
Gavin Newsom’s decision to empty his state’s death row(死囚牢房) is a truly remarkable(非凡的,显著的) moment in the US’s death penalty history.
加文·纽森决定清空本州死囚牢房,这在美国死刑史上是一个真正非凡的时刻。
Not only will it free hundreds of people from the threat of execution, but coming from a politician seemingly looking to run for the presidency, it sends an important signal that America’s attachment to capital punishment is weakening, and opposing the death penalty is no longer a third rail in US politics.(这不仅将使数百人免于处决的威胁,而且由于这一决定出自一位似乎有意竞选总统的政治人物,它发出了一个重要信号:美国对死刑的依恋正在减弱,反对死刑在美国政治中不再是一个不可触碰的禁忌。)
这不仅将使数百人免于处决的威胁,而且由于这一决定出自一位似乎有意竞选总统的政治人物,它发出了一个重要信号:美国对死刑的依恋正在减弱,反对死刑在美国政治中不再是一个不可触碰的禁忌。
When the news broke about Newsom’s clemency, I thought back to the moment in 1988 when the Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis ended whatever hope he had of becoming president by sticking to his opposition to capital punishment after the CNN anchor Bernard Shaw asked: “Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?”(当纽森赦免的消息传出时,我回想起1988年的那个时刻:马萨诸塞州州长、民主党总统候选人迈克尔·杜卡基斯在CNN主播伯纳德·肖提问后,坚持反对死刑的立场,从而断送了他成为总统的任何希望。肖问道:“州长,如果基蒂·杜卡基斯遭到强奸和谋杀,你会赞成对凶手处以不可撤销的死刑吗?”)
当纽森赦免的消息传出时,我回想起1988年的那个时刻:马萨诸塞州州长、民主党总统候选人迈克尔·杜卡基斯在CNN主播伯纳德·肖提问后,坚持反对死刑的立场,从而断送了他成为总统的任何希望。肖问道:“州长,如果基蒂·杜卡基斯遭到强奸和谋杀,你会赞成对凶手处以不可撤销的死刑吗?”