TEDxMuncyStatePrison
The Lady Lifers: A moving song from women in prison for life
無期徒刑女受刑人: 來自無期徒刑女受刑人的動人歌曲
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本合唱團九名女士均被判處無期徒刑。她們藉著一首動人歌曲，分享其心聲——這首歌表露了她們的希望、遺憾和恐懼。「我不是天使，」其中一位唱到，「但我也不是惡魔。」這場表演是一場獨立的TEDx活動，在曼西州立監獄內錄影，讓我們有罕見的機會從假釋無望的受刑人身上，看到其內心辛酸的一面。
The Lady Lifers - Inmates
A life sentence in Pennsylvania means exactly that; there is no possibility of parole. These women, all of whom have served decades in prison, sing about their lives on the inside. Full bio
A life sentence in Pennsylvania means exactly that; there is no possibility of parole. These women, all of whom have served decades in prison, sing about their lives on the inside. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
(Music)
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（音樂）
00:17
Dannielle Hadley: Life
in Pennsylvania means just that:
in Pennsylvania means just that:
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Dannielle Hadley：
在賓夕法尼亞州(監獄)的人生就意味著：
在賓夕法尼亞州(監獄)的人生就意味著：
00:22
life without the possibility of parole.
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無法假釋的人生。
00:26
For us lifers,
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對我們這些「無期徒刑人」
00:28
as we call ourselves,
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這是我們對自己的叫法
00:30
our only chance for release
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我們獲釋的唯一機會
00:32
is through commutation,
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是減刑
00:34
which has only been granted
to two women since 1989,
to two women since 1989,
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可是，自1989年以來，
只有兩名女性獲得減刑
只有兩名女性獲得減刑
00:39
close to 30 years ago.
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那差不多是30年前的事
00:42
Our song, "This Is Not Our Home,"
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我們以歌曲「這不是我們的家」
00:45
it tells of our experiences
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訴說我們的心聲，
00:47
while doing life without
the possibility of parole.
the possibility of parole.
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一個無法假釋的人生。
00:53
(Music)
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（音樂）
01:12
Brenda Watkins: I'm a woman.
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Brenda Watkins：我是一名女性
01:15
I'm a grandmother.
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我是一位祖母
01:18
I'm a daughter.
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我是一位女兒
01:21
I have a son.
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我有一個兒子
01:24
I'm not an angel.
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我不是天使
01:26
I'm not the devil.
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我不是惡魔
01:29
I came to jail
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我來到監獄時
01:32
when I was so young.
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還是那麼年輕
01:42
I spend my time here
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我的時間耗在這裡
01:47
inside these prison walls.
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在這監獄牆內
01:53
Lost friends to death,
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失去過一些朋友，她們在此過世
01:56
saw some go home.
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也看過一些朋友，她們最後回家
02:03
Watch years pass,
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眼看年華逝去
02:07
people come and go,
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人來人往
02:11
while I do life without parole.
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而我在這裡過著
假釋無望的人生
假釋無望的人生
02:25
I am a prisoner
for the wrong I've done.
for the wrong I've done.
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我是做過錯事的受刑人
02:30
I'm doing time here.
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我在這裡受刑
02:33
This is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
02:35
Dream of freedom, hope for mercy.
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夢想著自由，期待著慈悲
02:40
Will I see
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我會見到
02:44
my family
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我的家人
02:48
or die alone?
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還是孤獨老死？
02:58
As the years go by,
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年復一年
03:02
I hold back my tears,
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我止住了淚水
03:07
because if I cry I'd give in to fear.
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因為我一哭，就會向恐懼屈服
03:16
I must be strong, have to hold on.
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我必須堅強，必須堅持
03:24
Gotta get through
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必須熬過
03:28
another year.
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另一年
03:32
I am a prisoner
for the wrong I've done.
for the wrong I've done.
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我是做過錯事的受刑人
03:37
I'm doing time here.
This is not my home.
This is not my home.
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我在這裡受刑
這裡不是我的家
這裡不是我的家
03:41
Dream of freedom, hope for mercy.
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夢想著自由，期待著慈悲
03:46
Will I see
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我會見到
03:51
my family
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我的家人
03:54
or die alone?
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還是孤獨老死？
04:04
I'm not saying that I'm not guilty,
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我不是說我沒罪
04:08
I'm not saying that I shouldn't pay.
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我不是說我無需付出代價
04:13
All I'm asking is for forgiveness.
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我想要的只是原諒
04:16
Gotta have hope I'll be free someday.
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必須抱著希望，某天我會重獲自由
04:28
Is there a place for me
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是否有我容身之地
04:34
in the world out there?
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在外面世界某處？
04:38
Will they ever know or care
that I'm chained?
that I'm chained?
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外面到底有沒有人
知道、或關心我在此受刑？
知道、或關心我在此受刑？
04:47
Is there redemption for the sin
of my younger days?
of my younger days?
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我年輕時所犯的罪孽
能否一一償還？
能否一一償還？
04:54
Because I've changed.
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因為我已經變了
04:58
Lord knows I've changed.
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上天知道我已經變了
05:02
I am a prisoner
for the wrong I've done.
for the wrong I've done.
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我是做過錯事的受刑人
05:07
I'm doing time here.
