VOA常速英语2019--全美首例：加州禁止出售动物皮毛产品（在线收听）

California Becomes First U.S. State To Ban Sale Of Animal Fur Products

Avner Hyatt’s great-grandfather opened his first fur store in Russia before immigrating to the United States.

Avner Hyatt的祖父在移民到美国之前，在俄罗斯开了他的第一家皮货店。 

Back then, he says fur was special because only the very rich could afford it.

他说，那时皮草还很特别，因为只有非常富有的人才买得起。 

These days it’s just as rare but for a different reason.

而现在，由于另一种原因，皮草却很少了。 

My customers for the last year and a half already have been very confused about the ban.

“过去的一年半里，我的顾客对于皮草禁令一直感到十分困惑。 

Can we wear fur? Can we not wear fur? Is it OK somebody gonna throw something on us? Is that gonna go to jail ? Some people tells me.

我们能穿皮草吗？还是不能穿？别人能朝我们身上扔东西吗？这样会坐牢吗？有人问道， 

There is a reason for the confusion, a series of laws signed by California governor Gavin Newsom that among other things ban sales of new clothing and accessories made of fur.

这种困惑的背后有一个原因，那就是加利福尼亚州州长Gavin Newsom签订了一系列法令，其中有一条是禁止出售皮草类衣物。

The cruelty of the whole process is what prompted lawmakers to go ahead with the new law.

由于整个制作过程太过残忍，因此立法者决定制定新的法律。 

Prohibiting killing animals for their fur means killing the fur business, says Hyatt. And that in turn will leave many people unemployed.

Hyatt表示，禁止杀害动物获取皮毛意味着扼杀整个皮草产业，而这会导致许多人失业。 

A freedom of choice.

这是一种选择的自由。 

Tomorrow somebody’s gonna come and tell you that you cannot eat hamburgers anymore.

也许明天会有人对你说你不能再吃汉堡了。 

I want to see what people would do that on McDonald’s and Burger King and everything because they kill animals for food, a million times more than what it’s used for furs

我想看看人们对麦当劳、汉堡王、还有种种与之相关的产业会采取何种措施，因为这些产业都是杀害动物来换取食物，并且其数量要远远大于那些为了制作皮草所杀害的动物数量。

We’re not a very strong industry.

我们这个产业并不强大。” 

Elena Makarova-Alin , co-owner of a Los Angeles showroom,

Elena Makarova-Alin 是洛杉矶的一家展销厅的所有人之一。 

believes the fight is already lost, so she decided to bring faux fur coats and jackets from Italy .

她觉得这场斗争已经输了，所以她决定从意大利进口一些人造皮草大衣和夹克。 

On top of that , she believes it makes little sense to wear fur coats in the state where the climate is so wild and so warm .

除此之外，她还认为这气候如此温暖的地州根本用不着穿皮草大衣。 

We tried buying a few natural fur coats in Italy and bringing them here, but to my surprise, no one seems to be interested.

“我们尝试过从意大利进口一些天然皮草大衣，带到这里来卖。但令我惊讶的是，大家看上去都没什么兴趣。”

The law will come into force in 2023 and it is likely New York state will follow suit.

这部法律将在2023年正式生效，纽约州也有可能紧跟其后。 

Those who work in the natural fur industry hope to bring the matter to court, accusing California authorities of discrimination.

那些在天然皮草行业工作的人希望将此事上诉法庭，起诉加州政府是在区别对待。