“美国空气都是甜的”，名校留学生演讲引争议
5月21日，中外华人圈炸了锅，原因是当天在美国马里兰大学举行的2017届学生毕业典礼上，一位来自云南昆明一中的中国留学生Shuping Yang（杨舒平）作为毕业生代表发言“谄媚”了美国而刻意贬低了中国。
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作为一个中国到国外去的留学生，能够受邀参加毕业典礼的演讲本是值得骄傲的事情。马里兰大学也是世界一流的学府，原本是荣耀的事现在却变了味。杨舒平本人因发表“辱华”言论被网友人肉，她本人及父母的私人信息陆续曝光于网络。事情发展至今她本人已发布了道歉声明，但早已覆水难收。
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Good afternoon faculty, students, parents and friends.
老师们，同学们，家长们，和朋友们，大家下午好。
I am truly honored and grateful to speak at the commencement for the University of Maryland, Class of 2017.
我非常荣幸也很感激，能在马里兰大学2017届毕业典礼上发表讲话。
People often ask me: Why did you come to the Universityof Maryland?
常常有人问我：你为什么要来马里兰大学？
I always answer: Fresh air.
我总是回答：新鲜空气。
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Five years ago, as I step off the plane from China, and left the terminal at Dallas Airport. I was ready to put on one of my five face masks, but when I took my first breath of American air. I put my mask away.
五年前，当我走下从中国飞来的飞机，离开达拉斯航站楼，我准备好要拿出一只口罩戴上，我总共带了五只口罩。但当我第一次呼吸到美国的空气时，我把口罩放在了一边。
The air was so sweet and fresh, and oddly luxurious.
这里的空气是如此甜美、清新，而且有些莫名的奢侈。
I was surprised by this. I grew up in a city in China, where I had to wear a face mask every time I went outside, otherwise, I might get sick.
我很惊讶。在我成长的中国城市，每当我外出时都必须戴上口罩，不然我可能会生病。
However, the moment I inhaled and exhaled outside the airport. I felt free.
但是，当我呼吸到机场外空气的那一瞬间，我感受了到自由。
No more fog on my glasses, no more difficult breathing, no more suppression.
我的眼镜上不再有雾，我的呼吸不再困难，我不再感到压抑。
Every breath was a delight. As I stand here today, I cannot help, but recall that feeling of freedom.
每一次呼吸都是一种愉悦。今天，我站在这里，不禁回忆起那种自由的感觉。
At the University of Maryland, I would soon feel another kind of fresh air for which I will be forever grateful — the fresh air of free speech.
在马里兰大学，我马上又感受到另外一种新鲜空气，对此我永远心存感激，那就是言论自由的新鲜空气。
Before I came to United States, I learned in history class about the Declaration of Independence, but these words had no meaning to me— Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.
来美国之前，我在历史课上学过《独立宣言》的内容，但是“生命、自由、对幸福的追求”等字眼，对我而言没有任何实际含义。
I was merely memorizing the words to get good grades.
我只是在死记硬背，为了拿到高分。
These words sounded so strange, so abstract and so foreign to me, until I came to University of Maryland. I have learned the right to freely express oneself is sacred in America.
对我而言，这些词听起来如此陌生，如此抽象，如此“舶来”，直到我来到了马里兰大学，我才理解，在美国，表达自己观点的权利是神圣的。
Each day in Maryland, I was encouraged to express my opinions on controversial issues.
在马里兰，我每天都受到鼓励，去表达我对一些争议问题的看法。
I could challenge a statement made by my instructor. I could even rate my professors online.
我可以挑战我导师的观点，甚至可以在网上点评教授。
But nothing prepared me for the culture shock I experienced when I watched a university production of the play— Twilight: Los Angeles.
在观看学校排演的戏剧《暮光：洛杉矶》时，我毫无准备地经历了文化冲击。
Twilight is a play by Anna Deavere Smith about the 1992 Los Angele's Riots. The riots followed acquittal of four Los Angeles police officers in the video taped arrest and beating of Rodney King.
