From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.
这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。
An honor guard from the South Carolina Highway Patrol has removed the Confederate battle flag from the state Capitol grounds. The flag will be moved to a museum after 50 years at the state house.
南卡罗来纳州高速公路巡警仪仗队已经从州议会大厦降下了邦联旗帜。这面旗帜在州议会大厦悬挂50年之后将被送到一家博物馆保存。
The move comes three weeks after nine African Americans were murdered in their church in Charleston, South Carolina. Photos show the alleged killer carrying the Confederate battle flag.
此举发生在南卡罗来纳州查尔斯顿9名黑人在他们的教堂被杀害之后的三个星期。照片显示该凶手携带了邦联旗。
After the killings, activists renewed a long campaign to remove official public displays of the battle flag.
在这次凶杀案之后，活动人士再次掀起一项长期活动，希望废除这面战旗的正式公开展示。
A powerful symbol ... but of what?
它是强大的象征？哪门子强大？
Flag opponents say the flag is a symbol of white supremacy and racial oppression. Southern soldiers used the flag during the U.S. Civil War of the 1860s, when they fought to keep slavery of African Americans legal in their states.
旗帜反对者表示，这面旗帜是白人至上主义和种族压迫的象征。19世纪60年代美国南北战争期间南方士兵使用了这面旗帜，当时他们是为维持黑人奴隶在他们州合法而战。
One hundred years after the South lost the war, officials raised the battle flag over the South Carolina state house. Flag opponents point out the flag remained on the Capitol grounds long after the anniversary of the war. They say the flag became a way to reject the 1960s Civil Rights movement to achieve racial equality.
在南方输掉这场战争的一百年之后，有关官员在南卡罗来纳州议会大厦升起了这面旗帜。旗帜反对者表示，在这场战争100周年纪念之后很久，这面旗帜一直悬挂在国会大厦。他们表示，这面旗帜成了反对20世纪60年代民权运动实现种族平等的一种方式。
Jonathan Blanks is with the CATO Institute. He says many people view the flag as a symbol of racial oppression.
乔纳森·班克斯（Jonathan Blanks）就职于卡托研究所。他说，许多人将这面旗帜视为种族压迫的象征。
"Because every time that the flag has come up, it has been used – and it has been – to assert this sort of racial superiority of whites against blacks, to stop, to end their civil rights."
他说，“因为每次这面旗帜出现都被用于，而且一直被用于宣扬这种白人对黑人的种族优越感来阻止和消除他们的公民权利。”
Flag supporters say the flag is a symbol of the South's history. Lee Bright, a Republican state senator, says flying the flag in front of the state house honors the soldiers who fought for South Carolina's independence in the Civil War.
旗帜的支持者表示，这面旗帜是南方的历史象征。共和党参议员李·布莱特表示，让这面旗帜在州议会大厦前飘洋是纪念独立战争中为南卡罗来纳州独立而战的士兵。
"And removing this flag from out front is not going to do anything to change this nation. All we're going to do is we're going to disrespect these 20-plus-thousand men, black and white, that fought to defend your state."
“从门前移除这面旗帜对改变这个国家没有任何帮助。我们的所有所作所为，是对为我们州而战的2万多名无论黑人还是白人的士兵不敬。”
Some supporters add that the flag is also a fun way to celebrate Southern culture. They point to the popular 1970s and 80s television show called the "The Dukes of Hazzard." The show features a sports car with the Confederate battle flag painted on top. The car is called the General Lee, after a Southern commander in the Civil War.
一些支持者表示，这面旗帜也是庆祝南方文化的一种有趣的方式。他们指出了上世纪七八十年代流行的电视剧《赫扎德的杜克斯》。该剧以一台喷涂了邦联战旗的跑车为特色。这台车被称为李将军号。南北战争期间的南方指挥官就是李将军。
Lawmakers debate
议员们的辩论
On Wednesday night and Thursday morning, South Carolina members of the House of Representatives debated over the meaning and future of the battle flag. After more than 13 hours, they approved a measure to remove the flag from state house grounds.
周三晚上和周四早晨，南卡罗来纳州众议院议员就这面战旗的意义和未来展开了辩论。经过13个多小时的辩论，他们批准了一项措施将这面旗帜从州议会移除。
Governor Nikki Haley, who supported the measure, used nine pens to sign the bill. Then she gave a pen to each of the families of the nine church shooting victims.
支持这项措施的州长尼基·黑利（Nikki Haley）使用了九支笔签署了这项法案。然后她将这九支笔送给了9名教堂枪击案受害者的家属。
The flag comes down
旗帜落下
On Friday morning, a racially diverse crowd of hundreds gathered on the Capitol grounds. They cheered and chanted, "USA, USA."
周五早晨，数百名不同种族人士聚集在国会大厦。他们欢呼着“美国，美国。”
In a short ceremony, members of an official honor guard lowered the flag and rolled it tightly. Governor Nikki Haley said the flag will be put in its rightful place in a museum.
在一个简单仪式后，官方仪仗队成员将旗帜降下并卷紧。黑利州长表示，这面旗帜将被送进一座博物馆陈放在适当地方。
General Lee retires
李将军号跑车谢幕
Other groups are also taking steps to remove the Confederate battle flag from the public eye. Some retailers -- including Walmart, Amazon and Sears – say they will no longer sell products with images of the Confederate flag.
其它组织也在采取步骤从公众视线中移除邦联战旗。包括沃尔玛、亚马逊和西尔斯在内的一些零售商表示，他们将不再销售有邦联旗图像的产品。
And the Dukes of Hazzard car? U.S. golfer Bubba Watson bought the General Lee several years ago. He says he will paint over its Confederate battle flag roof with an American flag.
《赫扎德的杜克斯》剧中的那辆跑车呢？美国高尔夫选手布巴·沃森（Bubba Watson）几年前购买了李将军号跑车。他说，他将用美国国旗覆盖掉车顶上的邦联旗。
And that's In the News. I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
以上就是本期美国之音新闻报道的全部内容。我是凯利·吉恩·凯利（Kelly Jean Kelly）。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)