recite them often and love them with every fiber³ of my being. We the people - all of us - are living together in perhaps the greatest social and governmental experiment ever conceived. We are being tested. How can we prepare ourselves for the moment? Are we up to the challenge?

SHAPIRO: Did that make you emotional just now?

RATHER: Yes and without apology.

SHAPIRO: The book does feel very personal. And in it, you acknowledge that you came of age in a very different time. And one of the things you say is that your love of country may seem anachronistic⁴ in today's more jaded⁵ world. Today it so often feels as though patriotism is used as a bludgeon to hurt political opponents. Do you think that's reversible?

RATHER: I do, though we need to look to our history at least a little. We've been through some really difficult times before as a country, and now we find ourselves in a period of seemingly chaos⁶ and havoc⁷ at the very top of the government, particularly in the executive branch. So what we've done is we've descended⁸ into extreme partisan⁹ politics and set-in-concrete ideologies¹⁰. But we're better than that.

And I remind myself and try to remind others that, you know, the country as a whole is stronger than any president and that if we just lower the volume and say, let's have civil discourse¹¹ and to return, yes, to our core American values, take an attitude of - listen; we agree on so much. We agree on the right to vote. We agree on the need for empathy. There are fundamental things that we agree on. So concentrate on those things. And where we have disagreement, say, OK, we disagree about these things; let's discuss them in a very civil manner. Lower the temperature, and talk to one another.

SHAPIRO: In these essays, even though your optimism comes through, your alarm comes through as well. On the subject of empathy, you say, I worry that our nation today suffers from a deficit¹² of empathy. On the press, you say, we have more people talking about news and less original reporting. On courage, you say the nation has careened into an existential crisis. I know you describe yourself as an optimist¹³, but do you worry that you will leave the world in worse condition than you found it?

RATHER: I do worry about that quite a bit. I recognize that my time to shape the world in even a small way is receding¹⁴. But I keep coming back to one of my father's favorite words, steady. Just hold steady. Do what you can. You know, President John Kennedy - ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.

And if we just hold ourselves steady and say to ourselves, let me do something today that helps my community and helps my country, we'll begin to crawl and claw ourselves back to a more reasonable state. And that way, going forward in the 21st century, we can have a better country than we have had. And let's face it. We have had a very good country.

SHAPIRO: You left CBS under circumstances that you would not have chosen after a 2004 report about George W. Bush's military service was called into question. And in hindsight, I wonder whether you feel that now on Facebook you are able to use your voice and have an impact in a way that you would not have been able to at CBS.

RATHER: That's absolutely true - totally unexpected and one of the great surprises of my life. Look; I was at CBS News for 44 years, 24 of them in the anchor chair. CBS News was part of my identity. I mean, Dan Rather, CBS News, was just in my own mind almost my name. And when I left there under those circumstances, you know, I said to myself when it was finally over, I don't know what I'm going to do.

I still want to work. I have a passion for reporting news. But is anybody going to hire me? Can I find anything to do? But to have this social media phenomenon happen, I do find it amazing and humbling¹⁵. Granted, humbling is not a word usually associated with present or past television anchor people.

(LAUGHTER)

RATHER: But I do feel that way. I don't profess¹⁶ to understand it, but I am very grateful for it. You know, one of the things that has happened to me with age - I think it may happen to quite a few people - is that I'm deeper into gratitude¹⁷, humility¹⁸ and modesty¹⁹ than I've ever been. That may be damning with faint praise.

SHAPIRO: (Laughter).

RATHER: But I have learned - I have really learned the value of it. And I will say that, you know, part of what made this book possible was the, to me, still incredible response that we've seen on social media. And I see this book "What Unites Us" as an extension of that spirit but one that's broader in its mandate²⁰.

SHAPIRO: Dan Rather, I know that millions of people tuned²¹ in every night to hear what you had to say, and hearing your voice will be powerful for many of them. While you have their ear, is there anything you would like to tell them today besides buy the book?

(LAUGHTER)

RATHER: Well, I do want to say that. Forgive me if you must. There's a lot to be concerned about, a lot to shake us. But it's an essential part of the American character to, when the pressure is greatest, when they heat is hottest, to be steady. When we were attacked by the Japanese and faced with a huge, unprecedented²² world war, we were steady. When 9/11 - when we were attacked at 9/11, the country pulled itself together. We were steady. So just a gentle reminder²³ that it's very much a part of our history and a part of our national character to be steady. And now is a time when we need it as much as we ever have.

SHAPIRO: Dan Rather, it's an honor and a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you very much for joining us.

RATHER: Thank you, Ari. Thanks a lot for having me.

SHAPIRO: His new book with Elliot Kirschner is called "What Unites Us: Reflections On Patriotism."

(SOUNDBITE OF LITTLE PEOPLE'S "MOON")

1 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

2 excerpt   

n.摘录，选录，节录

参考例句：

• This is an excerpt from a novel.这是一部小说的摘录。
• Can you excerpt something from the newspaper? 你能从报纸上选录些东西吗？

3 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

4 anachronistic   

adj.时代错误的

参考例句：

• In remembering historic events,the mistake you tend to make is anachronistic.在记历史事件时，你容易犯的错误是时代错误。
• English public schools are anachronistic.英国的公立学校已经落伍过时了。

5 jaded   

adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的

参考例句：

• I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend. 整个周末工作之后我感到疲惫不堪。
• Here is a dish that will revive jaded palates. 这道菜简直可以恢复迟钝的味觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

7 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

8 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

9 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

10 ideologies   

n.思想（体系）( ideology的名词复数 )；思想意识；意识形态；观念形态

参考例句：

• There is no fundamental diversity between the two ideologies. 这两种思想意识之间并没有根本的分歧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Radical ideologies require to contrast to their own goodness the wickedness of some other system. 凡是过激的意识形态，都需要有另外一个丑恶的制度作对比，才能衬托出自己的善良。 来自辞典例句

11 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

12 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

13 optimist   

n.乐观的人，乐观主义者

参考例句：

• We are optimist and realist.我们是乐观主义者，又是现实主义者。
• Peter,ever the optimist,said things were bound to improve.一向乐观的皮特说，事情必定是会好转的。

14 receding   

v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• Desperately he struck out after the receding lights of the yacht. 游艇的灯光渐去渐远，他拼命划水追赶。 来自辞典例句
• Sounds produced by vehicles receding from us seem lower-pitched than usual. 渐渐远离我们的运载工具发出的声似乎比平常的音调低。 来自辞典例句

15 humbling   

adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气

参考例句：

• A certain humbling from time to time is good. 不时受点儿屈辱是有好处的。 来自辞典例句
• It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-buildingexperience. 据说天文学是一种令人产生自卑、塑造人格的科学。 来自互联网

16 profess   

v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰

参考例句：

• I profess that I was surprised at the news.我承认这消息使我惊讶。
• What religion does he profess?他信仰哪种宗教？

17 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

18 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

19 modesty   

n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素

参考例句：

• Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。
• As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。

20 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

21 tuned   

adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
• The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

23 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。