VOA常速英语新闻:美国法院开始审理同性婚姻问题

同性伴侣们在华盛顿州领取了结婚证,这里的选民们于11月赞成同性恋婚姻。
But their unions are not federally-recognized.
但他们的结合并没有得到联邦性认可。
That could change, thanks to Edie Windsor, who contested federal taxes she was charged on property she inherited from her wife after 42 years together.
这可能会改变,由于伊迪·温莎而改变，在和她的妻子一起42年之后，伊迪·温莎争夺所继承的财产联邦税收受到了指控。
"I look forward to the day when the federal government will recognize the marriages of all Americans.
“我期待有一天,联邦政府将认识到所有美国人的婚姻。
And I am hoping that will happen during my lifetime," she said.
而我希望在自己的有生之年将会实现。”她说道。
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the case after lower courts declared the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.
上周,在下级法院宣布联邦婚姻保护法违宪后美国法院同意审理案件。
Critics of the law include Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.
这一法案的批评者们包括美国民主党参议员德安纳·费恩斯坦。
“Same-sex couples live their lives like all marriage couples.
“同性夫妻的生活就像所有的异性夫妇们一样。
They share financial expenses; they raise children together;they care for each other in good times and in bad," she said.
她们分享财政开支;一同抚养孩子;在荣华富贵和穷困撩倒的时候彼此关心。”她说道。
Congressionally-appointed attorneys will defend the law before the Supreme Court, and are endorsed by Republican Representative Steve King.
国会指定的律师将在法院捍卫这项法案,而这得到了共和党议员史蒂夫·金的认可。
“All of human experience points to one committed relationship between a man and a woman as the core building block to society," he said.
“人类的所有经验指向一种一个男人和一个女人的承诺关系作为社会核心的构建。”他说道。
The Justice Department stopped defending the law after a major announcement by President Barack Obama earlier this year.
司法部在今年早些时候美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马的重要宣告后停止了对这项法案的捍卫。
“I think same-sex couples should be able to get married," he said.
“我认为同性伴侣们应该能够结婚,”总统说道。
The Supreme Court will also consider a California voter referendum that stripped same-sex couples of marriage rights in 2008.
法院还将考虑一位加州选民投剥夺同性夫妇在2008年结婚权利的申请。
Lower courts ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional.
而下级法院裁定8号提案违宪。
The high court could hear oral arguments in both cases as early as March and rule on both cases in June.
法院早在3月就能够听到关于这件案子的口头辩论并且能够在6月进行裁决。
Possible outcomes range from the high court affirming no constitutional right to same-sex marriage and upholding the Defense of Marriage Act to striking down the law and legalizing homosexual marriage nationwide.
可能的结果范围从高等法院确认同性婚姻没有违宪并且维护婚姻保护法案来*法律并让同性恋婚姻在全国范围内合法化。
Pro-gay rights Mayor Jeffrey Prang said, “There are lots of good things that could come out of this decision, and lots of really bad things could come out of this decision.”
支持同性恋权利的市长杰弗里·普让称:“这一决定能够带来很多好处,也能够引发很多的非常糟糕的事情。”
Anti-gay rights activists predict Proposition 8 will be upheld.
反同性恋权利活动家们预测8号提案将会支撑下去。
“The Constitution of the United States does not have marriage in it.
“美国宪法中并不涉及婚姻。
And the 10th Amendment says what is not in the federal powers belongs to the states," said Randy Thomasson of savecalifornia.com.
而宪法第十修正案称联邦权力并不归属于各州,”savecalifornia.com的兰迪·托马森说道。
Public opinion surveys show that a slight majority of Americans favor same-sex marriage rights.
民意调查显示一小部分美国人赞成同性婚姻的权利。
Changing views will not be lost on the Supreme Court, according to legal analyst Elizabeth Wydra.
而根据法律分析师伊丽莎白·维德拉称，观点改变不会在法院迷失。
“The justices are human beings, so they are not completely immune to public opinion," she said.
“法官也是人类,所以他们并不完全对民意免疫,”她说道。
"I think the real question for them is going to be,Do they want to be on the wrong side of history?”
“我认为真正的问题将会是:他们是想要站在历史错误的一边吗?”
One of America's most-contentious social issues will have its day in court, in the highest court in the land.
美国的一个争议的社会问题将会在法庭上证明自己的清白,就在法院的土地上。