關於民主選舉,你一定要知道這場感動世界的人權演講──I Have A Dream

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2016年美國總統大選如火如荼,你能想像在五十多年前,非裔美國人沒有投票的權利嗎?現在非裔的歐巴馬居然能成為美國總統!

金恩博士(Martin Luther King, Jr.),是美國最知名的民權領袖,他持續以非暴力的行動,促使美國國會廢除種族歧視的政策,並於1963年在華府的20萬人大遊行發表了著名演說片段I Have A Dream「我有一個夢想」。這段演說及他策劃的「塞爾馬遊行」也能在電影《逐夢大道》中看到這段全人類的歷史。

他的夢想如今,已儼然成真了。

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.” This does happen now. People from all races interact harmoniously all over America.

「我夢想有一天,在喬治亞的紅山上,昔日奴隸的兒子能夠和昔日奴隸主的兒子會坐在同一張桌子,共敘兄弟情誼。」現在這已經發生,全美國各種族的人都能和諧互動。

“I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.” The Civil Rights Act of 1964 forced all states to treat all races equally. However, many are still concerned that the proportion of African American men in jail is significantly higher than that of other racial groups.

「我夢想有一天,甚至連密西西比州──不公不義和壓迫的熱浪叫人悶熱難受的荒漠之州──也會變成自由和正義的綠洲。」一九六四 年的《民權法案》強制規定各州種族平等。然而,許多人擔心,非裔美國男子入獄的比例明顯高於其他種族這一事實。

“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” The election of Barack Obama and the appointment of other African Americans to important positions, as well as the achievements of black actors, artists and business people show that people of all races are able to succeed. So perhaps it’s fitting to end with the following quote from King’s famous speech: “Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

「我有一個夢想,我四個孩子有一天會生活在一個不是以皮膚顏色,而是以品格優劣作為評判標準的國家裡。」歐巴馬的當選以及其他非裔美國人被任命擔任要職,還有黑人演員、藝人和商人的成就,在在說明所有種族的人都能成功。

因此,也許以下面這句引用自金恩著名演說的話來做結束很適合:「終於自由了!終於自由了!感謝萬能的主,我們終於自由了!」

brotherhood [`br9\0´h8d] (n.) 手足之情,四海一家的信念
transform [tr1ns`f7rm] (v.) 改變,改觀
oasis [o`es6s] (n.)(沙漠中的)綠洲
proportion [pr4`por]4n] (n.) 比例,比率
content [`k3nt5nt] (n.) 內容
appointment [4`p76ntm4nt] (n.) 任用,指定
harmoniously [h3r`moni4sli] (adv.) 和諧地
sweltering [`sw5lt06;] (a.) 熱得難受的,悶熱的
fitting [`f6t6;] (a.) 適當的,合適的
almighty [7l`ma6ti] (a./n.)(常用大寫)全能的(神)

為什麼要說 the red hills of Georgia?

金恩博士在演說中提到 the red hills of Georgia,是美國初期的殖民及奴役制度的象徵。

紅山山脈(Red Hills)位於美國東南部,橫亙喬治亞州西南及佛羅里達州北部。這個地區的原住民是古印地安人(Paleo-Indians),十六世紀成為阿帕拉契印地安人 (Apalachee Indians)的棲息地,阿帕拉契族因遭白人殖民者屠殺、奴役及感染外來疾病而幾乎滅絕。

十八世紀塞米諾族(Seminole)在此定居,同一段期間,一批從南卡羅萊納州及喬治亞州逃離的黑奴也來到這個地區。十九世紀初白人殖民者將紅山地區開闢為棉花田,大量蓄奴種植棉花。南北戰爭(the Civil War)結束之後,這片地區又成為北方富商的畜牧地。

(本文獲EZTALK編輯部授權刊登)

圖片來源:pixabay