The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
——埃德蒙・伯克（Edmund Burke，1729-1797）*
Today, the former defense secretary, General Mattis released a statement about what the military should and must never do.
今日，前美國國防部長馬提斯將軍（Norman Mattis，1950-）就保障人權發表了哪些事是軍方該做以及不該做的聲明：
*https://bit.ly/3dwRmUk
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When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens.
1. swear an oath 宣誓
2. the Constitution 憲法（此處係指美國憲法）
3. troops 軍隊；部隊
4. under any circumstance 在任何情況下
5. violate 侵犯
6. Constitutional rights 憲法權利
7. fellow citizens 同胞；國人
大約５０年前，在我參軍時，我宣誓支持並捍衛憲法。我做夢都沒想到，在任何情況下，同樣宣誓效忠的軍隊竟會受命去侵犯憲法賦予國人同胞的權利。
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We must reject any thinking of our cities as a “battlespace” that our uniformed military is called upon to “dominate.” At home, we should use our military only when requested to do so, on very rare occasions, by state governors. Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society. It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part.
8. battlespace 戰場
9. uniformed 穿著制服的
10. dominate 宰制；支配；主導
11. occasion 場合；情況；時機
12. state governor 州長
13. set up a conflict 策劃一場衝突
14. civilian society 公民社會
15. erode 侵蝕
16. the moral ground 道德基礎
我們必須抵制任何將我們的城市視為「戰場」的想法，要求我們身穿制服的軍隊「主導」一切。在國內，只有在極少數的情況下，才能由州長動用軍隊。正如我們在華盛頓特區所目睹的那樣，將政府的回應軍事化，在軍隊與公民社會之間製造衝突——人為的虛假衝突。這侵蝕了道德基礎，此一道德基礎本用以確保軍人之間的互信，以及他們誓言捍衛的社會，而他們本身就是其中的一分子。
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We do not need to militarize our response to protests. We need to unite around a common purpose. And it starts by guaranteeing that all of us are equal before the law. We can come through this trying time stronger, and with a renewed sense of purpose and respect for one another.
17. protest 抗議；示威
18. unite around 團結一致
19. common purpose 共同的目標
20. guarantee 保障；保證⋯⋯免受傷害
21. be equal before the law 法律之前人人平等
22. this trying time 這個艱難的時刻
23. a sense of purpose 使命感
無需將我們對抗議活動的反應軍事化。我們需團結在一個共同目標之下。保障我們所有人在法律之前一律平等會是第一步。我們可以嶄新的使命感與相互尊重，更堅強地共克時艱。
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The pandemic has shown us that it is not only our troops who are willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of the community. Americans in hospitals, grocery stores, post offices, and elsewhere have put their lives on the line in order to serve their fellow citizens and their country. We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.
24. pandemic 全球大流行的疾病
25. the ultimate sacrifice 最大的犧牲（意即犧牲生命）
26. grocery stores 雜貨店
27. put…on the line 使⋯⋯冒著風險
28. the abuse of executive authority 行政權力的濫用
29. hold accountable 追究責任
30. mockery 嘲弄；踐踏
疫情已向我們表明，不止軍隊願意為社會的安全犧牲奉獻。在醫院、雜貨店、郵局以及其他地方的美國人也冒著生命危險，只為服務自己的同胞與國家。我們知道，我們遠比於拉法葉廣場上所目睹的濫權要好。我們必須抵制那些踐踏我們憲法的人，並向他們追究責任。
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This is what democracy means. It gives good people the means to stand up and defend what is right. The military should never be used to harm PEACEFUL protestors who are exercising their constitutional rights. Rioters and looters who take advantage of these peaceful protests and those who seek to incite violence should be equally condemned and dealt with to the full extent of the law.
此即民主的真諦。它為良善者提供挺身而出與捍衛正義的手段。絕對不能動用軍隊傷害那些行使憲法權利的和平抗議者。惟利用這些和平抗議活動的暴徒、打劫者以及試圖煽動暴力的人，都應在法律範圍內受到同等的譴責與制裁。
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資料來源：
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/james-mattis-denounces-trump-protests-militarization/612640/
https://www.axios.com/james-mattis-trump-protests-f325f239-17f1-4795-b6a4-0ab1587ad210.html
圖片來源：https://on.mktw.net/2XuUs5r