2006年VOA标准英语-Hispanics Seek Stronger Voice in US Politics

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
08 July 2006

Officials of a leading U.S. Hispanic organization say the mass demonstrations¹ for immigrant rights held earlier this year are giving way to an effort to mobilize the vote among Hispanics.  Officials of the National Council of La Raza will open a four-day meeting Saturday to discuss such issues as immigration reform, and look at ways to give Latinos a stronger voice in politics.

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The National Council of La Raza began in the 1960s, and has become the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States.  President Janet Murguia says immigration reform tops the agenda at this year's national conference.

 
Spanish language DJs Edward "Piolin" Sotelo (left) and "El Cucuy" (right) stand beside La Raza president and CEO Janet Murguia (center)
  
"We've taken a firm leadership role to try to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform," she said.  "We recognize that the system is very broken, and we want to make sure there's a comprehensive reform that includes border security and enforcement, but that also helps us deal with the future flow of immigrants, so a future guest worker program, and with those individuals who are here and have been here, who are undocumented."

The organization supports the U.S. Senate version of an immigration bill that would provide a guest worker program for immigrants and offer a path to citizenship² for some living and working in the country illegally.

A separate bill passed by the House of Representatives focuses on border security and would criminalize up to 12 million illegal immigrants.   Opposition³ to that bill prompted this year's massive demonstrations.  Neither bill will become law, however, unless both houses of congress can agree on compromise legislation. 

Delegates to La Raza's four-day convention will hear from former president Bill Clinton, White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, Republican senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, and many Latino officials, including Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Delegate Angela Sanbrano of the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles says organizations like hers are shifting their focus from the streets to the ballot⁴ box.

"In the last few months, we've seen millions and millions of immigrants and their allies that came out basically calling for a just and comprehensive immigration reform," she noted⁵.  "But we have to turn the energy of the marches into concrete political power, and one of the ways is by showing it at the ballot box, which is voting."

She says a coalition⁶ of Latino organizations is urging an estimated eight million immigrants who qualify for U.S. citizenship to apply for it.

The message is being communicated in many forums⁷, including through the highly influential⁸ Spanish-language media.  Spanish newspapers and broadcasters were largely responsible for getting crowds onto the streets for this year's mass demonstrations.  Los Angeles-based syndicated radio personality Edward Sotelo, known on the air as Piolin, is heard in in 70 US Spanish-language markets.  His morning show blends humor with opinion, and offers serious advice on subjects like immigration and politics.

"I'm trying to focus on this, to teach my listeners to understand that this is the only way we can demonstrate that we care about the United States," he said.  "How?  By becoming [legal] residents, then after you becoming residents, you become a U.S. citizen, and then be able to vote."

National Council of La Raza president Janet Murguia says the immigration issue dominates the landscape, but other topics are just as important to Latinos.  Delegates will also look at ways to expand educational opportunities for the nation's 41 million Hispanics, to improve their health care and help them toward economic goals like home ownership.  At the top of the list, however, is the effort to give Hispanics a stronger voice in politics.

1 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

2 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

7 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

8 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。