美国名人社会活动家和妇女运动领袖贝拉·艾布扎格.docx

美国名人社会活动家和妇女运动领袖贝拉艾布扎格BellaAbzug,1920-1998:ActivistforWomen,sRightswasKnownforherLargeHatsandStrongOpinionsplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:30repeatByShelleyGollust2008-4-26VOICEONE:mRichKleinfeldt.VOICETWO:BellaAbzugAndI'mShirleyGriffithwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOPLEINAMERICA.Today,wetellaboutBellaAbzug.ShewasamemberoftheUnitedStatesCongressinthenineteenseventies.Shealsowasawell-knownactivistforcivilrightsandwomen'srights.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:BellaAbzugwaswellknownformanyreasons.Shewasalawyerandactivist.SherepresentedNewYorkCityinCongress.Shespokeinaloudvoice.Andshealwaysworelargehats.MizAbzugsupportedwomen'srightsandcivilrights.Shehadstrongopinionsonmanyissues.SheopposedtheAmericaninvolvementinthewarinVietnam.Shemadepublicheropinionsonmostimportantissues.Infact,shewascalledoneofthemostoutspokenmembersofCongress.BellaAbzugalsoactedonherbeliefs.Shewrotelegislationtopreventunfairtreatmentofwomen.Shepresentedthefirstbillforequalrightsforhomosexuals.SheoftendenouncedthemajorityofthemembersofCongresswhowerewhitemales.ShesaidtheydidnotknowaboutthelivesandproblemsofmostpeopleinAmerica.VOICETWO:BellaAbzugdidknowaboutthelivesofcommonAmericans.ShewasbornBellaSavitskyintheBronxareaofNewYorkCityinnineteentwenty.HerparentshadcometotheUnitedStatesfromRussia.HerfatheroperatedafoodstorecalledTheLiveandLetLiveMeatMarket.Bellasaidsheknewfromtheageofeleventhatshewantedtobealawyer.Attheageoftwelve,shegaveherfirstpublicspeech.ItwasinanundergroundtrainstationinNewYork.VOICEONE:1.izAbzug7PresidentoftheBellaAbzugLeadershipInstitute,speaksatHunterCollegewherehermotherattendedschoolBellaattendedHunterCollegeandColumbiaLawSchoolinNewYorkCity.ShemarriedMartinAbzuginnineteenforty-four.Hewasastockbrokerandwriter.Hehadnointerestinpolitics.Buthewashiswife'sbestfriendandsupporter.Theyhadtwodaughters.BellaAbzugbecamealawyerinthenineteenforties.Sherepresentedlaborunionworkers.Shealsorepresentedpeopleinvolvedincivilrightscases.Sheoftenworkedfornopaymentinthesecases.Inthenineteenfifties,sherepresentedpeopleaccusedofsubversiveactivitiesbySenatorJosephMcCarthy.VOICETWO:BellaAbzugbeganwearinglargehatswhenshewasayounglawyer.TherewereveryfewwomenlawyersinAmericathen.Shetoldthisstoryaboutwhyshebeganwearinghats:"Workingwomenworehats.Itwastheonlywaytheywouldtakeyouseriously.AfterawhileIstartinglikingthem.WhenIgottoCongress,theymadeabigthingofit.Theydidnotwantmetowearahat.SoIdid."(MUSIC)VOICEONE:Inthenineteensixties,BellaAbzugbecameananti-waractivist.Sheorganizedagroupofanti-warwomen,calledWomenStrikeforPeace.SheopposedAmericaninvolvementinthewarinVietnam.Andsheopposedtestingofnuclearweapons.SheleddemonstrationsinWashingtonagainstthewarandinsupportofabanagainstnuclearweapons.ShebecamealeaderofthemovementagainstPresidentJohnsonbecauseofhisinvolvementinthewar.Intheearlynineteenseventies,MizAbzugalsobecamealeaderofthegrowingwomen'srightsmovementthatwasspreadingacrossthecountry.ShehelpedformtheNationalWomen'sPoliticalCaucus.Inspeakingtothegroupinnineteenseventy-one,shedemandedequalrightsforwomeninallareasofAmericanlife.