1、1A Whisper of AIDS Mary FisherLess than three months ago at platform hearings in Salt Lake City, I asked the Republican Party to lift the shroud of silence which has been draped over the issue of HIV and AIDS. I have come tonight to bring our silence to an end. I bear a message of challenge, not sel
2、f-congratulation. I want your attention, not your applause. I would never have asked to be HIV positive, but I believe that in all things there is a purpose. and I stand before you and before the nation gladly.The reality of AIDS is brutally clear. Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying. A
3、 million more are infected. Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years. But despite science and research, White House meetings, and congressional hearings, despite good intentions and bold initiatives, campaign slogans, and hopefu
4、l promises, it is despite it all the epidemic which is winning tonight.In the context of an election year, I ask you, here in this great hall, or listening in the quiet of your home, to recognize that AIDS virus is not a political creature. It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican. it
5、 does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old.Tonight, I represent an AIDS community whose members have been reluctantly drafted from every segment of American society. Though I am white and a mother, I am one with a black infant struggling with tubes in
6、 a Philadelphia hospital. Though I am female and contracted this disease in marriage and enjoy the warm support of my family, I am one with the lonely gay man sheltering a flickering candle from the cold wind of his familys rejection.This is not a distant threat. It is a present danger. The rate of
7、infection is increasing fastest among women and children. Largely unknown a decade 2ago, AIDS is the third leading killer of young adult Americans today. But it wont be third for long, because unlike other diseases, this one travels. Adolescents dont give each other cancer or heart disease because t
8、hey believe they are in love, but HIV is different. and we have helped it along. We have killed each other with our ignorance, our prejudice, and our silence. We may take refuge in our stereotypes, but we cannot hide there long, because HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human? And
9、 this is the right question. Are you human? Because people with HIV have not entered some alien state of being. They are human. They have not earned cruelty, and they do not deserve meanness. They dont benefit from being isolated or treated as outcasts. Each of them is exactly what God made: a perso
10、n. not evil, deserving of our judgment. not victims, longing for our pity people, ready for support and worthy of compassion.My call to you, my Party, is to take a public stand, no less compassionate than that of the President and Mrs. Bush. They have embraced me and my family in memorable ways. In
11、the place of judgment, they have shown affection. In difficult moments, they have raised our spirits. In the darkest hours, I have seen them reaching not only to me, but also to my parents, armed with that stunning grief and special grace that comes only to parents who have themselves leaned too lon
12、g over the bedside of a dying child.With the Presidents leadership, much good has been done. Much of the good has gone unheralded, and as the President has insisted, much remains to be done. But we do the Presidents cause no good if we praise the American family but ignore a virus that destroys it.
13、We must be consistent if we are to be believed. We cannot love justice and ignore prejudice, love our children and fear to teach them. Whatever our role as parent or policymaker, we must act as eloquently as we speak else we have no integrity. My call to the nation is a plea for awareness. If you be
14、lieve you 3are safe, you are in danger. Because I was not hemophiliac, I was not at risk. Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk. My father has devoted much of his lifetime guarding against another holocaust. He is part of the generation who heard
15、 Pastor Nemoellor come out of the Nazi death camps to say, “They came after the Jews, and I was not a Jew, so, I did not protest. They came after the trade unionists, and I was not a trade unionist, so, I did not protest. Then they came after the Roman Catholics, and I was not a Roman Catholic, so,
16、I did not protest. Then they came after me, and there was no one left to protest.”The The lesson history teaches is this: If you believe you are safe, you are at risk. If you do not see this killer stalking your children, look again. There is no family or community, no race or religion, no place lef
