美国国家公共电台 NPR Kicked Out Of Air Force For Being Gay, Helen Grace James Wins Honorable Discharge
时间：2019-01-16 作者：英语课 分类：2018年NPR美国国家公共电台1月
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Helen Grace James won her honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force this week at the age of 90. It's a battle she fought for 60 years. Helen Grace James grew up in Pennsylvania where she worked her family's farm and asked her mother to call her Jim. She played with toy trucks and boats and gave the doll she was given to her sister. Helen Grace James' father served in World War I. She saw her cousin ship off to serve during World War II.
The military was something I thought was really important, she told The Washington Post. She enlisted 1 in the Air Force in 1952 and had a fine service record. She was promoted to Airman Second Class. But when she was stationed at Roslyn Air Force Base on Long Island, Airman James came under investigation 2 by the Office of Special Investigation. One night in the winter of 1955, she sat with a friend in her car to eat sandwiches when an officer shined a blinding light into her eyes and took her into custody 3. She was interrogated 4 for hours. Investigators 5 told Helen Grace James that if she didn't sign a statement they put in front of her, they would tell her family she was gay. Gay might not have been the word military investigators used in 1955. Helen Grace James signed. She was discharged as undesirable 6.
America was then in the midst of what would become known as a Lavender Scare, parallel to the Red Scare directed at suspected or rumored 7 communists. Gays were also considered subversive 8 and susceptible 9 to blackmail 10, so therefore a security risk in government or military service. Soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen were ordered to inform on those with whom they served if they suspected they might be gay. Yale law professor William Eskridge Jr. estimates in his book "Dishonorable Passions" that between 2,000 and 5,000 people who may have been gay were dismissed from the military during those years. Helen Grace James, who served her country with distinction, received no severance 11 pay or veterans' health care coverage 12. She had no assistance from the G.I. Bill to go to college but worked her way to advanced degrees in physical therapy from the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford and went on to a distinguished 13 career.
She had worked through channels for decades to try to upgrade her discharge and finally sued the Air Force this month at the age of 90. The Air Force recognizes me as a full person in the military, she said this week of her honorable discharge, having done my job helping 14 to take care of the country I love.
- enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
- He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
- He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
- He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
- He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。
- He was interrogated by the police for over 12 hours. 他被警察审问了12个多小时。
- Two suspects are now being interrogated in connection with the killing. 与杀人案有关的两名嫌疑犯正在接受审讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
- The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
- Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。
- It is rumored that he cheats on his wife. 据传他对他老婆不忠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- It was rumored that the white officer had been a Swede. 传说那个白人军官是个瑞典人。 来自辞典例句
- She was seen as a potentially subversive within the party.她被看成党内潜在的颠覆分子。
- The police is investigating subversive group in the student organization.警方正调查学生组织中的搞颠覆阴谋的集团。
- Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
- We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。
- She demanded ＄1000 blackmail from him.她向他敲诈了1000美元。
- The journalist used blackmail to make the lawyer give him the documents.记者讹诈那名律师交给他文件。
- Those laid off received their regular checks,plus vacation and severance pay.那些被裁的人都收到他们应得的薪金，再加上假期和解职的酬金。Kirchofer was terminated,effective immediately--without severance or warning.科奇弗被解雇了，立刻生效--而且没有辞退费或者警告。
- There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
- This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。
- Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
- A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。