| 作者 |
 作者: 流星雨 美国记者邀请赵燕重访大瀑布的公开信 |
 |
ymca
[博客]
[个人文集]
游客
|
|
|
作者：游客 在 海归茶馆 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com
美国记者邀请赵燕重访大瀑布的公开信
编者按：虽然赵燕被殴只是个孤立突发事件，本只要遵循法律解决即可。但由于某种原因，已经上升到中美关系的层面，成了事关民族大义和人民尊严的大事。赵燕的话：“美国是我到过的最野蛮，最没人权的国家”多次作为新闻标题，被刊在新华社，人民日报，中国日报，北京周报，央视国际等众多对外宣传英文刊物上，再被美国和世界传媒转述，赵燕的话已经被大多数美国人听到。赵燕还说：一听见讲英语的就害怕得发抖，恨不得从朋友的25楼公寓上跳下去。赵燕并借此提醒善良的中国人：在所谓的”人权大国“，在自我标榜最讲自由，民主，人权的美国，最不讲人权的事情却时有发生。赵燕的伤，美国人通过电视早己看在眼里，赵燕的话也通过传媒听在了耳里。那么美国的普通人是怎么反应的呢？本编者将翻译一些美国报刊和网民有关赵燕事件的一些言论。
<<尼亚加拉瀑布报>>是比侨报还早报道赵燕事件的美国当地英文媒体。8月3日，此报记者弗兰克-托马斯-科洛戴尔写了一篇邀请赵燕重访大瀑布的公开信，刊登在<<尼亚加拉瀑布报>>上，现翻译如下：
题目：给赵燕的公开邀请信
记者：弗兰克-托马斯-科洛戴尔
首先，让我对你说句你需要听到的话：对不起( I'm sorry)
对美国海关人员于21日夜在彩虹桥可怕地殴打你这件事，我深表歉意。我很遗憾这样的殴打事件发生在我所深爱的尼亚加拉大瀑布市。更感到遗憾的是，这个降临在你身上的悲剧使你失去了对美国(作为整体)的信心。
创伤需要愈合，这样的愈合就从我这里开始吧。
在美国，我认为所有的人在被定罪前都是无辜的。那个殴打你的洛德斯声称他是无罪的。虽然我不否认洛德斯的清白假设以及他希望得到公正审判的权利，我相信你认为自己受到暴力攻击了的陈述。
你那肿胀得睁不开双眼，你那满是擦伤和口子的脸。那些看到你受伤害照片的人怎么能够想到别的地方去呢？
这个事件是从海关查获一个偷运数磅大麻毒品的男性过关者的案件引起的，这点你和洛德斯都同意。后来，洛德斯怀疑你和其他两个女性是”同夥“，类似的同夥常在边境帮助偷运毒品。
洛德斯的律师最近说：“洛德斯试图拘留她，那时赵燕踢他，抓他。在被踢被抓后，洛德斯按照规程采取了行动，他没有掏出他的手枪，而是取出了胡椒喷雾器”。
按照人民日报的文章，你有不同的记忆：
“那个警察，一只手挥手让我过去，同时用另外一只手拿辣椒水喷我。我的眼睛，头发，脸上和头颈上被喷了个够，然后我倒在地上，然后被至少三个警察围住，他们用皮靴踢我的脸和身体。我的眼睛肿的睁不开，我的一个牙齿被打断，我的皮肤剧痛，我想我要死了，所以我怎么能攻击警察呢？”
我想起了我祖父最喜欢说的一句话：“一个事物会有三个面。你的，我的和客观的，也就是硬梆梆的事实”。
那个客观和硬梆梆的事实便是：在21日夜里所发生的事情已经让你还有你的国家不仅失去了对善良和正直的尼亚加拉大瀑布市人的信心，也失去了对美国人(作为整体)的信心。
下面是中国日报在你遭受痛苦后不得不说的话：
“全世界都知道美国嗜好对别国的人权状况指手划脚，但到底谁是人权的真正威胁呢？”
“在反恐的幌子下，美国放手逮捕和监禁恐怖嫌疑或仅仅被怀疑和恐怖分子有联系的人。”
“遭受广泛谴责的行为包括了从拿不出令人信服的理由就侵略伊拉克，到在阿布格莱布监狱虐待囚犯”。
这个逻辑反映了美国在世界舞台上的傲慢自大是一贯的，是有代表性的。
“美国人会杀掉任何对他们优越生活有潜在威胁的人，美国人能找一点儿的理由就把一个无辜者打个半死的一些人。”
”美国安全机构利用了他们培养起来的国民对恐怖的敏感，这些机构已经变得更强大和好斗。“
看过上述这些言论，我不得不对你说：看到发生在尼亚加拉河边的事情被直接联系到伊拉克阿布格莱布监狱虐囚，我感到十分的震惊。我们认为我们是好人，是守护者和养育者，而不是那些令人厌恶和须遭人辱骂的人，我这样说的时候，我相信大多数美国人的看法会和我相同。
当听到你说：“美国是所有我到过的国家中最野蛮的一个”的时候，我不得不承认我们之间的分歧是很深的。
或许，现在是对你说话的好时候，赵燕，我除了替这家报社写稿外，我还靠尼亚加拉旅游业为生。我希望你能听到和这个城市联系在一起的几个人的故事。
加里-卡瑞拉，是一个尼亚加拉瀑布市的一名消防员。2003年，他冒着生命危险救起了两度在瀑布悬崖边轻生的男人。加里在其他警察和消防员的帮助下把那个男子从悬崖边拉了回来。
就在上个月，加里-卡瑞拉和他的同事把一个陷入同样困境的女性救了回来。
也许，你会认为加里希望得到特殊的奖赏，但他的事迹从没被暴光过。他只是相信这只是他的业余工作，能够挽救陌生人的生命本身就是足够的报偿。
凯文-考璀儿，是我希望你能见到的另外一个市民。凯文常带这个地区的孩子们去参观纽约西部的地下铁路。他是个非洲裔美国人，他是不同种族和背景孩子们的纽带。他相信教育是打开年轻人心扉的关键。他希望尽他的努力来消除年轻人的无知，通过教育来开拓年轻人的视野。
我希望你能见到的第三个人，是糖果小伙。糖果小伙是尼亚加拉人给他的妮称。他是尼亚加拉的旅游司机，几个夏天以前，他上路去把一个目不相识的新娘的梦变为现实。
你看，一对年轻人正在尼亚加拉瀑布旅游线路上，他们本计划在那天下午结婚，可是主持婚礼的牧师迷路找不到了。他们担心无法在大瀑布结成莲锂，而不得不失望而归。
这时，糖果小伙把这事揽在了自己的身上。
他先给当地的治安法官打电话问那个法官晚上10点30分得时候有什么安排。他问法官是否愿意和他一起去大瀑布上游的山羊岛上开一个月光典礼。于是他邀请愿意去见证那个婚礼的来自世界各地的游客坐上他的大巴。
结果，那个新娘得到了她所一直梦想的婚礼，来尼亚加拉的旅游者们获得了一个甜美的记忆。
这些就是真真实实的尼亚加拉大瀑布市的居民。
我愿意给你一个公开的邀请，赵燕。
