VOA标准英语2010年-Republican Hispanics Divided by Immigr

Earlier this year, the Republican Party-dominated legislature of Arizona passed a law calling for police to question the immigration status of anyone they encounter in carrying out their duties who presents what is called "reasonable suspicion." The law was signed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer¹, but largely blocked in July by a federal judge. Many Hispanics are offended by the law, and that could cost the Republican Party in years ahead.

The majority of illegal immigrants entering Arizona in recent years have come from Latin America, with Mexico accounting² for more than 60 percent. Since many Hispanics in Arizona have roots in Mexico, they have sympathized with the immigrants and criticized the Arizona immigration law as racist³.

Supporting SB 1070

A significant number of Hispanics, however, especially in the Republican Party, back Governor Jan Brewer and the law called SB 1070.

One of them is Jesse Hernandez, chairman of the Arizona Latino Republican Association. "There is one thing Jan Brewer is willing to do and that is enforce SB 1070, whereas her opponent, the Democrat⁴, will not."

Despite wording in the law designed to prevent discrimination, though, most Hispanics think they will be targeted and many of them criticize Hernandez for his stand.

"They will come out with the comment that you are a racist, you turned against your own people - the name calling, 'Coconut,' brown on the outside, white on the inside, and that just shows me how ignorant (they are) and what a lack of education they have," said Hernandez. "Because, basically, what they are trying to say is that the Latino community does not have independent thinkers like any other culture, that we do not have differences of opinion on public policies."

Opposing the immigration law

But many Republican Hispanics oppose the immigration law and are upset with state party leaders. Dee Dee Garcia Blase⁵ heads the group Somos Republicans, Spanish for "We are Republicans." She said, "We are the real Republicans. We are the real ones."

Blase is trying to rally Hispanic Republicans nationwide to her organization. "We are socially conservative, we are proud of it, we are for less government, less taxes, but the SB 1070 is the litmus test as we continue to push and want to grow Hispanic Republicans."

Immigration attorney Jose Penalosa said his party is making a big mistake in alienating⁶ Hispanics. "The power of the Latino vote is going to call the shot here in the next generation and the party is going to look back and realize that they have committed generational suicide, election suicide, by not reaching out to people and trying to bring them in, people who have their own values."

Mixed election outlook for support of law

Public-opinion polls show strong support for Governor Brewer and SB1070, so Republicans likely will do well in November's midterm election. But as the Hispanic population and voter base grows, the outlook for future elections could change.

Arizona State University Political Science Professor Patrick Kenney said Republicans may be throwing away gains they made among Hispanics under the leadership of President George W. Bush.

"The Republican Party was exactly reaching out to Latinos, especially Mexicans, who are Catholic, on some of these social issues, controversial issues, like abortion⁷, and I think they made some inroads there," said Kenney. "But those inroads have been washed away by this hardcore position by the Republican Party."

Hispanic voters favored Democrats⁸ by around two-to-one in recent Arizona elections and, as the community and voter base grows, Democratic Party spokesperson Jennifer Johnson said her party is likely to gain. "We have seen an increase in interest in voter registration⁹ drives, there has been a lot more activity among Latino community groups in registering voters and trying to give people an outlet¹⁰ for the anger or frustration¹¹ they feel."

Issue is highly divisive

But many Hispanic families remain divided over the issue, and Jesse Hernandez said it all comes down to the failure of the federal government to stop illegal immigration at the border.

"For a society to be successful and to do well, you have got to have laws and when you start breaking laws when it is convenient to just one race, class or one group, then you start going down a very slippery slope."

The debate among Hispanics and in the public at large over the immigration issue is likely to continue well beyond this year's elections
 

1 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

2 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

3 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

4 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

5 blase   

adj.厌烦于享乐的

参考例句：

• She's very blase about parties.她非常腻烦聚会。
• The film star is blase about endless flattery now.那位电影明星现在对无休无止的吹捧已经厌烦了。

6 alienating   

v.使疏远( alienate的现在分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• The phenomena of alienation are widespread. Sports are also alienating. 异化现象普遍存在，体育运动也不例外。 来自互联网
• How can you appeal to them without alienating the mainstream crowd? 你是怎么在不疏忽主流玩家的情况下吸引住他们呢？ 来自互联网

7 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

8 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》

9 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

10 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

11 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。