17、t in America that is safe. Until we genuinely embrace this message, we are a nation at risk.Tonight, HIV marches resolutely toward AIDS in more than a million American homes, littering its pathway with the bodies of the young, young men, young women, young parents, and young children. One of the fam
18、ilies is mine. If it is true that HIV inevitably turns to AIDS, then my children will inevitably turn to orphans. My family has been a rock of support. My 84 year old father, who has pursued the healing of the nations, will not accept the premise that he cannot heal his daughter. My mother refuses t
19、o be broken. She still calls at midnight to tell wonderful jokes that make me laugh. Sisters and friends, and my brother Phillip, whose birthday is today, all have helped carry me over the hardest places.I am blessed, richly and deeply blessed, to have such a family. But not all of you But not all o
20、f you have been so blessed. You are HIV positive, but dare not say it. You have lost loved ones, but you dare not whisper the word AIDS. You weep silently. You grieve alone. I have a message for you. It is 4not you who should feel shame. It is we,we who tolerate ignorance and practice prejudice, we
21、who have taught you to fear. We must lift our shroud of silence, making it safe for you to reach out for compassion. It is our task to seek safety for our children, not in quiet denial, but in effective action.Someday our children will be grown. My son Max, now four, will take the measure of his mot
22、her. My son Zachary, now two, will sort through his memories. I may not be here to hear their judgments, but I know already what I hope they are. I want my children to know that their mother was not a victim. She was a messenger. I do not want them to think, as I once did, that courage is the absenc
23、e of fear. I want them to know that courage is the strength to act wisely when most we are afraid. I want them to have the courage to step forward when called by their nation or their Party and give leadership, no matter what the personal cost. I ask no more of you than I ask of myself or of my chil
24、dren. To the millions of you who are grieving, who are frightened, who have suffered the ravages of AIDS firsthand: Have courage, and you will find support. To the millions who are strong, I issue the plea: Set aside prejudice and politics to make room for compassion and sound policy. To my children
25、, I make this pledge: I will not give in, Zachary, because I draw my courage from you. Your silly giggle gives me hope. your gentle prayers give me strength. and you, my child, give me the reason to say to America, “You are at risk.“ And I will not rest, Max, until I have done all I can to make your
26、 world safe. I will seek a place where intimacy is not the prelude to suffering.I will not hurry to leave you, my children, but when I go, I pray that you will not suffer shame on my account. To all within the sound of my voice, I appeal: Learn with me the lessons of history and of grace, so my chil
27、dren will not be afraid to say the word “AIDS“ when I am gone. Then, their 5children and yours may not need to whisper it at all.God bless the children, and God bless us all. Good night.New wordsPage11. platform pltf rm v.站在讲台上演说2. shroud raud n. 覆盖物，屏蔽，掩蔽 (物)，幕，帐3. drape dreip v. (用布等)覆盖，披盖； (随便地)披
28、上(衣服等)4. issue i 1.出口；河口。2.结果，结局；成绩。3.收获，收益。4.颁布，发行；发行额；发行物。 5.流出， (血、水等的)涌出；5. brutal bru:tl adj. 兽性的，肉欲的；残忍的；不讲理的，粗暴的6. despite dispait n. 恨，怨恨，憎恨不管，不顾，任凭7. congressional knre()n()ladj. 会议的；委员会的8. initiative initiv adj. 起始的，初步的，创始的9. campaign kmpein n. 战役10. slogan slugn n. 口号，标语11. Democrat demkr
29、t n. 民主主义者12. reluctant rilktnt adj. 厌恶的，嫌厌的，不高兴的；不情愿的，勉强的13. draft drft n. 选拔队，别动队，分遣队 ; 牵引，拖，曳；牵伸，拉伸14. infant infnt n. 未成年人 adj. 未成年的15. tube tu:b, tju:b n. 管，筒16. Philadelphia fildelfi: n. 费拉德尔菲亚即费城17. flicker flik adj. 扑动的；闪烁的，摇曳的，忽隐忽现的618. rejection ridekn n. 抛弃,排除,抵制,拒斥19. decade dekeidn. 十，十
30、个一组page21. prejudice preddis n. 偏见，成见；歧视2. stereotype steri:taip n.旧框框；陈规老套，旧习，成规，定型3. isolate n. 隔离，使孤立4. evil i:vl adj. 邪恶的；有害的5. judgment ddmnt n. .审判，裁判，判决6. compassionate kmpnt adj. 富于同情心的7. embrace embreis v. 拥抱，抱8. spirit spirt n.精神，心灵，灵魂9. stun stn v. 使发愣，使目瞪口呆，使大吃一惊10. leadership li:dip n.
31、领导，指导11. justice dstis n. 正义，公道；公正，公平12. policymaker 制定政策的人13. eloquent elkwnt adj. 雄辩的，善辩的，有口才的，有说明力的14. integrity integrti n. 诚实，正直15. hemophiliac hi:mfili:k 血友病患者16. holocaust hlkst,n. 大屠杀page31. Pastor pst n. 牧师2. Jew du: n. 犹太人，犹太教徒73. unionist ju:njnizm n. 联合主义者4. Roman Catholics klik 罗马天主教的5.