《暮光》是安娜·迪佛·史密斯所著的一部剧作，讲的是1992年的洛杉矶暴乱。这次暴乱由四位洛杉矶警察的无罪释放引起，录像显示他们拘捕和殴打了罗德尼·金。
注：1992年洛杉矶暴乱，导火线为该年4月29日当地陪审团宣判四名被控“使用过当武力”的警察无罪释放，导致上千名对此判决不满的非裔与拉丁裔上街抗议，最终引发一连串暴动。事件本身为三名欧洲裔白人警察和一名拉丁裔白人警察殴打涉嫌交通违规的一名黑人罗德尼?金。
For six days, the city was in chaos as citizens took to the streets.
整整六天，市民们涌上街头，城市陷入混乱。
In Twilight, the student actors were openly talking about racism, sexism and politics.
在《暮光》中，学生演员们公开讨论种族歧视、性别歧视和政治话题。
I was shocked. I never saw such topic could be discussed openly.
我震惊了，我从未想过这些话题可以被公开讨论。
The play was my first taste of political storytelling, one that makes the audience think critically.
这部剧作是我第一次接触到政治叙事，它让观众们辩证思考。
I have always had a burning desire to tell these kinds of stories, but I was convinced that only authorities own the narrative, only authorities could define the truth.
我一直都有热切的愿望想要讲述这类故事。但是，我一直深信只有当权者才有叙事权力，只有当权者才能定义真相。
However, the opportunity to immerse myself in the diverse community at the University of Maryland exposed me to various, many different perspectives on truth.
但是，在深入马里兰大学多元的学生社群过程中，我接触到各种各样、迥然不同的看待真相的视角。
I soon realized that here I have the opportunity to speak freely.
我很快意识到，在这里，我有自由发表言论的机会。
My voice matters.
我的声音可以被听到。
Your voice matters.
你的声音可以被听到。
Our voices matter.
我们的声音是可以被听到的。
Civil engagement is not a task just for politicians. I have witnessed this when I saw my fellow students marching in Washington DC, voting in the presidential election and raising money for support various causes. I have seen that everyone has a right to participate and advocate for change.
公民参与不仅是政治家的任务。我目睹我的同学们在华盛顿街头游行，在总统选举中投票，为支持各种事业筹款。我看到每一个人都有权参与，并为改变发声。
I used to believe that one individual participation could not make a difference, but here we are, United Terps.
以前，我以为个体的参与并不能带来改变。但马里兰的学生们，我们就是在这么做的！
Together, we can push our society to be more just, open and peaceful.
我们一起可以推动社会变得更公正、开放、和平。
Class of 2017, we are graduating from a university that embraces a liberal arts education that nurtures us to think critically, and also to care and feel for humanity.
2017届的同学们，我们就要从一个重视人文学科，培养辩证思考，教育我们去关心，去感受博爱的学校毕业了。
We are equipped with the knowledge of various disciplines and we are ready to face to the challenges of our society.
我们用许多不同学科的知识武装了自己，我们已经准备好去面对社会上的挑战了。
Some of us may go to graduate school, some of us may step into professions and some of us may begin a journey of exploration.
我们当中有些人会读研深造，有些人会进入职场，有些人会开始全新的探索旅程。
But no matter what we do, remember, democracy and free speech should not be taken for granted.
但不管我们会做什么，请记住，民主和言论自由都不应该被视作理所应当。
Democracy and freedom are the fresh air that is worth fighting for.
民主和自由就像新鲜空气，值得我们为之奋斗。
Freedom is oxygen. Freedom is passion. Freedom is love.
自由是氧气，是热情，是爱。
And as a French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre once said: Freedom is a choice; our future is depended on the choices we make today and tomorrow.
法国哲学家萨特曾说过：自由是一种选择，我们的未来取决于我们在今日和明日做出的种种选择。
We are all playwrights of the next chapters of our lives.Together, we write the human history.
我们都是自己人生下一章节的剧作家。我们一起书写着人类的历史。
My friends, enjoy the fresh air and never ever let it go.
我的朋友们，请尽情享受新鲜的空气，永远别让它被夺走。
Thank you.