(SOUND)VOICETWO:Innineteenseventy,BellaAbzugwaselectedtotheHouseofRepresentativesasaDemocratfromNewYorkCity.Shewasfiftyyearsold.ShewasthefirstJewishwomanelectedtoCongress.Hercampaignstatementwas:"ThiswomanbelongsintheHouse."Shedidnotmeanherhouse.ShemeanttheHouseofRepresentatives.Atthetime,therewereonlytenfemalemembersintheHouseofRepresentatives.DuringherfirstdayasamemberofCongress,MizAbzugintroducedaresolutioncallingforanimmediatewithdrawalofAmericantroopsfromVietnam.Theresolutionwasdefeated.1.aterinherterm,shetriedotherwaystoreachthatgoal.SheforcedtheadministrationofPresidentNixontosurrenderdocumentsabouttheVietnamWarthatwereknownasthePentagonPapers.ShealsowasthefirstmemberofCongresstocallforanimpeachmentinvestigationofPresidentNixon.VOICEONE:MizAbzugsupportedmanyprogramstohelpAmericanfamilies.Forexample,shewantednationalinsurancetohelppayforhealthcareforallAmericans.And,shewantedthegovernmenttoestablishcenterstocareforyoungchildrenwhiletheirmothersworked.ShewantedtheseprogramspaidforwithmoneycutfromthebudgetoftheDefenseDepartment.ShedidnotsucceedingettingthislegislationpassedinCongress.Yetshekepttrying.VOICETWO:RepresentativeAbzugwasknownforherforcefulwayofexpressingheropinions.YetHouseSpeakerThomas"Tip"O1NeiIIchoseherasoneofhisassistants.ShehelpedwritetheFreedomofInformationandPrivacyActs.TheselawsrestrictedtherightoftheFederalBureauofInformationtowithholdinformation.MizAbzugservedintheHouseofRepresentativesforsixyears.Innineteenseventy-six,shegaveupherseatintheHousetocampaignfortheDemocraticnominationforsenatorfromthestateofNewYork.Shelosttheelection.SheranunsuccessfullyformayorofNewYorkCity.ShealsolosttwomoreelectionsthatwouldhavereturnedhertotheHouseofRepresentatives.VOICEONE:Fortwentymoreyears,BellaAbzugcontinuedtoworkforwomen'srights.Innineteenseventy-nine,PresidentCarterappointedhertheheadofaNationalAdvisoryCommitteeonWomen,anon-payingjob.Later,PresidentCarterdismissedherwhenshecriticizedhisdecisiontocutmoneyforwomen'sprograms.Innineteenninety,shestartedtheWomen'sEnvironmentalandDevelopmentOrganization,whichworkswithinternationalagencies.MizAbzugwasoneoftheleadersofaninternationalconferenceofwomen.ThousandsofwomenattendedthatconferenceinBeijing,Chinainnineteenninety-five.Theydiscussedwaysforwomenaroundtheworldtogainequalrights.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:BellaAbzugwrotetwobooks.Thefirstiscalled"Bella!Ms.AbzugGoestoWashington."ItisaboutherfirstyearinCongress.Hersecondbookwaspublishedinnineteeneighty-four.Itiscalled"GenderGap:BellaAbzug,sGuidetoPoliticalPowerforAmericanWomen."Inherlateryears,shecontinuedtoserveasadelegatetoDemocraticnationalconventions.ShewasleaderoftheNewYorkCityCommissionontheStatusofWomen.AndshedirectedtheNationalParityCampaigntoincreasethenumberofwomenelectedtopoliticaloffice.VOICEONE:MizAbzugoncesaidthatequalrightsforwomenwasatthetopofthelistofthemanyissuesshesupported.Shewasoneofthefirstleadersofthefeministmovement.Shedefinedthewordfeministthisway:Apersonwhobelievesthatthereshouldbesocial,economicandpoliticalequalityforwomen.ShethoughtthatthemajorityofAmericansbelievedthis.ManywomensupportedMizAbzugbecauseofhereffortstogainequalityforwomen.Shehelpedmakeiteasierforotherwomentobeelectedtopublicoffice.VOICETWO:Yet,BellaAbzughadenemies.Manypeopledidnotlikeher.TheythoughtshewastooIoudztooaggressive,tooindependent,tooliberal.However;mostpoliticalexpertsagreethatBellaAbzugshouldbeincludedonanylistofthemostinfluentialwomeninAmericanpoliticsinthetwentiethcentury.BellaAbzugdiedinnineteenninety-eightfollowingaheartoperation.Shehadbeeninpoorhealthforseveralyears.Shewasseventy-seven.Manyofherfriendsinthewomen'smovementcontinuetomissherspirit,hervoice,andherhats.(MUSIC)ANNOUNCER:ThisprogramwaswrittenbyShelleyGollust.ItwasproducedbyLawanDavis.TheannouncerswereRichKleinfeldtandShirleyGriffith.mFaithLapidus.ListenagainnextweekforPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.