A-Red-Light-for-Scofflaws的原文以及翻译文本

1英译汉篇章练习（六）ARedLightforScofflaws玩忽法令之风不可长！[1]Law-and-Orderisthelongest-runningandprobablythebest-lovedpoliticalissueinU.S.history.YetitispainfullyapparentthatmillionsofAmericanswhowouldneverthinkofthemselvesaslawbreakers,letalonecriminals,aretakingincreasinglibertieswiththelegalcodesthataredesignedtoprotectandnourishtheirsociety.Indeed,therearemomentstoday---amidoutlawlitter,taxcheating,illicitnoiseandmotorizedanarchy-whenitseemsasthoughthescofflawrepresentsthewaveofthefuture.HarvardSociologistDavidRiesmansuspectsthatamajorityofAmericanshaveblithelytakentocommittingsupposedlyminorderelictionsasamatterofcourse.Already,Riesmansays,theethicofU.S.societyisindangerofbecomingthis:“You’reafoolifyouobeytherules.”法律和治安[2]NothingcouldbemoreobviousthantheevidencesupportingRiesman.Scofflawsaboundinamazingvariety.Thegraffiti-proneturnpublicsurfacesintovisualrubbish.Bicyclistsoftenrideasthoughtwo-wheeledvehiclesareexemptfromalltrafficlaws.Litterbugsconverttheircommunitiesintotrashdumps.Widespreadflurriesofordinanceshavefailedtoclearpublicplacesofhigh-decibelportableradios,justasearlierlawsfailedtowipeoutthebeer-soakedhooliganismthatplaguesmanyparks.TobaccoaddictsremainhopelesslyblindtosignsthatsayNOSMOKING.Respectablydressedpotsmokersnolongerbothertoduckoutofpublicsighttopassaroundajoint.Theflagrantuseofcocaineisafesteringscandalinmiddleandupper-classlife.Andthenthereare(hello,everybody!)thejaywalkers.[3]Thedangersofscofflawryvarywidely.Thepersonwhoillegallyspitsonthesidewalkremainsdisgusting,butdearlyposeslessrisktoothersthanthecompanythatillegallyburieshazardouschemicalwasteinanunauthorizedlocation.Thefarebeateronthesubwaypresentslessthreattolifethanthelandlordwhoignoresfiresafetystatutes.Themostimmediatelyandmeasurablydangerousscofflawry,however,alsohappenstobethemostvisible.TheculpritistheAmericandriver,whoselawlessactivitiestodayadduptoacolossalpublicnuisance.Thehazardsrangefromroutinedoubleparkingthatjamscitystreetstothedrunkdrivingthatkillssome25,000peopleandinjuresatleast650,000othersyearly!Illegalspeedingonopenhighways?Newsurveysshowthatonsomeinterstatehighways83%ofalldriversarecurrentlyignoringthefederal55m.p.h.speedlimit.[4]Themostflagrantscofflawofthemallisthered-lightrunner.ThefloutingofstopsignalshasgotsobadinBostonthatresidentstellananecdoteaboutafabbvwl1insiststhatredlightsare“justfordecoration”.Thepowerofthestoplighttocontroltrafficseemstobewaningeverywhere.InLosAngeles,red-lightrunninghasbecomeperhapsthecity'smostcommontrafficviolation.InNewYorkCity,goingthroughaninter-sectionislikeRussianroulette.AdmitsPoliceCommissionerRobertJ.McGuire:“Todayit’sa50-50tossupastowhetherpeoplewillstopforaredlight.”Meanwhile,hisownpolicelargelyignorethelawbreaking.[5]Red-lightrunninghasalwaysbeenrankedasaminorwrong,andsoitmaybeinindividualinstances.Whentheviolationbecomeshabitual,widespreadandincessant,however,agreatdealmorethanatrafficmanagementproblemisinvolved.Thefloutingofbasicrulesoftheroadleavesdeepdentsinthesocialmood.Innocentdriversandpedestrianspayarepetitiouspriceinfrustration,inconvenienceandoutrage,nottomentionajustifiedsenseofmortalperil.Thesignificanceofred-lightrunningismagnifiedbyitshighvisibility.Ifhypocrisyisthetributethatvicepaystovirtue,thenfurtivenessisthetrueoutlaw'ssalutetotheforceoflaw-and-order.Thered-lightrunner,however,showsnorespectwhateverforthesocialrules,andsocietycannothelpbeingharmedbyanyrepetitiousandbrazendisplayofcontemptforthefundamentalsoforder.注：教学材料