VOA标准英语2011--Real-life Vigilantes Come to the Rescue

现实版义务警察走上街头惩治罪恶

You’ve probably heard of “superheroes” - crime fighters possessed¹ of incredible powers, their identities masked behind colorful costumes. Justice-seekers such as Superman, Batman and the Green Hornet.

你或许听过“超级英雄”——就是那些通常身着奇异服饰，拥有不可思议的力量对抗犯罪分子的战士们。这些正义人士包括超人、蝙蝠侠及青蜂侠等等。

They’re make-believe vigilantes - private citizens avenging² evil deeds and subduing³ violent criminals.

他们假装警员，普通百姓，嫉恶如仇，制止犯罪。

In theaters, we cheer vigilantes such as Merry Olde England’s legendary⁴ Robin⁵ Hood⁶. And Paul Kersey, played by actor Charles Bronson, who walked the streets, avenging the murder of his wife and the attack on his daughter in five “Death Wish” movies.

在影视作品中,我们欢呼英格兰的传奇罗宾汉警员Merry Olde及演员查尔斯•布朗森，他饰演的角色 保罗•克塞在电影《猛龙怪客》中主动出击，走上街头对谋杀自己妻子，袭击女儿的犯罪事件加以制裁。

Many Americans applauded the real-life “Subway Vigilante,” Bernhard Goetz, who, in 1984, shot four men who assaulted him on a New York City subway train.

许多美国人对现实版的“地铁义警” 伯恩哈德•戈茨拍手叫好，1984年他在纽约地铁对袭击他的四人开枪。

These days, all over the country, masked vigilantes are leaping out of the shadows to rescue potential victims of violent crime. The HBO cable-television documentary “Superheroes” followed 50 real-life crime fighters - including otherwise mild-mannered plumbers⁷, teachers, and cashiers - who used weapons such as batons⁸ and stun⁹ guns to accost¹⁰ real and perceived lawbreakers.

这些天,全国各地戴着面具的义务警员都从幕后走到台前救助潜在暴力犯罪受害者。HBO的有线电视纪录片“超人”就是跟随着50名这样的现实生活中正义斗士的脚步——包括温文尔雅的水管工、教师甚至收银员——这些人手拿警棍和眩晕枪之类的武器制裁可以预见犯法的人。

"Subway vigilante" Bernhard Goetz was acquitted11 of attempted murder and first-degree assault, but convicted on a weapons charge. He served eight months in jail.

One of latest citizen vigilantes is a 23-year-old Seattle man, Benjamin Fodor, who - wearing a black mask and matching full-body outfit¹² and conveniently followed by a videographer - confronted a man who was menacing another person. “Phoenix Jones,” as Fodor called his superhero persona, doused¹³ the aggressor with pepper spray - but later also sprayed some rowdy partygoers and was arrested for assault.

最近才“入行”的公民义警是一位23岁的西雅图人本杰明•弗多,他戴着黑色的面具—全身着装方便匹配,紧随其后的是一个拍摄者-面对着一个人威胁另一个人的犯罪事件。弗多称他自己这个使用胡椒喷雾的超级英雄为“凤凰琼斯”，但之后由于喷射强烈喷雾被以袭击罪逮捕。

Indeed, law-enforcement agencies take a dim view of vigilantes. Few of them have combat or weapons training, the police say. The avengers sometimes assault innocent people. And they’ve been known to go overboard with their righteous zeal¹⁴, beating citizens for littering or damaging cars whose drivers are thought to be speeding through school zones.

事实上,执法部门对义务警员持态度模棱两可。他们几乎都受过战斗或者武器使用训练,警方表示。复仇者有时还会攻击那些无辜的人。他们已经知道自己的正义情怀有点出格，比如殴打乱扔杂物的公民或因司机在学校区域超速而破坏其汽车。

“If you want to dress up and walk around, knock yourself out,” said Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson. “But inserting yourself into situations without knowing the facts is just not a smart thing to do.”

“如果你想打扮起来走动一下,那就尽管去做。”西雅图警方发言人马克•杰姆森说道。“但是自己插手不知道实际情况的事情就不是很明智了。”