32、 stalking stki 高视阔步，大踏步走6. genuinely denjunliadj. 真正的,坦率的，真诚的，真心诚意的7. resolute rezlu:t adj. 坚决的，毅然的；坚定的8. inevitably nevtbliadv. 不可避免的，不可逃避的；必然的9. heal hi:l v. 医治，治愈(病伤等) ；使恢复健康10. grieve gri:v v. 使悲伤，使忧伤，使痛心11. prejudice preddis n. 偏见，成见；歧视12. denial dinail n. .否认，否定page41. wise waiz adv. 明智地，聪明地，精
33、明地2. ravages rvdzn. .破坏，荒废.暴力3. plea pli: n. 恳求，请求，请愿；祷告4. pledge pled n. 公约；誓约5. Zachary6. prayers prer n. 恳求者；祷告者7. intimacy intmsi n. 亲密，亲近，友好8. prelude prelu:ju:d n. 序曲，前奏曲,序言9. pray prei v. 请求，恳求10. grace greis n. 恩惠，恩典，感化；主要部分翻译内容（从第三段开始）8借此大选年之机，我希望在座的所有人，以及安坐在家中的所有听众，都能够认识到艾滋病病毒不是一种政治产物。它不在乎
34、你是民主党人还是共和党人；也不管你是黑人还是白人，男性还是女性，同性恋者还是异性恋者，青年人还是老年人。今天晚上，我代表的是一个艾滋病者团体。那些无奈地成为这个团体成员的人们，来自美国社会的各个领域。我是一名白人母亲，但同时也代表费城医院里那些正与输液管抗争的黑人婴儿。我是一名在婚后感染了艾滋病毒的女性，家人的支持让我倍感温暖；但我同时也代表那些孤独的同性恋男子，他们在家人排斥的冷风下，苦苦守护着自己那摇曳飘忽的生命之火。艾滋病不是遥远的威胁，而是眼前的危险。而妇女和儿童的感染率上升得最快。十年前，大多数人还没有听说过艾滋病，现在，它已经是美国年轻人群的第三大杀手了。而且它不会一直停留在第三的
35、位置上，因为与其它疾病不同，艾滋病是具有传染性的。年轻人不会因为相爱而互相传染癌症或者心脏病，但艾滋病毒不同，我们助长了它的传播。我们因为自己的无知、偏见和缄默而相互伤害。我们可以用老一套方法来逃避，但却躲避不了多久。因为艾滋病毒在袭击目标的时候只考虑一点：你是不是人类？艾滋病毒携带者并没有并没有变成什么奇异物种。他们仍是人类。他们并没有变的更凶残，不应该因此而遭受刻薄的对待。孤立和鄙视对他们没有任何的帮助。他们中的每一个也都是上帝创造的人，不是等候我们判决的魔鬼，也不是渴盼我们怜悯的受害者他们都是人，希望得到大家的支持，也值得大家的同情。我父亲把生命的大部分时间贡献给了另一场屠戮的抗争。他们
36、那一代人都听说过内莫洛神父的那段话。从纳粹集中营中出来后，神父说：“他们追捕犹太人，我不是犹太人，所以，我没有抗议。他们追捕工会主义者，我不是工会主义者，所以，我没有抗议。接着，他们追捕罗马天主教徒，我不是罗马天主教徒，所以，我没有抗议。再接下来，他们追捕我，这时，已经没有刻意抗议的人了。 ”历史的教训告诉我们：如果你认为自己是安全的，那么你已身处险境。如果你没有发现这个杀手正悄悄地走近你的孩子，那么请再仔细看一眼。在美国，没有任何一个家庭或社区，没有任何一个种族或宗教，没有任何一个地方，是安全的了。在我们能够真正确信这一点之前，我们的国家都出境危险。有一天，我们的孩子会长大成人。我四岁的儿子
37、马克斯，将会审视他的母亲。我两岁的儿子扎卡里，也会搜寻关于母亲的记忆。我也许无法听到他们的评价了，但我已经知道我希望得到怎样的评价。我希望孩子们明白，他们的母亲并不是一个受害者，而是一个信使。我希望他们不会像我从前那样，认为勇气等于无所畏惧。我希望他们明白，真正的勇气，是一种能在最害怕的时候采取明智行为的能力。9我对你们的期望与我对自己及我的孩子们的期望是一样的。数以百万计因直接受到艾滋病侵害而正伤心恐惧的人们：请拿出勇气来吧，你们一定会得到支持的。而那些广大的身体健康的人们，我请求你们：把偏见和政治成见凡在一旁吧，好为同情心和明智的政策预留出空间。我向所有能听见我的声音的人们呼吁：请和我一起吸取历史的教训，学会感恩。这样，当我去世之后，我的孩子们就不会害怕提及“艾滋病”这一字眼。将来，他们的孩子，你们大家的孩子，都无需再低声密语地说出这个字眼。愿上帝保佑孩子们，愿上帝保佑我们每一个人。晚安。
