By Rory Fanning, TomDispatch.com
Ngesonto eledlule, esitolo sezincwadi se-indie esithule enyakatho yeChicago, ngabona ukukhishwa kwakamuva kwe Itshe eligingqikayo ephumule phezu kwetafula lepulasitiki elinombala we-chrome izinyawo ezimbalwa ukusuka ku-barista ephisa i-vanilla latte. Kwana imvula ebandayo yango-Okthoba ngaphandle. Umngane wami walubamba lolu daba waqala ukuluphenya. Yazi ukuthi ngingumakadebona, yathi, “Heyi, ukubonile lokhu?” ekhomba indaba yezindaba ebukeka njenge ad. Ifundeke ngokwengxenye:
“Lolu suku lwamaVeterans, uBruce Springsteen, u-Eminem, uRihanna, uDave Grohl, kanye noMetallica bazoba phakathi kwabaculi abaningi abazobhekisa amabombo eNational Mall eWashington DC ngoNovemba 11th bezobuka i-'The Concert For Valor,' umcimbi ozoba yizihlabani. sihloniphe izinkonzo ezihlomile.”
“Ikhonsathi Ye-Valor? Lokho kuzwakala njengento uhulumeni waseNyakatho Korea azoyihlela,” ngithe ngibhala i-Concertforvalor.com ku-MacBook Pro yami ngifuna ulwazi olwengeziwe.
Umsindo wokuncela ovela kumenzi we-espresso wawuqeda ingoma ye-Shins eneminyaka engu-10 ubudala. Njengoba ngifunda, inhliziyo yami yacwila, amahlombe ami axega.
Izivakashi ezikhethekile eKhonsathini yeValor zizofaka: uMeryl Streep, u-Tom Hanks, no-Steven Spielberg. Inhloso yekhonsathi, ngokusho kuka-a isitatimende sephephandaba, kwakuwukuqwashisa abantu ngezinkinga zomakadebona kanye “nokuhlinzeka inkundla kazwelonke yokuqinisekisa ukuthi omakadebona nemikhaya yabo bayazi ukuthi ukubonga kwabanye baseMelika kuyiqiniso.”
OwayenguNobhala Wezokuvikela u-Robert Gates kanye nowayenguSihlalo we-Joint Chiefs u-Admiral Michael Mullen babezosebenza njengomeluleki, kanti i-Starbucks, i-HBO, no-JPMorgan Chase bekumele bakhokhele konke. "Sizizwa sihloniphekile ngokudlala indima encane ukusiza ukuqwashisa nokusekelwa kwabesilisa nabesifazane bethu," kusho usihlalo we-HBO uRichard Plepler.
Yize ngingakwazanga ukusho ukuthi kungani, leso sikhangiso seKhonsathi ye-Valor sazizwa sikhathele futhi sidangele, ngaphandle kwezithombe zika-Rihanna ecula egcwele umbhobho wegolide kanye no-James Hetfield no-Kirk Hammett be-Metallica bekhala ngeziginci zabo. Ngangithole esami isabelo “sokubonga” kubantu abavamile lapho ngiseyi-US Army Ranger. Ubani owayengazange? Bekuyindikimba engapheli yenkathi yangemva kwe-9/11, yeka indlela abanye abantu baseMelika ababonga ngayo ngokuthi sizokwenza… kahle-hle, yini ngempela, kubo? Nakhu futhi. Angikwazanga ukuzibamba ngizibuza: Ngabe omakadebona kwenye indawo bebengakuzwa ukubonga i-Starbucks ne-HBO abebenethemba lokukudlulisa?
Ngaya ekhaya ngaphekela umkami nentombazanyana ukudla kwakusihlwa becindezelekile, ngicabanga ngalelo gama elithi “ubuqhawe” ebelizoba umnyombo womcimbi futhi ngizibuza ngohlelo lweHholo Lodumo lwamashumi amabili nanye. inkululeko yekhulu leminyaka eyayiyikhuthaza noma ihlela ukuzoyihalalisela: Itshe eligingqikayo, umagazini kaHunter S. Thompson nazo zonke izinto ze-rock and roll; UBruce Springsteen, iqhawe lesigaba sabasebenzi elinezigidigidi; U-Eminem, umrepha omhlophe othengise amarekhodi amaningi kuno-Elvis; I-Metallica, ithimba elamangalela i-Napster kanye nebhendi yensimbi eyayikhethwa yintsha eningi kangaka enezinwele ezinde, eyayingavunyelwe ukuvunyelwa ngeminyaka yawo-1980 kanye nawo-1990. Bonke babezothi “ngiyabonga” - futhi.
