VOA标准英语2011--US Occupiers Turn To History, Art and Solidarity

US Occupiers Turn To History, Art and Solidarity¹

 

Participants getting classes in political activism from how to deal with police to learning tactics from recent upheavals² in North Africa.

Participants in the multi-city Occupy movement in the United States are now getting classes in political activism, from how to deal with police to learning tactics from recent upheavals in North Africa.

Protesters with the progressive Occupy movement, now in its second month, such as here in downtown Washington, are still holding occasional street rallies to get their messages across. They also try to block intersections³.

Now, they are also holding informal classes, such as this one about non-violence. They have regular meetings to share best practices on dealing⁴ with police.

They even teach each other how to play the guitar or paint.

Paul Adler, a PhD candidate in history at a Washington university, is holding a talk about past U.S. social movements. “So the late 19th century, early 20th century, was this period of great foment⁵. There was industrialization, the emergence⁶ of modern consumer capitalism⁷ and with that came great resistance, great social movements," he said.

Protesters from the Occupy DC movement held a usual street rally, but are now also holding classes in political activism.

A union organizer who has joined the movement, Anthony Sluder, says everyone is learning to sharpen their arguments to make more of an impact. “We are having the conversations and we are developing what we need to develop so that we can change what needs to be changed," he said.

Sluder would like to see much more government help on job creation.

A sidewalk people’s library has also been set up, with free books and Occupy movement newsletters and newspapers to read.

One of those enjoying the education is John Graysquirrel. “Books should be free, literature should be free and it should be available to anybody who wants them," he said.

There have also been scheduled talks on learning from recent upheavals in North Africa.

The most peaceful movement unfolded earlier this year in Tunisia.

Abdennaceur Chamakh, a Tunisian cab driver, now celebrating new elections in his home country, says he has been impressed with the U.S. occupy movement. “The good thing is it started with the young people like back home. But it should be supported by everybody. The American people should not leave them alone. They should support them," he said.

The Occupy movement prides itself in having no leaders, and has sprung up spontaneously among a combination of friends, activists⁸ and unemployed⁹ in outdoor parks and squares in major cities across the United States.

Goals of the protests have been varied¹⁰, ranging from an end to U.S. foreign military action, raising taxes on the wealthy, more emphasis on government social spending and learning how to live in a donation-based outdoor community.

Protesters said they hoped the movement would last until at least the next U.S. presidential and Congressional elections in November 2012.

1 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

2 upheavals   

突然的巨变( upheaval的名词复数 )； 大动荡； 大变动； 胀起

参考例句：

• the latest upheavals in the education system 最近教育制度上的种种变更
• These political upheavals might well destroy the whole framework of society. 这些政治动乱很可能会破坏整个社会结构。

3 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 foment   

v.煽动，助长

参考例句：

• The rebels know the truth and seek to foment revolution.那些叛乱者知道真相，并且想办法来挑起革命。
• That's an attempt to foment discord.这是挑拨。

6 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

7 capitalism   

n.资本主义

参考例句：

• The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.他的论点的核心是资本主义不能成功。
• Capitalism began to develop in Russia in the 19th century.十九世纪资本主义在俄国开始发展。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

10 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。