Hundreds Attend Public Hearing on Plan to Transfer Guantanamo Detainees to US Prison

　　While many residents in the area support the move because of the jobs they hope it will bring, many across the state oppose any plan to house detainees on U.S. soil. The hearing in the town of Sterling, Illinois, offered a chance for the public to hear from officials on the plan.

　　In mid-December, President Barack Obama directed the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to purchase the under-utilized Thomson Correctional Center in western Illinois from the state to house about 100 detainees from Guantanamo. The proposed sale touches on two major issues for residents in the area: providing jobs and money to an area suffering high unemployment during the recession, and concerns about security if terror suspects are housed there.

　　Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's Chief Operating Officer Jack Lavin said selling Thomson to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons would help create jobs.

　　"The White House Counsel of Economic Advisors has estimated that up to 3,800 jobs and more than $1 billion of economic activity in Illinois will be generated in just its first four years of operation," Lavin said.

　　Lavin spoke before members of the State of Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability gathered at a high school auditorium in Sterling, about 30 kilometers from the Thomson prison, for the only public hearing on the proposal.

　　He also sought to allay concerns about security.

　　"No detainees transferred from Guantanamo to the United States will be released domestically," Lavin said. "No detainees transferred to Thomson will be tried in Illinois Federal Courts."

　　That did not convince many of the several hundred people - supporters and opponents - in attendance.

　　Though not an Illinois resident, Debbie Lee traveled from Arizona to attend the hearing. Her son, Marc, a U.S. Navy Seal, died in Iraq in 2006. She says she visited the military prison at Guantanamo Bay in 2008 and opposes bringing terror suspects to the United States.

　　"I'm here today to make sure that they hear my voice and hear what I personally saw down there," Lee said. "My son gave up his life fighting terrorists so that we wouldn't ever have them back here in this country again."

　　Tom Brackemeyer, however, said he supports the sale of the prison. He said the benefit to the local community would go beyond jobs at the prison itself.

　　"We've lost jobs, we need jobs," Brackemeyer said. "It's not only the jobs inside the prison. It's the jobs it will create outside the prison. There's going to be expanded jobs outside."

　　Todd Pustelnik, currently a prison guard at Thomson, worried the proposed sale could jeopardize his job because the federal and state prison systems have different requirements.

　　"We don't have rights to slide over into the federal prison system," Pustelnik said. "We would have to go ahead and apply just like everyone else, and the requirements to work in a federal facility versus a state facility are a little difficult for me."

　　The 12-member commission will deliver its findings to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Even if the commission members oppose the sale of the prison, Governor Quinn is not obligated to follow their recommendations.

　　该地区许多居民支持转移囚犯的决定，因为他们希望此举能够创造就业机会。而伊利诺伊州许多人反对任何将囚犯转移至美国本土的计划。伊利诺伊州Sterling举行的公开听证会将给予公众听取官员对该计划的解释。

　　12月中旬，奥巴马总统下令美国监狱管理局从伊利诺伊州购买该州西部利用率不足的汤姆森惩教中心，用来安置关塔那摩监狱大约100名囚犯。该提议的购买计划涉及到当地居民的两个主要问题：为这个经济衰退期间遭受高失业率影响的地区提供更多资金和就业岗位，同时，担心恐怖主义嫌疑犯关押在此引发的安全问题。

　　伊利诺伊州州长Pat Quinn的业务负责人Jack Lavin表示，将汤姆森监狱出售给美国监狱管理局有助于创造就业机会。

　　“白宫经济顾问委员会估计，在监狱运营的前四年，将创造3,800个就业岗位，产生超过10亿美元的经济活动。”

　　伊利诺伊州政府预测和责任委员会成员在距离汤姆森监狱30千米的Sterling一所高中礼堂举行听证会，这是针对该提议的唯一一场公开听证会。Lavin发表了讲话。

　　他还试图缓和人们对安全问题的担忧。

　　“从关塔那摩监狱转移到这里的任何囚犯都不会在美国本土释放。转移到汤姆森监狱的任何囚犯都不会在伊利诺伊联邦法庭接受审判。”

　　但是这并不能说服在场的数百人——包括支持者和反对者。

　　尽管不是伊利诺伊州居民，Debbie Lee从亚利桑那州赶来参加听证会。她的儿子是海豹特种部队成员，2006年在伊拉克去世。她说，2008年，她参观了关塔那摩湾军事监狱，她反对将恐怖分子转移到美国本土。

