Racial Issues

美國種族問題

Once a man had a dream. He dreamed of a land of peace and harmony. He dreamed of a place where people were not judged by their skin color. He dreamed of a country where children of different races could play together. He dreamed of a nation where all people were equal. Some people didn\'t like his dream. They said it would never happen. Some people applauded his dream. They wanted to make it happen. This noble vision has come true for some. For others, it\'s still just a fantasy.

從前有一個人, 他有一個夢。他夢到一塊和平與和諧的土地。他夢到一個人們不因膚色而被論斷的地方。他夢到一個國家不同膚色的小子們玩在一起。他夢到一個國家, 在其中所有的人都是平等的。有些人不喜歡他的夢。他們說這個夢永遠不會實現。有些人則對他的夢喝采。他們想實現這個夢。這個崇高的理想對某些人而言, 它還只是一個幻想。

In 1963, this man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., expressed his vision in the famous speech, "I Have a Dream." But the dream-rooted in the American Dream-wasn\'t really new. From the beginning, this nation of immigrants welcomed people desiring freedom and a new start. However, the coming together of different races and ethnic groups created some tensions. The early Americans (except for the native "Indians") were almost all white Europeans. As more immigrants arrived, European groups fit into society easily. Others found it more difficult.

這個人, 馬丁路德. 金恩博士, 在一九六三年的一篇有名的演講"我有一個夢"當中表達了他的理想. 其實這個根植于"美國夢"的理想, 并不是個完全新潮的主意. 從一開始, 這個由移民所組成的國家, 便歡迎渴望自由和新開始的人來到. 但是, 不同種族的到來亦帶來了緊張的氣氛. 早期的美國人(除了印地安原住民之外)幾乎全是來自歐洲的白人. 當更多的移民抵達時, 歐洲團體較容易適應這個社會, 其它團體則較感困難.

Black people were the only "immigrants" who didn\'t choose to come to America. For hundreds of years, Africans were taken from their homes to be slaves in the New World. Even George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had slaves. The phrase "all men are created equal" didn\'t apply to blacks in their day. The end of the Civil War finally brought freedom to the slaves in 1865, but blacks still had a lower position in society. Many Southern states practiced segregation to "keep blacks in their place." Blacks and whites went to different schools, ate at different restaurants, even drank from different water fountains.

黑人是唯一非出于自愿而到美國來的"移民". 幾百年以來, 非洲人自其家園被迫帶到新世界為奴. 即使喬治. 華盛頓和湯瑪士. 杰弗遜也曾蓄奴. 那句"人類生而平等"的話, 在他們的時代并不適用于黑人. 一八六五年, 南北戰爭的結束終于為黑奴帶來自由, 但是黑人的社會地位仍然較低. 許多南方的州實行種族隔離政策以使"黑人不會跨越界限". 黑人和白人上不同的學校, 在不同的餐館吃飯, 甚至連喝水都用不同的飲水機.

The Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s helped black people secure many of the rights promised in the Constitution. A 1954 Supreme Court decision ruled that segregation had no place in public schools. Gradually, American education became more fair. In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white man. Her courage sparked a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, that ended segregation on city buses. Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged black people to use nonviolent means to achieve their goals of equal treatment. Finally, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to stop discrimination in all public places.

一九五Ｏ與一九六Ｏ年代的人權運動, 幫助黑人得到許多憲法中所保障的權利. 一九五四年最高法院的一個判決, 決定了在公立學校里不準實行種族隔離政策. 漸漸地, 美國的教育制度越來越公平了. 一九五五年, 羅莎. 帕克拒絕在公車上讓位給一個白人. 她的勇氣激起了阿接巴馬州的蒙哥馬利市對公車的抵制, 結束了市區公車上的種族隔離制度. 馬丁路得. 金恩博士鼓勵黑人, 使用非暴力方式達到他們追求平等待遇的目標. 最后, 國會在一九六四年通過民權法案, 禁止所有在公共場合的歧視.

In spite of the gains of the Civil Rights Movement, racial problems still exist. The laws have changed, but some people-on all sides of the color spectrum-remain prejudiced. Ten-sions sometimes erupt in violence. The 1992 Los Angeles riots sprang from the verdict of a racially-charged court case. Moreover, blacks and whites are not the only racial groups struggling to get along. Multicultural America has numerous minority groups that argue for equal treatment. Some contend that current immigration laws unfairly discriminate against certain racial groups.

雖然民權運動帶來進步, 但是種族問題仍然存在. 法律已經改變了, 但是有些人--各種膚色的人--仍然保有歧視的態度. 緊張情形有時會引發暴力. 一九九二年的洛杉磯動乃是因一件因種族問題而起訴法院判決而引發的. 此外, 黑人和白人并不是為和平相處而掙扎的唯一種族團體. 多元文化的美國擁有無數為平等待遇而爭論的少數團體. 有些人爭論現行的移民法不公平地歧視某些種族團體.

Even so, in the past 40 years, race relations in America have greatly improved. Minority groups now have equal opportunities in many areas of education, employment and housing. Interracial marriages are becoming more accepted. Children of different races-and their parents-are learning to play together and work together. Maybe Dr. King\'s dream will come true after all.

即使如此, 在過去四十年間, 美國種族之間的關系已經大有進步. 少數團體現在在教育, 就業及住屋許多方面已有公平的機會. 異族的通婚已越來越被接受. 不同種族的小孩以及他們的父母親, 也在學習與其它種族一起游戲和一起工作, 或許金恩博士的夢終會實現.