Ukukhulisa (Okabani?) Ukuqwashisa
Kamuva ngalobo busuku, ngahlala phansi futhi ngasebenzisa “odokotela bezilwane abahlonishwayo ku-Google.” Amashumi nezindathane zezindaba zibekwe kumugqa ngokushesha esikrinini sami. (Zizame wena.) Enye yezinto zokuqala engichofoze kuzo kwakuwumkhosi wokugubha iminyaka engu-50 Bangor, Maine, yesigameko saseGulf of Tonkin, iPearl Harbor okusolwa ukuthi yeMpi yaseVietnam. Umbusi uPaul LePage wayekhulume ngokukhulu ukushesha ngomakadebona baleyo mpi: “La madoda acelwa nje ukuba aye kwelinye izwe futhi avikele inkululeko yethu. Futhi abazange baphathwe ngenhlonipho lapho bebuyela ekhaya. Manje sekuyisikhathi sokuthi sikuvume lokho.”
IVietnam, wagcizelela, yayimayelana nokuvikela inkululeko - incazelo elula nengenacala yempi ende nesabekayo kangaka. Ukuze ungakhohlwa, umbusi kanye nalabo ababebuthene e-Bangor ngalolo suku babegubha “isigameko” esisacashile esathinta ukwanda okukhulu kwempi yaseMelika. Kuthiwa izikebhe zaseNyakatho neVietnam zazihlasele kabili umbhubhisi waseMelika, nakuba uMongameli uLyndon Johnson kamuva waphakamisa ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi lesi sigameko sasihilela ukudubula "inhlanzi endizayo"Noma"izintambo.” Mayelana nokuvikela inkululeko eVietnam, tshela abaseVietnam abafile "Izindawo zomlilo zamahhala" zaseMelika ngalokho.
Nokho, akekho owayenendaba nemininingwane enjalo. Iphuzu laliwukuthi “ngiyabonga” phakade. Ukube nje, ngangicabanga, intatheli yendawo ethanda ukwazi futhi enesibindi yayibuze umbusi, “Ukuphathwa ngokudelelwa ubani?” Futhi wabonisa inganekwane ngemuva komqondo wokuthi izakhamizi zaseMelika zaziphathe kabi ama-GI abuya eVietnam. (Ngeshwa, okufanayo ngeke kushiwo nge-Veterans Administration, eyenqabela amasosha abuyile ukunakekelwa kwezempilo okufanele, noma amaVeterans of Foreign Wars kanye ne-American Legion, izinhlangano babengamagange ukubiza omakadebona abahluliwe bezwe bempi eyingozi njengabo.)
Uma kukhulunywa ngokubonga kanye “nokuqwashisa abantu,” ayikho impi yaseMelika nomakadebona ophilayo eyayibonakala ikude kakhulu ukuba inganakwa. I-Google ingitshele, isibonelo, lokho Upper Gwynedd, ePennsylvania, yayisanda kugubha “Usuku Lwamasiko Ahlukahlukene” lwaminyaka yonke lwe-12 ngokubonga “Amangqalabutho Empi YaseKorea asekhohliwe.” Ngokombiko wephephandaba lendawo, okufakiwe emikhosini kwakukhona imibukiso yezobuciko kanye nokudansa kwendabuko yaseKorea.
Impi yaseKorea yaba ngumanduleli weVietnam, kwaba nemiphumela efanayo. Njengasesehlakalweni saseGulf of Tonkin, isigameko esishubile sempi eyasungulwa yiNyakatho Korea ngoJuni 25, 1950, sisalokhu sivulekele imibuzo. Ubufakazi buphakamisa ukuthi, ngemvume ye-US, iNingizimu Korea iqalile ukuqhuma kwamabhomu kwamadolobhana aseNyakatho Korea ezinsukwini eziholela ekuhlaselweni. NjengaseVietnam, nalapho, i-US yasekela i-autocrat ekhohlakele futhi yasebenzisa i-napalm ngezinga elikhulu. Kwafa izigidi, kuhlanganise nenani elimangalisayo lezakhamuzi, futhi iNorth Korea yasala iyimvithi ekupheleni kwempi. Umdanso wesintu wawushoda ngempela. Mayelana nokuvikela inkululeko yethu eKorea, sekwanele.
