活动分子继续讨论已故参议员的遗产问题

 

Activist¹ Seminars Continue Late US Senator's Legacy²

活动分子继续讨论已故参议员的遗产问题

 

At the height of the 2002 U.S. election campaign, the Democratic Senator from Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, was killed in an air crash, along with his wife, daughter and three aides. The politician's legacy of activism continues through training programs that teach people how to achieve change through politics.

 

Paul Wellstone was a progressive populist who represented what he called the "democratic" wing of the Democratic Party. Seeking to voice the concerns of ordinary people, he fought for a higher minimum wage, stronger environmental protections, and more rigorous ethics³ rules in politics. A former college professor, he had scored an upset victory in the 1990 election in Minnesota, and was ahead in the polls as he ran for his third term in office.

 

Pam Costain is a former student of Mr. Wellstone, who also worked on his political campaigns. She is now training director for an organization that carries on the legacy of the late politician and his wife, Sheila.

 

Pam Costain: When we lost the two of them, and their daughter, the two surviving sons got together with colleagues and close associates of the Wellstones for many years and said, ‘What can we do to make this tragedy not so tragic⁴ by carrying on the work that Paul and Sheila did?’

 

The result was "Wellstone Action!" an organization that trains people around the United States in what it calls "citizen activism." Ms. Costain says the effort is based on the belief that, in a democracy, everyone counts.

 

Pam Costain: But people, in order to participate, need skills, they need to know how to do it. They need to know how to organize on their issues, how to have a message that communicates with the broader public, how to get volunteers involved, all the kind of skills which come with many years of organizing.

 

A recent three-day forum⁵ in Los Angeles helped more than 100 people hone their political skills. The training program, like others the organization conducts around the country, is called "Camp Wellstone." Some lectures are aimed at people concerned with specific issues, such as cleaning up a nearby river. Other lectures give participants the skills they need to work as political organizers, or to help them launch campaigns as candidates.

 

Topics include fundraising, canvassing⁶, and crafting a so-called stump⁷ speech, as well as using technology to spread a message.

 

Some participants are already politically active. Hai Minh is a community activist and Democratic Party campaigner from Portland, Oregon.

 

Hai Minh: I’m here because this is a great opportunity to learn some leadership skills and strategies. And Paul Wellstone was a very inspirational and motivational person, and so I think I can learn a lot from that this weekend.

 

Dae Yoon is a Korean American from Los Angeles, who wants to organize his community around specific issues.

 

Dae Yoon: Immigration and housing and civil liberties, things like that…

 

For Debbie Evans of Claremont, California, politics is a way of achieving change. She has worked on political campaigns for the Democratic Party.

 

Debbie Evans: Anything to facilitate change is what I'm here for, I've been working on campaigns for a long, long time, so that's what I'm doing.

 

William Renderos studied political science in college. He was born in El Salvador, and moved to the United States at the age of 12. After a stint⁸ in the U.S. Marine⁹ Corps¹⁰, he began working as an Internet web developer. He says he is passionate¹¹ about politics, and wants to learn more about it.

 

William Renderos: Well, I am very concerned that a lot of citizens, at least a lot of the citizens that I'm in contact with on a regular basis, they don't really seem to follow politics that much. They don't really seem to be very aware or active on civic¹² duties, I want to inform myself so that I can hopefully motivate some of my fellow citizens and neighbors.

 

A young man named Darshan, who lives in Los Angeles, says through watching last year's election, he developed an interest in U.S. government policy.

 

Darshan: I'm thinking about perhaps some studies in international relations, or public policy. So I thought this would be a good way to get information. I've also thought about working with some candidates, too, so this is a great way to learn about all that at once.

 

Camp Wellstone is open to people of all parties and persuasions¹³, although most who come are Democrats¹⁴, political independents or members of leftist parties like the Greens.

 

Training director Pam Costain says people concerned about their community should run for a seat on their local school board or their city council, or mobilize their neighbors to get active on an issue.

 

Camp Wellstone helps them do that. Sessions were held in 26 U.S. states last year and provided political skills to over seven thousand people. Nineteen graduates now hold public office, most serving on city councils or in state legislatures.

 

Mike O'Sullivan, VOA news, Los Angeles.

 

注释：

Minnesota [7mini5sEutE] n. 明尼苏达州（美国州名）

Populist [5pCpjulist] n.（美国的）人民党党员

minimum wage 最低工资

rigorous [5ri^ErEs] adj. 严格的，严厉的

forum [5fC:rEm] n. 讨论会

clean up 打扫干净

participant [pB:5tisipEnt] n. 参与者

stump speech 政治演说

stint [stint] n. 限制

passionate [5pAFEnit] adj. 充满热情的

leftist [5leftist] adj. 左派的

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

3 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 canvassing   

v.（在政治方面）游说( canvass的现在分词 )；调查（如选举前选民的）意见；为讨论而提出（意见等）；详细检查

参考例句：

• He spent the whole month canvassing for votes. 他花了整整一个月四处游说拉选票。
• I'm canvassing for the Conservative Party. 我在为保守党拉选票。 来自辞典例句

7 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

8 stint   

v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事

参考例句：

• He lavished money on his children without stint.他在孩子们身上花钱毫不吝惜。
• We hope that you will not stint your criticism.我们希望您不吝指教。

9 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

10 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

11 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

12 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

13 persuasions   

n.劝说，说服（力）( persuasion的名词复数 )；信仰

参考例句：

• To obtain more advertisting it needed readers of all political persuasions. 为获得更多的广告，它需要迎合各种政治见解的读者。 来自辞典例句
• She lingered, and resisted my persuasions to departure a tiresome while. 她踌躇不去，我好说歹说地劝她走，她就是不听。 来自辞典例句

14 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》