This is not my home.
This is not my home.
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我在這裡受刑
這裡不是我的家
這裡不是我的家
05:10
Dream of freedom, hope for mercy.
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夢想著自由，期待著慈悲
05:15
Will I see
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我會見到
05:19
my family
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我的家人
05:22
or die alone?
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還是孤獨老死？
05:31
Will I see
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我會見到
05:35
my family
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我的家人
05:38
or die alone?
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還是孤獨老死？
05:48
I'm known to you as Inmate 008106.
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對你來說，我是受刑人008106
05:54
Incarcerated 29 years.
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已被監禁29年
05:57
My name is Brenda Watkins.
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我的名字是Brenda Watkins
05:59
I was born and raised
in Hoffman, North Carolina.
in Hoffman, North Carolina.
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我出生長大在
北卡羅來納州的霍夫曼鎮
北卡羅來納州的霍夫曼鎮
06:03
This is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
06:06
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
06:12
Thelma Nichols: Inmate number 0B2472.
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Thelma Nichols：受刑人編號0B2472
06:15
I've been incarcerated for 27 years.
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我已被監禁27年
06:19
My name is Thelma Nichols.
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我的名字是Thelma Nichols
06:21
I was born and raised
in Philadelphia, P.A.
in Philadelphia, P.A.
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我出生成長在賓州費城
06:24
This is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
06:26
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
06:31
DH: 008494.
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Dannielle Hadley：008494
06:34
I've been incarcerated for 27 years.
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我已被監禁27年
06:37
My name is Dannielle Hadley.
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我的名字是Dannielle Hadley
06:39
I was born and raised
in Philadelphia, P.A,
in Philadelphia, P.A,
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我出生成長在賓州費城
06:42
and this is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
06:45
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
06:50
Theresa Battles: Inmate 008309.
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Theresa Battles：受刑人008309
06:55
I've been incarcerated for 27 years.
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我已被監禁27年
06:59
My name is Theresa Battles.
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我的名字是Theresa Battles
07:01
I'm from Norton, New Jersey,
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我來自新澤西州的諾頓鎮
07:04
and this is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
07:08
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
07:13
Debra Brown: I am known as Inmate 007080.
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Debra Brown：我是受刑人007080
07:18
I've been incarcerated for 30 years.
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我已被監禁30年
07:21
My name is Debra Brown.
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我的名字是Debra Brown
07:23
I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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我來自賓夕法尼亞州的匹茲堡
07:26
This is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
07:28
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
07:32
Joann Butler: 005961.
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Joann Butler：005961
07:36
I've been incarcerated for 37 years.
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我已被監禁37年
07:41
My name is Joann Butler,
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我的名字是Joann Butler
07:43
and I was born and raised in Philadelphia.
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我出生成長在費城
07:47
This is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
07:49
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
07:56
Diane Hamill Metzger: Number 005634.
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Diane Hamill Metzger：編號005634
07:59
I've been incarcerated for 39
and one half years.
and one half years.
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我已被監禁39年半
08:02
My name is Diane Hamill Metzger.
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我的名字是Diane Hamill Metzger
08:06
I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
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我來自賓夕法尼亞州的費城
08:08
and this is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
08:10
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
08:16
Lena Brown: I am 004867.
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Lena Brown：我是004867
08:19
Incarcerated 40 years.
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我已被監禁40年
08:22
My name is Lena Brown,
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我的名字是Lena Brown
08:23
and I was born and raised
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
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我出生成長在
賓夕法尼亞州的匹茲堡
賓夕法尼亞州的匹茲堡
08:26
and this is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
08:29
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
08:35
Trina Garnett: My number is 005545.
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Trina Garnett：我的編號005545
08:43
My name is Trina Garnett,
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我的名字是Trina Garnett
08:46
I've been incarcerated for 37 years,
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我已被監禁37年
08:51
since I was 14 years old.
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進來時我才14歲
08:55
Born and raised in Chester, Pennsylvania,
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出生成長在賓夕法尼亞州的切斯特鎮
08:58
and this is not my home.
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這裡不是我的家
09:01
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
09:12
Will I see
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我會見到
09:17
my family
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我的家人
09:21
or die alone?
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還是孤獨老死？
09:25
Or die alone?
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還是孤獨老死？
09:29
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
The Lady Lifers - InmatesA life sentence in Pennsylvania means exactly that; there is no possibility of parole. These women, all of whom have served decades in prison, sing about their lives on the inside.
Why you should listen
“I’m a woman, I’m a grandmother, I’m a daughter, I have a son,” sings Brenda Watkins, lead vocalist for The Lady Lifers. “I’m not an angel, I’m not the devil. I came to jail when I was so young.”
The Lady Lifers are a chorus of women serving life sentences in Muncy State Prison in Pennsylvania. While they are often known by their inmate numbers, they also have names: Brenda Watkins, Dannielle Hadley, Debra Lee Brown, Theresa Battles, Diane Metzger, Thelma Nichols, Joann Butler, Lena Brown, Trina Garnett, Naomi Blount. Together, they sing about their hopes and fears, including the very real possibility that they may die alone in prison.
The words to their song “This is Not My Home” by Howard Woodring. Music by Naomi Blount.
The Lady Lifers | Speaker | TED.com