Le micimbi emibili ibonakala ibamba umoya othile (oboniswe kuzinguqulo eziningi ezifanayo, uma kunezinguqulo zakamuva ezifanayo). Bangase bazuze "ekukhuliseni ukuqwashisa" okuncane uma kuziwa kulokho amasosha aseMelika abekwenza ngempela kule minyaka edlule, akusho ukuthi amashumi eminyaka, ngaphesheya kwemingcele yethu. Ngokuqinisekile bafingqa okuningi kokukhungatheka engangikuzwa nge-Concert for Valor. Siyabonga kakhulu, ngokuqinisekile, kodwa awukho umlando uma kufika kulokho ukubonga okwakunikelwa ngakho, yithi, Iraq or Afghanistan, azikho izibalo ezivuliwe amadola abakhokhi bentela bachitha noma lapho beya khona, noma beqhubeka izimpilo ezingenacala zilahlekile futhi kungani.
Ingabe i-“Concert for Valor” izokhuluma ngo izigidigidi zamaRandi kwaqubuka ukwesabisa amazwe amaSulumane ngamafutha, ukuqoqwa kwamaphoyisa kanye nesimo sokuqapha kuleli zwe kusukela ngo-9/11, amakhulu ezinkulungwane yezimpilo ezilahlekile ngenxa yezimpi zikaGeorge W. Bush noBarack Obama? Ngabe ukhona ozonikela kuye ingoma Chelsea Manning, noma John Kiriakou, noma Edward Snowden - ababili babo badonsa kanzima ejele futhi oyedwa ekudingisweni - ngenxa yenkonzo yabo kubantu baseMelika? Ingabe i-Concert for Valor izokwazisa noma ubani uma kufikwa kulokho iqiniso ukuthi, kuze kube namuhla, omakadebona abanakho ukunakwa okufanele, ikakhulukazi ezindabeni zempilo yengqondo, noma ukuthi kukhona a ukuzibulala komakadebona njalo ngemizuzu engama-80 kuleli zwe? Asethembe ukuthi bazothola isikhathi phakathi kwezigubhu ezicula yedwa, kodwa mina ngokwami, angithembele kukho.
Ngiyabonga
Ngenkathi ngihamba nge-Googling, ngabona indaba ehlangene ngoMongameli Obama i-christening umsindo wenkondlo othi "American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial" ngo-Okthoba 5. Lapho, waphawula ngokuhlakanipha ukuthi “i-US akufanele neze igijimele empini.” Nokho, njengoba ekhuluma, Air Force, the Navy, kanye nabasebenzi beSpecial Forces (abagqoka amabhuzu athinta phansi, ngisho nase-Iraq), kanye indlunkulu "I-Big Red One," i-Army's 1st Infantry Division, base bevele bebambe iqhaza empini yakamuva ayeyale mathupha e-Iraq naseSyria, kuyilapho, kunjalo, edlula iCongress.
Ngiyabonga, ngiyabonga, ngiyabonga, ngiyabonga! Damn, ngivotele u-Obama ngoba ethi uzoqeda izimpi zethu zaphesheya. Okungenani akuyena uBush othumela izindiza, ama-drones, imicibisholo, namasosha emuva lapho, ngoba ukube bekunjalo, ngabe ngiyahlanya.
Bese kuba nezindaba eziningi mayelana ne "Honor Flights" exhaswe yiSouthwest Airlines enikeze bonke omakadebona beMpi Yezwe II kanye nomakadebona bempi yakamuva ababegulela ukufa uhambo lwamahhala oluya eWashington "ukuyozindla ngezikhumbuzo zabo" ngaphambi kokuba bafe. Izindiza ezihlonishwayo ziphenduka indlela edume kakhulu yokuhlonipha omakadebona. Amaphepha endawo ku Richfield, Utah, Des Moines, Iowa, Elgin, Ill., I-Austin, eTexas, Miami, Florida, njalonjalo endaweni ngezindawo emigwaqweni emikhulu yezwe baye baqhuba izindaba mayelana “namaqhawe” asedolobheni lasekhaya ashona abambe iqhaza kulezi zindiza, uxhaso olungelutho-kodwa-olungcono kakhulu lwebhizinisi okokugcina “Isizukulwane Esikhulu Kunazo Zonke.”