Racial Issues

美國種族問題

Once a man had a dream. He dreamed of a land of peace and harmony. He dreamed of a place where people were not judged by their skin color. He dreamed of a country where children of different races could play together. He dreamed of a nation where all people were equal. Some people didn\'t like his dream. They said it would never happen. Some people applauded his dream. They wanted to make it happen. This noble vision has come true for some. For others, it\'s still just a fantasy.

從前有一個人, 他有一個夢。他夢到一塊和平與和諧的土地。他夢到一個人們不因膚色而被論斷的地方。他夢到一個國家不同膚色的小子們玩在一起。他夢到一個國家, 在其中所有的人都是平等的。有些人不喜歡他的夢。他們說這個夢永遠不會實現。有些人則對他的夢喝采。他們想實現這個夢。這個崇高的理想對某些人而言, 它還只是一個幻想。

In 1963, this man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., expressed his vision in the famous speech, "I Have a Dream." But the dream-rooted in the American Dream-wasn\'t really new. From the beginning, this nation of immigrants welcomed people desiring freedom and a new start. However, the coming together of different races and ethnic groups created some tensions. The early Americans (except for the native "Indians") were almost all white Europeans. As more immigrants arrived, European groups fit into society easily. Others found it more difficult.

這個人, 馬丁路德. 金恩博士, 在一九六三年的一篇有名的演講"我有一個夢"當中表達了他的理想. 其實這個根植于"美國夢"的理想, 并不是個完全新潮的主意. 從一開始, 這個由移民所組成的國家, 便歡迎渴望自由和新開始的人來到. 但是, 不同種族的到來亦帶來了緊張的氣氛. 早期的美國人(除了印地安原住民之外)幾乎全是來自歐洲的白人. 當更多的移民抵達時, 歐洲團體較容易適應這個社會, 其它團體則較感困難.

Black people were the only "immigrants" who didn\'t choose to come to America. For hundreds of years, Africans were taken from their homes to be slaves in the New World. Even George Washington and Thomas Jefferson had slaves. The phrase "all men are created equal" didn\'t apply to blacks in their day. The end of the Civil War finally brought freedom to the slaves in 1865, but blacks still had a lower position in society. Many Southern states practiced segregation to "keep blacks in their place." Blacks and whites went to different schools, ate at different restaurants, even drank from different water fountains.

黑人是唯一非出于自愿而到美國來的"移民". 幾百年以來, 非洲人自其家園被迫帶到新世界為奴. 即使喬治. 華盛頓和湯瑪士. 杰弗遜也曾蓄奴. 那句"人類生而平等"的話, 在他們的時代并不適用于黑人. 一八六五年, 南北戰爭的結束終于為黑奴帶來自由, 但是黑人的社會地位仍然較低. 許多南方的州實行種族隔離政策以使"黑人不會跨越界限". 黑人和白人上不同的學校, 在不同的餐館吃飯, 甚至連喝水都用不同的飲水機.

The Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s helped black people secure many of the rights promised in the Constitution. A 1954 Supreme Court decision ruled that segregation had no place in public schools. Gradually, American education became more fair. In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white man. Her courage sparked a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, that ended segregation on city buses. Martin Luther King Jr. encouraged black people to use nonviolent means to achieve their goals of equal treatment. Finally, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to stop discrimination in all public places.

一九五Ｏ與一九六Ｏ年代的人權運動, 幫助黑人得到許多憲法中所保障的權利. 一九五四年最高法院的一個判決, 決定了在公立學校里不準實行種族隔離政策. 漸漸地, 美國的教育制度越來越公平了. 一九五五年, 羅莎. 帕克拒絕在公車上讓位給一個白人. 她的勇氣激起了阿接巴馬州的蒙哥馬利市對公車的抵制, 結束了市區公車上的種族隔離制度. 馬丁路得. 金恩博士鼓勵黑人, 使用非暴力方式達到他們追求平等待遇的目標. 最后, 國會在一九六四年通過民權法案, 禁止所有在公共場合的歧視.

In spite of the gains of the Civil Rights Movement, racial problems still exist. The laws have changed, but some people-on all sides of the color spectrum-remain prejudiced. Ten-sions sometimes erupt in violence. The 1992 Los Angeles riots sprang from the verdict of a racially-charged court case. Moreover, blacks and whites are not the only racial groups struggling to get along. Multicultural America has numerous minority groups that argue for equal treatment. Some contend that current immigration laws unfairly discriminate against certain racial groups.

雖然民權運動帶來進步, 但是種族問題仍然存在. 法律已經改變了, 但是有些人--各種膚色的人--仍然保有歧視的態度. 緊張情形有時會引發暴力. 一九九二年的洛杉磯動乃是因一件因種族問題而起訴法院判決而引發的. 此外, 黑人和白人并不是為和平相處而掙扎的唯一種族團體. 多元文化的美國擁有無數為平等待遇而爭論的少數團體. 有些人爭論現行的移民法不公平地歧視某些種族團體.

Even so, in the past 40 years, race relations in America have greatly improved. Minority groups now have equal opportunities in many areas of education, employment and housing. Interracial marriages are becoming more accepted. Children of different races-and their parents-are learning to play together and work together. Maybe Dr. King\'s dream will come true after all.

即使如此, 在過去四十年間, 美國種族之間的關系已經大有進步. 少數團體現在在教育, 就業及住屋許多方面已有公平的機會. 異族的通婚已越來越被接受. 不同種族的小孩以及他們的父母親, 也在學習與其它種族一起游戲和一起工作, 或許金恩博士的夢終會實現.