Human Rights 美国人对人权的看法 （ 1 ）

The time is 1905. A steamship sails on a vast ocean. "Daddy, will we ever get to America?" asks a weary lad. "Soon, my child, soon," his father replies. "We've been on this ship for weeks. I wish we were back home in Russia," complained the boy. "Son, you know how they persecute Jews there. We can never go back," the father reminded him. "Will things be better in America?" the young boy asked. "I hope so," his father sighed. "Look! The Statue of Liberty!" the boy shouted. "Just like in the picture!" His father smiled. "Yes, my son," he said. "I think she's waving to us."

时间是在一九○五年，一艘汽船航行在浩瀚的大海上。「爹地，我们到底到不到得了美国啊？」一个小男孩疲惫地问道。「快到了，我的孩子，快到了。」他的父亲回答。「我们已经坐了好几个礼拜的船了，我真希望我们现在是在苏俄的家里。」男孩抱怨着。「孩子，在那儿他们怎么迫害犹太人，你是知道的，我们绝对不能回去。」这位父亲提醒着他。「在美国情况会比较好吗？」小男孩问道。「希望如此。」他的父亲叹气道。「你看！自由女神！」男孩喊着：「跟图片里的一模一样！」他的父亲微笑着说：「是啊，孩子。我想她正向我们招手呢。」

America has long been a haven for immigrants from around the world. Until the 19th century, the majority of immigrants were from northern Europe. By the mid-20th century, they were coming from all over the globe. In recent years, scores of refugees from Southeast Asia and Latin America have fled to American shores. Why? To find a sanctuary--a place where human rights are respected.

美国长久以来一直是世界各地移民们的避难所, 在十九世纪之前, 移民主要来自北欧. 到了二十世纪中期, 移民则来自全球各地. 近几年来, 很多来自东南亚和拉丁美洲的难民都逃往美国. 这是为什么呢? 为了要寻找一个避难所 -- 尊重人权的地方.

The American idea of respecting human rights came from several sources. First, the colonists had been persecuted and deprived of their rights in the Old World. They realized that people's rights must be preserved. Moreover, the Bible and literature from Greece and Rome taught that people are born with basic rights. English writer John Locke emphasized that governments should protect these rights. As a result, the Declaration of Independence reflected the belief that God created all people equal. The U.S. Constitution included 10 amendments to guarantee citizens' basic rights. This "Bill of Rights" promised freedom of religion, freedom of speech and of the press, the right to bear arms and the right to a fair trial.

美国人尊重人权的概念有几个起源。首先，移民们在欧洲的旧世界中曾被迫害并被剥夺权利，因此他们深觉保护人权的必要。再者，圣经以及希腊罗马文学中都教导他们人类与生俱来的一些基本权利。英国作家约翰?洛克强调政府应保障人民这些权利。于是，独立宣言中便反映出神造世人、生而平等的意念。美国宪法中包含了十项保障国民基本人权的修正案，这些权利法案承诺给予人民信仰的自由、言论及新闻的自由、拥有武器的权利，以及拥有公平审判的权利。