PBS高端访谈:弗格森镇事件怎样影响了密苏里州的学生们?

 　　GWEN IFILL: It's been an eventful day in Columbia, Missouri, where the university has been the center of national attention over racial tensions on campus.

　　At the heart of the protest was a hunger strike that resonated across the campus and across the state.

　　TIM WOLFE, Former President, University of Missouri: I am resigning as president of the University of Missouri system.

　　GWEN IFILL: The announcement from Tim Wolfe came right after the university system's governing body opened a special meeting.

　　TIM WOLFE: This is not, I repeat, not the way change should come about. Change comes from listening, learning, caring and conversation. Unfortunately, this has not happened, and that is why I stand before you today. And I take full responsibility for this frustration¹, and I take full responsibility for the inaction that has occurred.

　　GWEN IFILL: Wolfe's resignation followed months of complaints over racial slurs² on the overwhelmingly white campus at Columbia, including a swastika drawn³ on a dormitory wall with human feces. The student government president was one of the targets.

　　PAYTON HEAD, President, Missouri Students Association: What happens here is that they have the opportunity to create an environment that is inclusive, that you can put in place a zero tolerance⁴ policy for acts of bias⁵ and discrimination on this campus.

　　GWEN IFILL: As protests grew, Wolfe's car was blocked during a homecoming parade, black graduate student Jonathan Butler began a hunger strike, protesting the slurs and the overall racial climate at the state university.

　　The tipping point arrived this weekend, when at least 30 black football players announced they would boycott⁶ team activities until Wolfe was removed.

　　Head coach Gary Pinkel endorsed⁷ the protest, posting a photo of the team locking arms, saying, "We are united." By today, faculty⁸ members were pledging to join in.

　　The season of academic discontent is not limited to Missouri. At Yale, students and administrators¹⁰ have also been thrust into campus upheaval¹¹, as a memo¹² over appropriate Halloween costumes triggered longstanding tensions about race and free speech.

　　In Columbia, Tim Wolfe's resignation exposed raw nerves about the lack of diversity among students and faculty, while also showcasing the muscle of the school's athletic¹³ department.

　　As students celebrated¹⁴, Jonathan Butler declared his hunger strike over.

　　JONATHAN BUTLER, University of Missouri Graduate Student: It should not have taken this much. And it is disgusting and vile¹⁵ that we find ourselves in the place that we do.

　　GWEN IFILL: Also, the football players announced they are returning to practice tomorrow.

　　Earlier this evening, before the chancellor¹⁶ also resigned, I spoke¹⁷ to Brenda Smith-Lezama, the vice¹⁸ president of the student body at the university of Missouri, and Scott Brooks¹⁹, an associate professor of sociology.

　　Brenda Smith-Lezama, you have been in the middle of this and you know what the conversations have been. How much relief is there tonight or how much concern is there still in the wake of this protest?

　　BRENDA SMITH-LEZAMA, Vice President, Missouri Students Association: Well, the relief is unsurmountable.

　　But, at the same time, it's just a first step. And that's the one thing that I think all students involved in this movement want to reiterate²⁰. This is not the endgame. So, we need to think about how we're going to move forward and proceed with the administration, as well as involving students.

　　GWEN IFILL: Professor Brooks, is this a new issue that we're hearing so much about now or is it an old one that's been given new life?

　　SCOTT BROOKS, Associate Professor, University of Missouri: No, it's definitely an old one that has been given new life.

　　You can go back to 1969 with the Legion of Black Collegians and them giving a list of demands of their concerns at that time. And so whether we're talking about 1969 here at the University of Missouri or whether we're talking about other campuses, I think that it's a fairly common story for black students, even black faculty staff, that they are operating on — at a university and they have this kind of mixed feeling.

　　You know, it's a place where they're coming to get the best that they can from the university. They are looking and hoping and expecting that this is the time of their lives, and yet they are stuck — struck with a harsh reality, that they're not treated often as equal citizens, as equal students, and that's across the levels, faculty, staff and students.

　　So this is not a new story.

　　GWEN IFILL: Brenda Smith-Lezama, tell me how a little bit what — how this blew up, how this became such a big issue, and whether this has been your personal experience, the stories that we're now hearing coming out of campus about the experiences of black students not only now, but for some time now.

　　BRENDA SMITH-LEZAMA: Well, of course.

　　Well, I think that, for most students, there has been a shift post-Ferguson and going back to that year, year-and-a-half period, the activism on campus has been at an all-time high. I think that, for the first time, movements were being led in a very systematic²¹ and very intentional²² manner.

　　So, coming from the student body, I think that there is a lot of change that we all see that needs to be made, and this is the first time that we have all been able to rally around one cause, and that is making them do better.

　　GWEN IFILL: So, this is a post-Ferguson effect, as it were?

　　BRENDA SMITH-LEZAMA: Absolutely. Absolutely.

　　I think that, at least for me, I will say that, prior to Ferguson and all the events that followed, there was obviously racial issues and there was a lot of issues of systematic oppression with itself. However, after Ferguson was — one, we were met with a lot of silence from our administration. And I think what is most frustrating²³, is that when students were crying out for help, our administration left us stranded²⁴.