谢谢。
杨同学的演讲让当时坐在台下的中国留学生尴尬了，让国内的民众愤怒了，让他的家乡蒙羞了。她的校友，他的“家乡”都不淡定了，纷纷发声不给她“背锅”。
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中国某些城市的空气质量不好，雾霾严重这大家知道，但杨同学的演讲明显夸大其词，而且言论不实。她并非来自国内空气污染严重的城市，而是来自春城昆明。多么讽刺昆明的空气质量在国内是数一数二的。再者，即便是魔都北京、上海也没有满大街都是带口罩的。
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马大留学生的辱华言论引发了网友对于留学和爱国主义的讨论，去国外学习并非坏事，也不是所有的留学生都缺乏爱国主义精神，2016年在哈佛毕业典礼上的演讲的中国留学生何江就是值得学习和令国人骄傲的。
When I was in middle school, a poisonous spider bit my right hand. I ran to my mom for help, but instead of taking to a doctor, my Mom set my hand on fire. After rubbing my hand with several mares of cotton then soaked in wine,she put a chopstick into my mouth and ignited the cotton.
在我上中学的时候，一只有毒蜘蛛咬伤了我的右手，我去找母亲帮忙，但是她没有找医生，却把我的手放在火上面。她用酒浸过的棉纱绕着我的手缠了好几层之后，在我的嘴里放了一根筷子，然后点燃了棉纱。
Heat quickly penetrated the cotton and began to roast my hand. The searing pain made me want to scream but the chopstick prevented it. All I could do was watch my hand bone, one minute, then two minutes, until my mom put off the fire.
棉纱上的温度很快上来了，我的手也开始发烫。这股灼痛让我想要大叫，不过我嘴里含着的筷子让我叫不出来。我唯一能做的就是看着我的手骨，一分钟过去了，两分钟过去了，直到母亲熄灭火。
You see the Public China I grew up in was a rural village, and at that time, pre industrial. When I was born, my village had no cars, no telephones, no electricity, not even running water and we certainly didn’t had access to the modern medical resources.
所以你看到，我是在中国的一个小山村里成长的，在那个时候，并不发达。在我出生的那个年代，我们村没车、没电话、也没电，甚至都没有自来水！且理所当然地，我没有接触现代医疗资源的办法。
There was no doctor my mother could bring me to see about this spider bite. For those who study Biology, you may have brought the science behind my mom’s cure: heat deactivates proteins and the spider venom is full of protein. It’s cool how could this folk remedy incorporate with the base of biochemistry, isn’t it?
当我被蜘蛛咬伤时，并没有医生可以来治疗我。对于学生物学的人来说，你也许能找到我母亲治愈背后所包含的科学原理：热量能够让蛋白质失活，而蜘蛛的毒液都是蛋白质组成的。将这个土方子和生物化学基础联系起来很神奇，不是吗？
But I am a Ph.D student in Biochemistry study at Harvard, I now know a better, less painful and less risky treatment existed. So, I can’t help but ask myself, why I did’t receive one at that time?
不过我现在是一个在哈佛学习生物化学的博士生，我现在知道了一个更好的、不那么痛、危险系数更小的治疗方法。所以，我忍不住问我自己，为什么那个时候我不能接受更好的治疗吗？
Fifteen years have passed since that incident, I am happy to report that my hand is fine. But this question lingers and I continued to be troubled by the unequal distribution of scientific knowledge throughout the world.
距离那个事故发生已经十五年了，我很高兴地告诉你们：我的手现在恢复地很好。不过这个问题在我心里萦绕了很久，我也时常会被科学知识分布的不均衡问题所困扰。
We have learn to edit the human geneal and uncover many secrets of how cancer progressing. We can manipulate neuron activity literally with the switch of light. Each year with more advances in Biomedical research, exciting transformative accomplishment.
我们曾学习过如何编辑人类基因谱，揭示了许多关于癌症的秘密。我们能够轻松地操控神经元的活动。生物医药研究每年都会有很多进步和令人振奋的变革、成就。
Yet despite the knowledge we had on that, we haven’t be so successful deploying it to where need it most. According to the World Bank, 12% of world population lives on less than 2 dollars a day.
虽然我们取得了很多成就，但是我们却不能将这些成就传递到最需要它的地方。据世界银行统计数据表明，世界人口的12%一天的生活费不到2美元。
Malnutrition kills more than 3 millions children annually. Three hundred million people are afflicted by Malaria globally. All over the world, we constantly see the problem of poverty, illness and lack of resources impeding the flow scientific information.
每年都有三百万的儿童死于营养不良。全球有三亿的人收到疟疾的影响。在全世界，我们能看到无数的贫困问题，病痛问题以及资源匮乏导致科学信息不流通的问题。
Life-saving knowledge took for granted in our modern world is over-unavailable in the underdeveloped regions. And so, in far to many places, people are still essentially trying to cure a spider bite with fire.