我邀请你重访大瀑布，我给你负责旅费和观光费用。我将请你去当地最好的饭店共度晚餐，并介绍你和加里，凯文和糖果小伙认识。
你已让世界相信你说的有关一个居住和工作在尼亚加拉得的人的品行的话，我则希望你能相信我说的一切。(评论一句：常见中国人讨论怎么样才算是个爱国者，看来这个信后觉得这个美国人才是真正爱美国的爱国者)
OPEN LETTER AND INVITATION TO ZHAO YAN
By Frank Thomas Croisdale
First and foremost, let me say to you the words that you need to hear the most: I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that a U.S. Customs agent at the Rainbow Bridge beat you so horrifically on the night of July 21. I'm sorry that the beating happened in a city, Niagara Falls, that I love from the deepest depths of my heart. And, most of all, I'm sorry that the travesty that befell you has caused you to lose respect for America as a whole.
There is healing that needs to happen; let it begin with me.
In America, we believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty. The agent that you say beat you, Robert Rhodes, has claimed his innocence. While I will not deny Mr. Rhodes his assumption of innocence, nor his right to a fair trial, I will go so far as to believe your contention that you were attacked with much force and aggression.
How could anyone who has seen the photos of you with eyes swollen shut and bruises and cuts all over your face believe otherwise?
Mr. Rhodes and you agree that the whole incident started when a male pedestrian cleared Customs before an officer discovered several pounds of marijuana on his person. Evidently, Rhodes then mistook you and two other women for "mules," people who help in the transport of drugs over an international border.
It is at this point that your story and that of Mr. Rhodes enter into another woods altogether.
"Officer Rhodes tried to detain her, at which point she began kicking and scratching him," Rhodes attorney, Steven M. Cohen, said recently. "After getting kicked and scratched a few more times, he did what his protocol requires. He didn't pull out his firearm. He pulled out his pepper spray."
According to the "People's Daily Online," you have a different memory of what happened.
"That policeman, with one hand, beckoned me to go over there, while he sprayed me with liquid pepper with another hand. My eyes, hair, face and neck were sprayed successively, and then I fell to the ground, and was surrounded by at least three policemen, they kicked me on the face and body with their leather shoes. My eyes were so swollen that I simply couldn't open them, and one of my teeth was broken, my skin was in great pain, I thought I was dying at that time, so how could I attack the police?"
