随着选举日的临近，共和党针对密歇根州民主党联邦参议员提名人阿卜杜勒·埃尔-萨耶德的言辞变得越发歇斯底里。唐纳德·特朗普毫不意外地带头发动了这场诽谤攻势，谴责这位候选人是“圣战分子”，声称他“不应被允许在我们的参议院任职”。正如屡见不鲜的那样，该党其余成员紧随总统步伐，一同滑向低俗的泥沼。
The closer we get to Election Day, the more hysterical Republican rhetoric has become when targeting Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Michigan. Donald Trump, predictably, has helped lead the slanderous charge, condemning the candidate as a “jihadist” who “should not be allowed to serve in our Senate.”As is too often the case, the rest of the party has followed the president’s lead and headed for the gutter.
路易斯安那州参议员约翰·肯尼迪称埃尔-萨耶德“穿着本·拉登球衣入睡”。卫生部长小罗伯特·F·肯尼迪本周在密歇根州助选，竟认为贬低五亿阿拉伯穆斯林的科学与文学成就是个好主意。得克萨斯州参议员特德·克鲁兹本周明确表示，如果埃尔-萨耶德当选并进入参议院情报委员会任职，“美国人面临死亡的风险非常真实”。
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said El-Sayed “sleeps in a bin Laden jersey.”Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. campaigned in Michigan this week and thought it would be good idea to trash the scientific and literary accomplishments of a half-billion Arab Muslims. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas this week explicitly said “there is a very real risk that Americans will die” if El-Sayed is elected and serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
但俄亥俄州共和党参议员伯尼·莫雷诺在周三晚集会上的发言，却显得格外与众不同。
But it was something Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said during a Wednesday night rally that stood out as unusual.
这位共和党参议员在一场旨在争取俄亥俄州选民支持的集会上——这些选民无法在密歇根州的参议院选举中投票——主张埃尔-萨耶德因不接受耶稣基督的神性，而应被取消在参议院任职的资格。
Making the case to Buckeye State voters who can’t cast ballots in Michigan’s Senate race, the GOP senator suggested that El-Sayed should be disqualified from serving in the chamber because he does not accept divinity of Jesus Christ.
“这个阿卜杜勒·埃尔-萨耶德，绝不能靠近华盛顿特区，”莫雷诺说。“你觉得他懂不懂这个概念，即我们的权利来自全能的上帝？耶稣降世是为了拯救我们？他绝不能靠近华盛顿特区，而[共和党候选人]迈克·罗杰斯将在周二狠狠教训他。” 这里有几点值得注意。
“This character, Abdul El-Sayed, can be nowhere near Washington, D.C.,” Moreno said. “Do you think he understands that concept, that our rights come from God Almighty? That Jesus came here for our salvation? He should be nowhere near Washington, D.C., and [Republican candidate] Mike Rogers is going to kick his ass on Tuesday.”So, a few things.
首先，无论莫雷诺是否意识到，他发表这番言论的集会旨在为俄亥俄州的共和党竞选组合造势——该竞选组合的部分领衔人是维韦克·拉马斯瓦米，共和党的州长候选人，他是印度教徒。
First, whether Moreno understood this or not, he was speaking at a rally that was intended to generate support for the GOP ticket in Ohio — a ticket led in part by Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republicans’ gubernatorial candidate, who is Hindu.
第二，莫雷诺宣誓就任参议员时，宣誓支持和捍卫美国宪法，其中包括第六条第三款——该条款规定，“不得以宗教信仰作为美国任何公职或公共信任职务的资格要求”。
Second, when Moreno was sworn in as a senator, he swore to support and defend the U.S. Constitution, which includes Article VI, Clause 3 — a provision that says “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
第三，正如莫雷诺本应知道的，大约三分之一的美国人不是基督徒，认为他们因信仰而不应担任国会议员的想法显然是疯狂的。确实，我们不应忘记，国会和白宫内阁中有犹太裔共和党人，他们会不同意参议员关于“耶稣来到这里是为了我们的救赎”的信念。如果共和党人想试图影响密歇根州选举的结果，那也无妨。这属于政治话语的正常部分。但我很想知道，还有多少其他共和党人同意莫雷诺的建议，即宗教少数群体不应在参议院任职。
And third, as Moreno really ought to know, roughly 1-in-3 Americans are not Christians, and the idea that they should be disqualified from congressional service because of their beliefs is plainly insane. Indeed, let’s not forget that there are Jewish Republicans in Congress and the White House Cabinet who would disagree with the senator’s belief that that “Jesus came here for our salvation.”If Republicans want to try to influence the outcome of Michigan’s race, fine. That’s a normal part of the political discourse. But I’d be interested in knowing how many other Republicans agree with Moreno’s suggestion that religious minorities should be excluded from serving in the Senate.