救生知识在现代化的世界是理所当然的，不过在经济欠发达地区却是高不可及的。所以，在许许多多地方，人们还是用火来治疗蜘蛛的咬伤。
While studying at Harvard, I saw how scientific knowledge can help others in simple, in profound ways. The burst through pandemic in 2000 took my village like a spell cast by demons.
在哈佛学习期间，我知道了科学知识是如何用简单的又深刻的方式帮助到其他人的。2000年的一次流感使我的家乡像被恶魔下了诅咒一般。
Our folk medicine didn’t even have half-mattress offer. What’s more, farmers did not know the difference between the common cold and flu. They did not understand that the flu is much more lethal than common cold. Most of all are also unaware that the virus are transmitted by animal species.
我们的民间治疗根本找不到解决办法。更严重的是，农民们不知道普通的感冒和流感之间的区别。他们不明白流感比普通的感冒要致命地多。他们中的大多数人都对病毒在动物种类间的传播没有概念。
So when I realize that simple hygiene practices like separate different animal species could help contain this kind of disease and that I could help this kind of knowledge available to my village.
所以我意识到简单的卫生治疗方法例如将动物隔离可以治疗这种病时，我可以用这种方式让我的家乡更快接受这种科学知识。
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That was my first "aha" moment as a bioscientist. But it was more than that: it was also a vital inflection point of my own ethical development, my own self-understanding as a member of global community.
那是我作为生物科学家的第一次惊叹。不过也不仅仅就此而已：这也是我自身理念提升的至关重要的一个转折，也是关于我作为地球上一员的自我理解的转折。
Harvard dares us to dream big, to aspire, to change the world. Here on this Commencement Day, we are appropriate the thinking of grand destination that wait us .
哈佛鼓励我们有大梦想，去激励我们改变这个世界。在这个毕业日，我们也可以想象等待我们的伟大宏图。
As for me, I am also thinking of the farmers in my village. My experience here reminds me how important it is for researchers to communicate our knowledges, to those who need it. Because by using the science we already have, we can proper my village and thousands like it into the world you and I take for granted every day and that’s an impact every one of us can made.
但是对于我来说，我还在想着我家乡的农民们。我的经历让我意识到，将知识传递给需要的人是多么重要。因为，运用我们所知道的知识，我们可以将知识传递到我的家乡和千万个像我家乡一样的地方带进这个我们在座每个人所习以为常的世界。
But the question is, will we make the effort , or not?
不过问题是，我们会不会尽力呢？
More than ever before, our society emphasized our science and innovation, but an equally important emphasis should on distributing the knowledge we had to those who needed.
很久之前，我们的社会就强调过科学和创新的重要性，但是同等重要的，我们应该强调将这些知识平等地传递给需要它的人的重要性。
Changing the world doesn’t mean that everyone should find the next big thing. It can be a simplest to become a better communicator and find more creative ways to pass on the knowledge we had, to people like my mom and farmers in the local communities.
改变世界并不是说每个人都应该发现下一个伟大的东西。改变世界可以是简单的方式，比如成为一个更好的传播者，发现更多有创造力的传播知识给像我的妈妈和农民这样生活在未工业化地区的人的方式。
Our society also need to recognize that the equal distribution of knowledge is a pivotal step to the human development and we will work to bring this into a reality.
我们的社会也应当明白知识的平衡分布是人类进步不可或缺的一步，这需要我们的努力来实现。
And if we do that, then perhaps a teenager in rural China with a beat by a poisonous spider will no longer burn his hand but will know to see a doctor instead.
如果我们努力了，一个在中国农村的青少年被毒蜘蛛咬了的话，就不用再火疗而是去见医生了。
Thank you !
谢谢！
一年前这段演讲的主角叫何江，一个农民的孩子，1988年出生于湖南农村。
他凭着自己的努力考上了中国科技大学，获得了中科大的最高荣誉奖——郭沫若奖学金，然后进入哈佛大学生物系硕博连读，去年又从几万名哈佛毕业生中脱颖而出，站上了毕业典礼的演讲台。
这是哈佛大学给予毕业生的最高荣誉，何江也成为了首个在哈佛毕业典礼上演讲的华人。
一个是众人学习的榜样，另一个却不被待见，虽然同是名校毕业生但高低立见。
（编辑:xueqi）
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