I'm reminded of an expression favored by my grandfather. "There are three sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the cold, hard truth."
The cold, hard truth about what happened on the night of July 21 is that it has caused you, and your nation, to lose faith in the goodness and integrity of not only the people of Niagara Falls, but of the citizens of America as a whole.
This is what the online version of "China Daily" had to say in the aftermath of your ordeal:
"The world knows the U.S. propensity for pointing fingers at others in human rights protections. But who is the real threat after all?
"Under the banner of anti-terrorism, the United States has given its army free rein to arrest or imprison any suspected terrorists or those suspected of having connections to terrorists.
"Its condemnation-provoking actions range from its invasion of Iraq without any convincing excuse to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison.
The logic is reminiscent and representative of U.S. arrogance on the world stage.
"The Americans can kill anyone they think is a potential threat to their precious lives, or beat an innocent woman half to death on the flimsiest of excuses.
"Taking advantage of the prevailing sense of fear they have cultivated at home, the U.S. security apparatus has become even more bellicose in law enforcement."
I have to tell you that it was quite a shock to see an event that transpired on the shores of the Niagara River compared so directly with the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison. I am sure that I speak for most Americans when I say that we like to think of ourselves as the good guys, the protectors and the nurturers, not people to be despised and vilified.
I must admit the cut was deep when you said that "America is the most barbaric of all the countries I've visited."
This might be a good time to tell you, Zhao, that aside from writing for this newspaper, I make my living in the tourism industry in Niagara Falls. There are a few people connected with this great city that I'd like you to hear about.
Gary Carella is a firefighter in Niagara Falls. In March of 2003, he risked his own life to save that of a man who had second thoughts about committing suicide by going over Niagara Falls. The man was standing mere yards from the mighty precipice when a harnessed Gary, along with the help of other police and fire personnel, was able to grab hold of him before they were both pulled to safety on the shore.
Just this past month, Gary and his mates repeated nearly the exact same rescue of a woman in an almost identical predicament.
You might think that Gary expected some sort of special recognition for his efforts, but he has no taste for the spotlight. He simply believes that it was another day at the job and that saving the lives of strangers is reward enough, in and of itself.
Kevin Cottrell is another citizen of my community that I'd like you to meet. Kevin gives tours to area school kids on the history of the Underground Railroad in Western New York. Kevin is an African-American man who connects with kids of all races and backgrounds. He believes that education is the key that unlocks most doors facing our youth. He gives of himself in the pursuit of erasing ignorance and empowering young people with the strength that is only found through enlightenment.
The third person that I'd like you to meet from Niagara Falls is best known by his nickname, the Candyman. The Candyman is a tour driver in Niagara Falls and, a few summers ago, he went out of his way to make a bride's dreams come true.
You see, a young couple was on one of the Candyman's illumination tours of Niagara Falls when they confided in him that they were supposed to have been married that afternoon. The minister had gotten lost trying to find them and they feared they would have to return home without tying the knot.
That's when the Candyman took matters into his own hands.
He called the justice of the peace and asked him what he was doing at 10:30 p.m. that evening. He asked him if he'd be willing to meet him on Goat Island above the falls to perform a moonlight ceremony. Then he asked the other tourists on his bus if they'd be willing to be witnesses for the ceremony.
The result was that the bride got the wedding she'd always dreamed of and a group of tourists took home a sweet memory to savor forever.
That is what the people of Niagara Falls are really all about.
I'd like to make a public offer to you, Zhao.
I invite you to return for a visit to Niagara Falls and I will pay for your hotel and sightseeing tour. I'll also take you out to dinner at one of Niagara's best restaurants and introduce you to Gary, Kevin and the Candyman.
You have asked the world to believe your words concerning the character of one person residing and employed in Niagara Falls.
I'm asking you to believe mine on all the rest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank Thomas Croisdale is a Contributing Editor at the Niagara Falls Reporter. You can write him at [email protected].
Niagara Falls Reporter www.niagarafallsreporter.com Aug. 3 2004
作者：游客 在 海归茶馆 发贴, 来自【海归网】 http://www.haiguinet.com
|
|
|
| 返回顶端 |
|
 |
|
-
 作者: 流星雨 美国记者邀请赵燕重访大瀑布的公开信 -- ymca - (10260 Byte) 2004-8-12 周四, 12:08 (1958 reads)
|
|
|
|
您不能在本论坛发表新主题, 不能回复主题, 不能编辑自己的文章, 不能删除自己的文章, 不能发表投票, 您 不可以 发表活动帖子在本论坛, 不能添加附件不能下载文件, |
|
|
