We won’t defeat terrorism by locking people up forever

This week we were all given reason to question how safe we feel on our streets. On Sunday, a 20-year-old took a knife and injured three people on a busy high street before being shot dead by police officers. Like the terrorist attack on London Bridge, we have once again been confronted with the fragility (脆弱)of life.

本周,我们都有理由质疑我们在街上的安全感。周日,一名20岁的年轻人在繁忙的商业街持刀砍伤三人后被警察击毙。就像伦敦桥的恐怖袭击一样,我们再次面临生命的脆弱。

In the aftermath of terror events there is always an immediate call for more to be done to tackle extremism. It is understandable that we want to feel safe, yet at times like this it is more important than ever to remember that public panic is the exact response that terrorism hopes to provoke.

在恐怖事件发生后,人们总是立即呼吁采取更多行动来对付极端主义。我们希望感到安全,这是可以理解的,但在这样的时刻,比以往任何时候都更重要的是要记住,公众的恐慌正是恐怖主义希望挑起的反应。

In the race to issue a response, rather than thoughtful reflection on what’s working and what isn’t, it’s tempting for politicians to make bold promises to rid our streets of terror once and for all.

为了尽快做出回应,而不是深思熟虑地思考什么有效,什么无效,政客们很容易做出大胆的承诺,一劳永逸地消除我们的街道上的恐怖。

That’s what happened on Sunday after the attack in Streatham. There was remarkably little time for soul-searching(自我反省). In less than 12 hours, the home secretary was announcing new initiatives to tackle extremism – later revealed to be a promise to lock up terrorists for ever. Sadly for all of us who want a safer world, these proposals did little to offer real reassurance(保证).

这就是周日Streatham袭击后发生的事情。几乎没有时间进行自我反省。在不到12个小时的时间里,内政大臣宣布了对付极端主义的新举措——后来被发现是承诺永远关押恐怖分子。遗憾的是,对于我们所有希望一个更安全的世界的人来说,这些提议几乎没有提供真正的保证。

Loud, strong-arm(强硬的) announcements that talk of “getting tough” should always be viewed with suspicion. We deserve solutions that work, not kneejerk (本能)reactions that entrench(挖掘固守) the problems they’re supposed to solve. That means we need to be having evidence-based conversations about long-term solutions.

大声、强硬地宣布“变得强硬”的言论总是应该以怀疑的眼光来看待。我们应该得到有效的解决方案,而不是固守他们应该解决的问题的本能反应。这意味着我们需要就长期解决方案进行以证据为基础的对话。

These should start with an appraisal (评估)of the government’s failing Prevent counter-terrorism (反恐)strategy. It’s a blunt and ineffective tool that can profile children as extremists based on the colour of their skin, and has labelled environment campaign group Extinction Rebellion as a threat. It has become just another instrument of coercion (强迫,政治高压)and control that has no hope of addressing the complex causes of violent extremism(暴力极端主义). It is not based on evidence, its effectiveness has not been reviewed and, given recent events, it’s clearly not working.

这些应该从对政府失败的“防止反恐”战略进行评估开始。这是一种过时且无效的工具,可以根据孩子的肤色将他们描述为极端分子,并将环保运动组织“灭绝叛乱”标记为威胁。它已成为另一种强制和控制手段,它没有希望解决暴力极端主义的复杂原因。它不是基于证据的,其有效性尚未经过审查,并且鉴于最近发生的事件,它显然无法正常工作。

Liberty, along with others, has been campaigning to get an independent review of Prevent. This hasn’t happened. A review was announced but had to be deferred(推迟) after the reviewer was, by his own admission, biased (有偏见)towards Prevent. In the noise of press coverage in the last few days, the government’s silence on this failed strategy is deafening(震耳欲聋的).

自由,以及其他主义,一直在争取获得对“预防”的独立审查。这还没有发生。当宣布了审核,但在审稿人承认自己对“预防”有偏见之后才被推迟。在过去几天媒体的喧嚣报道中,政府对这一失败策略保持沉默。

Instead, we have a familiar playbook of punitive, short-term measures that may grab headlines but won’t save lives. It’s easy to suggest that locking people up for longer will reduce the threat of terrorism. At best it defers the problem, at worst it leaves people languishing in a broken prison system, stripped of the resources required to rehabilitate them. And if we don’t rehabilitate people, we can never end violent crime.

相反,我们有一个熟悉的短期惩罚措施,这些措施可能会占据头条,但不会拯救生命。我们很容易得出这样的结论:把人关得越久,恐怖主义的威胁就会越小。往好了说,它推迟了问题的发生,往坏了说,它使人们在一个破败的监狱系统中备受煎熬,被剥夺了使他们恢复正常生活所需的资源。如果我们不帮助人们康复,我们就永远无法结束暴力犯罪。

Over the next week, we’ll no doubt see attention focused on the people convicted of terrorism who are on the brink (边缘)of release. Those who believe they should be kept locked up while the government sorts out its act should contemplate(考虑) what they are giving away in the process, and what seeds they’re sowing.