　　GWEN IFILL: Well, let me ask you this. And then I want to ask Professor Brooks as well.

　　What difference will it make that president Wolfe is gone, if this is a question and a problem that's predated even his arrival on campus in 2012?

　　BRENDA SMITH-LEZAMA: Removing Tim Wolfe is by no means going to solve the system that has built for so many years here at the University of Missouri.

　　However, I think that specifically after Ferguson, Tim Wolfe did serve as kind of the icon²⁵ of the system that has failed us. And one of the biggest things that students have brought up with concern is the fact that we need to have educators in those positions, people who are willing to make that change, people who are willing to listen to students, rather than meet us with silence and not validate²⁶ our concerns and our struggles.

　　GWEN IFILL: Professor Brooks, what about that? What difference will it make if the president of the university is now gone?

　　SCOTT BROOKS: Well, I think that Brenda has articulated it very well.

　　This is simply a step in the right direction. The difference is not about removing Tim Wolfe. The difference is going to be seen in what happens next. And that's really what we're encouraged to pay attention to.

　　You know, what we're excited about is, how can we move forward, now that we know that there is at least one less person that we feel has been an obstacle? This is the way that students feel. And this is also a way that faculty, staff are coming together. We're coming together under the guise²⁷ of, you know, what are — what changes can we make now that we have at least an opportunity for shared government?

　　GWEN IFILL: You know, I want to go to what happens next, but allow me for — going back for a moment, would this have reached the head it did, starting with you, Professor Brooks, if there had not been the involvement of the student athletes, of the football team? Was that the tipping point?

　　SCOTT BROOKS: Right.

　　Well, I think that you have to look at the student athlete and their student side. So, if the student athlete could not connect with this larger student movement, the student athlete wouldn't necessarily come forward.

　　I agree that there is no doubt the importance of sport is — you know, we know how important sport has become, particularly at the university. We call athletics²⁸ the front porch of the university, talk about the collegiate arms race, the sports industrial complex. There was $1 million that the university could incur²⁹ in terms of fines if the student athlete didn't perform, if the football players did not go out onto the field.

　　And so there is no doubt that that is an important consideration for each and every university that has a big football — a big-time football team. So, that's not simply a Missouri issue. That's a national issue. And student athletes have had this power and they have been trying to exercise this in different ways for the last couple of years, as we have seen student athletes organizing around amateurship vs. being able to gain some stipends³⁰.

　　So this is a growing national piece as well. The revolt of the athlete has never gone too far beneath the surface. It did take a moment like this and the courage of our concerned students to step forward to help to galvanize and give student athletes even a voice and a platform and strength to move forward.

　　GWEN IFILL: And, Brenda Smith-Lezama, so you have had today's victory. You admit — you concede that it's a partial victory. So what does happen next?

　　BRENDA SMITH-LEZAMA: Well, honestly, I'm a student. I am not an administrator⁹. I am not the one who is paid and tasked with coming up with these answers.

　　And that's the one thing that has been so frustrating over the past year-and-a-half, is that administrators have often held back and asked us to come up with the solutions. I can't go to school full-time³¹, work and then on top of that do an administrator's job as well. And that's what's so crucial.

　　But I will say is that this, if nothing else, really put our administrators on high alert to know that University of Missouri students will not stand idly by and let our university fall to pieces.

　　GWEN IFILL: Brenda Smith-Lezama, vice president of the student body at University of Missouri, and Professor Scott Brooks, thank you both very much.

　　SCOTT BROOKS: Thank you.

　　BRENDA SMITH-LEZAMA: Thank you for having us.

 

1 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

2 slurs   

含糊的发音( slur的名词复数 )； 玷污； 连奏线； 连唱线

参考例句：

• One should keep one's reputation free from all slurs. 人应该保持名誉不受责备。
• Racial slurs, racial jokes, all having to do with being Asian. 种族主义辱骂，种族笑话，都是跟亚裔有关的。

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

5 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

6 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

7 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

9 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

10 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

11 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

12 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

13 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

14 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

15 vile   

adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的

参考例句：

• Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？
• Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

16 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

17 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。

18 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。

19 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 reiterate   

v.重申，反复地说

参考例句：

• Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
• I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。

21 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

22 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

23 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

25 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

26 validate   

vt.（法律）使有效，使生效

参考例句：

• You need an official signature to validate the order.你要有正式的签字，这张汇票才能生效。
• In order to validate the agreement,both parties sign it.为使协议有效，双方在上面签了字。

27 guise   

n.外表，伪装的姿态

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。
• The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。

28 athletics   

n.运动，体育，田径运动

参考例句：

• When I was at school I was always hopeless at athletics.我上学的时候体育十分糟糕。
• Our team tied with theirs in athletics.在田径比赛中，我们队与他们队旗鼓相当。

29 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

30 stipends   

n.（尤指牧师的）薪俸( stipend的名词复数 )

参考例句：

31 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。