Signing of the Brady Gun Control Bill Famous Speech by Sarah
文章来源: 文章作者: 发布时间:2006-10-13 07:43 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Thank you, General Reno. She didn't tell you that on that courthouse step alone, fighting for the Brady Bill, there was one other woman -- the Attorney General herself. And right along the way this year since we've been fortunate enough to have her in Washington, she's been right along with us.

It's a special day for us all. I don't think it every occurred to me that I would be this emotional. And I walked in and looked at the faces here and the memories that come back over these past seven years -- every face I look at brings back a different memory.

And I want to thank a lot of people here, and I'm going to try to do it as quickly as possible. Everybody here has helped. And each of you in your own way reflects many others across the country. First of all, I want to say to have an administration, an Attorney General, a Vice1 President, and a President who we knew would sign this bill is of the utmost importance.

I'd like to draw attention also to another President, who we feel very close to, President Ronald Reagan, who supported it and came out for the Brady Bill, and who made it a badge of honor for Republicans -- (applause) -- and brought this bill into the arena2 where it was not a partisan3 issue.

I would like to thank the men and women in blue who have by the hundreds of thousands come to Washington to fight for this over the years, marched for us, been in press conferences, and more than anything else who day in and day out give their lives for all of us. (Applause.)

To our bill sponsors, Senator Metzenbaum, Congressman4 Schumer, Congressman Sensenbrenner, and our very first Ed Feighan, and all the rest of the members of Congress who had the guts5 to speak out early and support us all along the way when sometimes it wasn't easy. And I know one of the earliest ones was a Senator from Texas - - and in Texas that wasn't so easy in those days; and he now, of course, sits on the President's Cabinet. So for all the Congress who have supported us, my thanks.

Our friends, Handgun Control, board and staff, are phenomenal. Over the years, they've worked their heart out. And I want to talk a little bit about the victims around the country who have suffered and suffered terribly, and who've gotten involved in this movement. And I know today for them is a very special day, and we thank them for what they've done.

For everyone who's gotten involved, I can't -- I don't know how to say that this is all part of everything a team, a large team, did together.

There's one man in particular now I want to talk about, and that is a gentleman by the name of Pete Shields, who was my predecessor6. And it was Pete Shields who made this movement what it is. Before anyone else got involved or thought, he, after losing his son to gunfire, quit his job, came to Washington and decided7 to work for this noble cause. Pete Shields was Chairman of Handgun Control when I joined; and he was until the year before his death, until he passed away last winter. And we owe a great debt of -- a great debt of gratitude8 to Pete and to Pete's family -- (applause).

And I only have one or two other words I want to say. Our critics have said that the Brady Bill was only symbolic9. Well, I think there is some symbolism in the Brady Bill -- it's symbolic of teamwork, of people from all over this nation working together to pass something that the people wanted. I think it's symbolic that members of Congress could stand up to a large lobby. I think it's symbolic of a lot of things. But I don't want anyone to feel that that's all it is. The Brady Bill is not just symbolism. It will begin to make a difference. It will begin to save lives. We read in The Post this morning that in four states alone, over 50,000 people were stopped in the last four years from getting weapons illegally -- or over the counter. It will help.

And to tell you a little bit on a personal level of how it would have helped her, I want to introduce a very special young woman. Her name is Melanie Musick. I met her several years ago when she came, like so many of the victims have come to Washington to help us, she came to tell her story and to plead. And her story is one of many in the past, and one of many in the future who we hope will be saved by the Brady Bill.


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1 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
参考例句:
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
2 arena Yv4zd     
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台
参考例句:
  • She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
  • He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。
3 partisan w4ZzY     
adj.党派性的;游击队的;n.游击队员;党徒
参考例句:
  • In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中,他们忘掉一切党派之争。
  • The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。
4 Congressman TvMzt7     
n.(美)国会议员
参考例句:
  • He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
5 guts Yraziv     
v.狼吞虎咽,贪婪地吃,飞碟游戏(比赛双方每组5人,相距15码,互相掷接飞碟);毁坏(建筑物等)的内部( gut的第三人称单数 );取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 );内脏;消化道的下段;肠
参考例句:
  • I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净,我只需烧一下即可。
  • Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 predecessor qP9x0     
n.前辈,前任
参考例句:
  • It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
  • The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。
7 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
8 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
9 symbolic ErgwS     
adj.象征性的,符号的,象征主义的
参考例句:
  • It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
  • The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。
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