VOA标准英语2010年-Debate Continues Over US Gun Laws

Legal challenges and debate continue a week after the US Supreme¹ Court's ruling that Americans have a right to own a gun for self defense² anywhere they live

New local gun laws follow a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Americans' Constitutional right to gun ownership applies nationwide.

Legal challenges and debate continue a week after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that Americans have a right to own a gun for self defense anywhere they live. The Court said the Constitutional right to gun ownership applies nationwide, in response to a challenge of a gun ban in the Midwestern U.S. state of Illinois.

But the court also said the ruling limits - but does not eliminate - the ability of states to devise solutions to social problems that, in the decision's  words, "suit local needs and values."

So gun rights supporters and those who favor more restrictions³ on firearms are vowing⁴ to fight on.

 

While U.S. gun control laws are changing, the debate over whether fewer restrictions will make crime-plagued communities safer remains⁵ much the same.

Just days after the Supreme Court said Chicago's 28-year-old ban on handgun ownership was unconstitutional, the city's lawmakers - reeling from weeks of gun violence - passed a tough new set of laws to control the use, sale and transport of firearms.

Annette Holt's son was murdered on a city bus. She fears more guns on the streets will make things worse.

"This is a slap in the face to all of us who have lost children to gun violence," said Holt.

The high court ruling says the right to have a handgun for self defense is a fundamental right under the Second Amendment⁶ to the U.S. Constitution and applies to state and local jurisdictions⁷. But Chicago Mayor Richard Daley is countering the court's decision by pushing for new restrictions on guns which would still comply with Second Amendment rights.

"We are a country of laws and we should never be a country of guns," said Daley.

The Supreme Court ruling was welcome news for these gun owners in Virginia. They gathered at this sports bar outside Washington, DC, to celebrate another victory.  Ending a 15-year ban, a new state law allows concealed⁹ weapons permit holders¹⁰ to carry guns into restaurants that serve alcohol, as long as they do not drink.

"There are almost a quarter of a million concealed handgun permit holders in Virginia alone and this will allow them again to have a choice when they go out to eat," said Phillip Van Cleave¹¹, President of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun rights group.  "They can still open carry.  If they wish however, they can conceal⁸ carry now if they wish as well."

Van Cleave says his group will continue its fight to repeal¹² other gun laws, such as a measure that prevents Virginians from buying more than one handgun every 30 days.  He says the repeal of total gun bans in places like Chicago and Washington, DC, will lead to fewer restrictions on gun owners in other places.

"If [cities or states] decide they are going to regulate the carry of guns… [our group will fight to ensure] they are forced to have a equitable¹³ system where any law-abiding citizen who is not a criminal can get that permission to carry a concealed gun easily," added VanCleave.

Gun control advocates acknowledge there will be more legal challenges by gun rights groups, but they remain optimistic most gun laws in the U.S. will be upheld.
 

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

7 jurisdictions   

司法权( jurisdiction的名词复数 )； 裁判权； 管辖区域； 管辖范围

参考例句：

• Butler entreated him to remember the act abolishing the heritable jurisdictions. 巴特勒提醒他注意废除世袭审判权的国会法令。
• James I personally adjudicated between the two jurisdictions. 詹姆士一世亲自裁定双方纠纷。

8 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

9 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

10 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

11 cleave   

v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋

参考例句：

• It examines how the decision to quit gold or to cleave to it affected trade policies.论文分析了放弃或坚持金本位是如何影响贸易政策的。
• Those who cleave to the latter view include many conservative American politicians.坚持后一种观点的大多是美国的保守派政客。

12 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

13 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。