美语咖啡屋34 Sandy, Women Running For Office

Y: 各位听众好，欢迎到美语咖啡屋。我是杨晨。

J: Hello I'm Jody and welcome to American Cafe.  Hey Yang Chen, you seem pretty deep in thought today. 

Y: 我这几天一直琢磨，政治对我们每个人的生活到底有什么重要的意义呢？

J: You know, I think the answer is that politics plays a part in almost every aspect of our lives.
 
Y: 没错，政治影响我们生活中的每一个方面。

J: And if I remember correctly - you really like politics.

Y: Like politics?  I LOVE politics! 

J: I'm sorry. I'm sorry.  You LOVE politics!

Y: 没错，我特别的关心政治，也喜欢参与政治活动，特别是最近我们庆祝了妇女平等日。这就让我联想到美国这个世界最大的民主国家居然没有出过一个女总统。 你想过这个问题吗？

J:  Of course I've thought about.  We've never had a female president.  Remember the woman we met recently, Sandy Hansen?  She's very passionate about encouraging women to enter politics.  

Y:  Sandy来到华盛顿DC表演她自己创作的节目，让人们了解争取妇女投票权运动的主要人物以及她们的成就。
 
J: Here's Sandy.

Sandy: Well, woman got the right to vote in 1919.  It was voted in August 26 and then we actually voted for the first time in November 1920.  So, there was a year before the next presidential election.

Y: 1920年美国妇女才第一次投票。这个权利真是来之不易啊。

J: It was not easy.  It took until 1920.  And it took time, blood, sweat and tears of many amazing women for women to finally get the right to vote.  Voting is absolutely the cornerstone of our democracy.  But you know what, many people still don't vote. 

Y:  就是，提起这个来我觉得很失望。这些人太不把投票当回事儿了。

J: I don't get it either.  What I mean is, I don't understand.  You know, actually, I do understand a little.  I think one reason people don't vote is apathy.  Spelled with a big old A-P-A-T-H-Y

Y: 就是漠不关心的意思。

J: Besides voter apathy, Sandy has another reason why only about 50 percent of women in the U.S. vote these days.
 
Sandy: They say that only 50 percent of women vote right now.  And I think that the reason is, is because all we have are male candidates.  And we feel that are not speaking to us on a lot of different issues.  So I think we need a lot more women out there running for office.

Y: Sandy, 刚才说很多妇女不愿意投票是因为那些候选人不重视妇女们所关心的问题。那她觉得哪些问题是关于妇女的问题呢？

J: Oh, she mentioned issues like child care, equal pay for women, health care for children, you know, issues that relate directly to women. 
 
Y:  没错，这些和妇女有直接的关系，所以我们需要更多的妇女参加竞选。

J: Now, let's hear from Sandy who not only talks the talk, she walks the walk. 

Sandy: I ran for office in '92.  So, I'm not just telling you to do something that I haven't done.  I ran as a Democrat in an area which was always winning the award for the most Republican County of the Year award.  I was screamed at every single day I went out campaigning.  Every day. 

Y: Sandy好勇敢啊，在一个共和党人占绝对多数的地区以民主党身份参选。真不简单。
 
J: Sandy is very brave.  And running as a Democrat in a Republican area is not easy.  I wouldn't do it.  No way.  Uh uh.  You couldn not pay me enough money.  (Pause) Well, you probably could, but you know what I'm saying.  Very difficult.  Sandy was screamed at every single day.   

Y: 面对这种情况 Sandy 是怎么应付的呢？

Sandy: We all knew it was doomed from day one.  But that wasn't the reason that I was running.  I was running to say we need two parties and we need women out there and um and ... ohhh, maybe it was ego trip ... let's face it.  It's okay to have ego trips.  (laughter)

Y: 我太喜欢Ego Trip这个说法，Ego Trip就是满足个人虚荣心或者自我表现的意思。

J: E-G-O T-R-I-P.  Two words. 

Y: 看来一定要脸皮厚的人才能参加竞选。

J: With people yelling at you every day you need very thick skin to run for office.  Let's see if yours is thick enough. 

Y: 你看我有没有希望？

J: Let me see if your is thick enough. 

Y: Ow! Jody你干吗掐我？

J: I don't know your skin seems pretty soft and thin.  Thanks for joining us on American Cafe!

Y: 谢谢收听，我们下次节目再见！