毫无疑问,在接下来的一个星期里,我们将看到人们的注意力集中在那些被判犯有恐怖主义罪行的人身上,他们正处于被释放的边缘。那些认为他们应该被关起来,而政府整理其行为的人应该考虑他们在这个过程中放弃了什么,以及他们正在播种什么种子。

While the threat to lengthen people’s jail terms retrospectively (回顾的)might sound like a necessary approach, it also risks breaking the law because everyone – including convicted criminals – has a right to serve the prison sentence they were given when they were tried by an independent judge, not one imposed at the whim(心血来潮) of a politician playing to the public gallery(迎合公众的).

延长刑期的威胁可能听起来是一种必要的做法,但它也有触犯法律的风险,因为每个人——包括已被定罪的罪犯——都有权在独立法官审判时被判的刑期中服刑,而不是由迎合公众的政客随心所欲地强加于人。

And to break the law for what? Ultimately, these moves don’t offer solutions. They offer no hope of terrorism being eradicated(解决), no hope of rehabilitation(复兴). Not to mention that(更不用说) longer prison terms come with a hefty(巨额的) public spending bill.

为了什么违反法律?归根结底,这些举措并不能解决问题。它们没有消灭恐怖主义的希望,也没有复兴的希望。更不用说更长的刑期还伴随着巨额的公共开支。

What has been lost in all of this is accountability. This should be a chance for the state to reflect on what’s working and what’s not, and to build a strategy that protects all our rights and freedoms and keeps us safe.

所有这一切都让我们失去了责任。这应该是一个机会,让国家反思什么在起作用,什么没有起作用,并制定一项保护我们所有权利和自由、保障我们安全的战略。

We need initiatives that stop us from being victims and discourage us from being perpetrators(犯罪者). As hard as it is to be a voice of restraint (克制)at times like these, it’s more important than ever to stick to our principles and stand up to power.

我们需要主动行动,阻止我们成为受害者,阻止我们成为犯罪者。在这样的时刻,尽管发出克制的声音很困难,但比以往任何时候都更重要的是坚持我们的原则,勇敢地面对权力。

那我们接下来, 将找出这篇文章有趣又有用的短语和句子!

Analysis – Page 1

1. Locking up = 关押罪

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) After all the crimes he’s committed, it’s no surprise they’re locking him up.

在他犯下所有罪行之后,毫不奇怪他们将他关押。

b) Locking up criminals is only one way to try and deter crime.

关押罪犯只是阻止犯罪的一种方法。

 

2. Terrorist attack = 恐怖袭击

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) The number of terrorist attacks is on the rise.

恐怖袭击的数量正在上升。

b) It was terrorists that attacked the embassy building.

是恐怖分子袭击了使馆大楼。

 

3. Been confronted with = 面临

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) You’ve been confronted with many difficulties in your life.

你的一生面临着许多困难。

b) We’ve been confronted with the possibility of having the event delayed.

我们一直面临着推迟活动的可能性。

4. In the aftermath = 后果

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) In the aftermath of the storm, many people’s homes were destroyed.

在风暴过后,许多人的房屋被摧毁了。

b) The city was rebuilt in the aftermath of the war.

战后重建了这座城市。

5. Extremism = 极端主义

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) The council was accused of extremism.

理事会被指控为极端主义。

b) He was condemned by extremists on both the left and right.

他受到了左右极端分子的谴责。

6. In the race to = 争夺

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) The two companies are in the race to get the new technology.

两家公司都在争夺新技术。

b) In the race to go home early, he messed up his work.

在争取早点回家中,他搞砸了工作。

7. Soul searching = 深思熟虑

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) After much soul-searching she decided to leave the company.

经过深思熟虑,她决定离开公司。

b) After much soul-searching, he decided not to go to dinner.

经过深思熟虑,他决定不去吃晚饭。

8. Strong-arm = 强

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) The police used strong-arm tactics with them.

警察对他们采取了强硬手段。

b) They were critical of her strong-arm leadership.

他们批评她强大的领导能力。

 

9. Knee-jerk reactions = 下意识反应

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) A victim’s knee-jerk reaction to the crime is often revenge.

受害者对罪行的下意识反应通常是报复。

b) Knee-jerk reactions to problems always result in disaster.

对问题的过分反应总是导致灾难。

10. Appraisal = 评估

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) A detailed appraisal of your work will be carried out.

将对你的工作进行详细评估。

b) This situation needs a calm appraisal.

这种情况需要冷静评估。

11. Counterterrorism = 反恐

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) A counterterrorism official visited the site of the attack.

反恐官员访问了袭击的地点。

b) They’re involved in both counterterrorism and humanitarian efforts.

他们参与了反恐和人道主义的努力。

12. Independent review = 独立审查

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) The company brought in someone to do an independent review of the situation.

公司请人对情况进行了独立审查。

b) An independent review of your mistakes is required.

需要对您的错误进行独立审查。

13. Punitive = 惩罚性

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) The UN has imposed punitive sanctions on the country.

联合国对该国实施了惩罚性制裁。

b) The US could impose punitive tariffs on exports.

美国可能对出口性产品征收惩罚性关税。

14. Sorts out its act = 理清自己的举止

例句(illustrative sentences):

a) He needs to sort out his act and learn his lines.

他需要理清自己的表演并学习自己的剧本。

b) You need to sort out your act and tidy your room.

你需要整理自己的行为并整理房间。

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