　　“我今天来到这里是为了确保他们听听我的看法，听一下我在那里看到的状况。我的儿子放弃生命来打击恐怖分子，就是为了让恐怖分子永远不要再回到美国。”

　　然而，Tom Brackemeyer说他支持出售汤姆森监狱。他说，此举为当地社区带来的帮助远远大于监狱本身的工作岗位。

　　“我们失业了，我们需要工作。不只是监狱内部的工作，还有在监狱外创造出的就业岗位。监狱外将衍生出许多工作机会。”

　　Todd Pustelnik现在是汤姆森监狱一名看守人，他担心将监狱出售会危害他的工作，因为联邦和州立系统有着不同的要求。

　　“我们无权直接进入联邦监狱系统。我们必须和其他人一样提出申请，与州立监狱相比，在联邦监狱工作的要求对我来说有点困难。”

　　委员会的12名成员将把听证结果递交给伊利诺伊州州长Pat Quinn。即使该委员会成员反对出售监狱，Quinn州长也没有义务听从他们的建议。

1.oppose vt.反对,以…对抗,抗争

例句：Those who oppose the king shall perish by the sword.
      那些反对国王的人都要用刀剑处死。

      My mother is opposed to the new plan.
      我妈妈是反对这个新打算的。

2.under-utilized 这是合成词，utilized意思是利用，前面加上前缀under-表示使用率比较低。

3.generate vt.发生,产生;生殖,生育;引起,导致

例句：We can generate electric power by splitting atoms.
      我们可以利用原子核裂变发电。

4.convince vt.使确信,使信服

例句：He couldn't convince her anyhow.
      他怎么想办法也不能使她信服。

5.expand vt. 展开;扩大,扩充

例句：They plan to expand rice plots this year.
      他们今年打算扩大稻田面积。

6.jeopardize vt.危害,使受危困,使陷危地

例句：The soldier jeopardized his life to save his comrade.
      这个士兵冒生命的危险救他的同志。

1.That did not convince many of the several hundred people - supporters and opponents - in attendance.

in attendance出席,参加

例句：She towed in attendance behind her a short man.
      她身后随着一个矮个子男人做跟班。

2.My son gave up his life fighting terrorists so that we wouldn't ever have them back here in this country again.

so that

so that既可引导目的状语从句也可引导结果状语从句。那么，在实际使用过程中如何区别它们呢？下面就语义关系和结构形式对这两种从句进行辨析说明。

(1)目的是以观念形态存在的潜在的可能性和意欲，不是事实。这一潜在的可能性或意欲的实现，则是结果。目的是主观意念，结果是客观现实。因此，从句若反映一种意欲、一种可能性，则是目的从句；若是一种事实，就是结果从句。试比较：

I'm going to take an early bus so that I'll get there in time．（purpose）我打算乘早班公共汽车，以便及时赶到那里。

I took an early bus so that I got there in time．（result）我乘了早班公共汽车，及时到了那里。

(2)目的从句表示动机（即一种可能性），并非事实，只是想要达到某个结果的意愿，因而从句中多用假定性的谓语动词。常有can，many，will，could，might，would，should等情态动词。情态动词本身并无词汇意义，只是一种虚拟用法。结果从句表示客观事实，所以用陈述语气的谓语动词，从句中常无情态动词。试比较：

We planted many shrubs so that the garden should／might look more beautiful．（purpose）我们栽了很多灌木，为了让花园看起来更美一些。

We planted many shrubs，so that the garden soon looked more beautiful．（re-sult）我们栽了很多灌木，花园里不久就好看多了。

I always write so carefully that I may make my meaning clear．（purpose）我写作总是字斟句酌，是为了让人看懂我的意思。

I always write so carefully that I make my meaning clear．（result）我写作总是字斟句酌，结果把意思讲得一清二楚。

Every precaution was taken that the plan might not fail．（purpose）已经采取了各种措施，好让计划不致遭失败。

I must be getting absent-minded that I forgot to bring my ticket．（result）我一定是心不在焉，结果票也忘了带。

3.Even if the commission members oppose the sale of the prison, Governor Quinn is not obligated to follow their recommendations.

even if即使,尽管,纵然

例句：He can have some very good points, even if he is rude most of the time.
      虽然他大多数时候都很粗鲁，但还是有些优点的。