Imikhosi ethi “Siyakwamukela ekhaya”, enamafulegi, amabhendi okumashayo, ukwanga okusuka enhliziyweni, ukukhala okukhulu, kanye nezingane ezivamile nezingane ezincane eziphuthelwe ngesikhathi sokuvakasha ezindaweni zethu zempi nazo kulula ukuzithola. Ezikrinini ezimbalwa zokuqala i-Google ezinikeze impendulo kunkulumo ethi “umcimbi wokukwamukela ekhaya,” ngithole imigubho evamile yokubonga komakadebona ababuya e-Afghanistan Sioux Falls, eNingizimu Dakota, I-Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, Futhi I-Saint Albans, Vermont, phakathi kwezinye izindawo. “Asibenzeli okwanele omakadebona bethu, lokhu abasenzela kona, siyazizwa izindaba, kodwa ukuba phezulu lapho ensimini, badutshulwe, kwesinye isikhathi bebuya ekhaya bekhubazekile, asiboni ukuthi sinenhlanhla kangakanani. kwesinye isikhathi kufanele sibe nabantu abasebenzele izwe labo,” omunye wababekhona eSaint Albans ucashunwe esho njalo.
“Yenza ngokwanele…?” EMelika, angithi ngiyabonga kakhulu?
Okuxakayo ukuthi, kunzima ukuthola imikhosi yokubonga odokotela bezilwane abaphilayo ababambe iqhaza ekungeneleleni okuncane kweMelika ezindaweni ezifana neDominican Republic, iLebanon, iGrenada, iKosovo, iSomalia, iLibya, kanye nokuketula umbuso okuhleliwe kwe-CIA kanye nezimpi zama-proxy emhlabeni jikelele, kodwa. Ngeke ngimangale uma nazo zikhona. Nokho bengizibuza: Kuthiwani ngawo wonke lawo masosha akwamanye amazwe esiwaqeqeshele ukulwa izimpi zethu ezindaweni ezifana neNingizimu Vietnam, Iraq, kanye ne-Afghanistan? Akufanele yini nabo babongwe? Futhi kuthiwani ngamalungu e-Afghan Mujahedeen esawahlomisa futhi sawaxhasa ngeminyaka yawo-1980 ngenkathi enikeza iSoviet Union eyakhe “iVietnam” (futhi manje alwela i-al-Qaeda, iTaliban, noma ezinye izingubo zamaSulumane ezeqisayo)? Noma kuthiwani ngamasosha ase-Indonesia esasihlome ngaphansi kukamongameli uGerald Ford, enza izenzo zokucekela phansi isizwe okungenzeka ukuthi zazibulala e-East Timor ngo-1975? Noma ingabe amandla ethu okubonga asetshenziselwe ukusiza odokotela bezilwane baseMelika?
Kusukela ngomhlaka-9/11, lezo zokubonga beziqondiswe kumakadebona ngokujwayelekile ukudubula kwezibhamu okungase kuphazamise amaphupho abo. Omakadebona nabo banikezwe ukunakwa okukhethekile uma kukhulunywa ngezicelo ikakhulukazi imisebenzi ephansi ukuze “basebenzise amakhono” abawafunde empini. Yize besaqhubeka nokumasha kuleyo mibukiso eyamukelekile emakhaya futhi benamakhonsathi ahlelelwe ukuhlonipha bona, ukubonga abakushodi. Okuwukuphela kombuzo ongabonakali uvela uthi: Babongwa ngani ngempela?
Amaqhawe Asinika Inkululeko
USihlalo we-Starbucks u-Howard Schultz uthe mayelana nekhonsathi ezayo ye-Valor:
“Iminyaka yangemva kuka-9/11 isilethele isikhathi eside kakhulu sezimpi eziqhubekayo emlandweni wesizwe sethu. Abantu baseMelika abangaphansi kwephesenti elilodwa abazinikele ukukhonza ngalesi sikhathi basinikeze inkululeko emangalisayo - kodwa leyo nkululeko iza nomthwalo wemfanelo wokuqonda ukuzidela kwabo, ukubahlonipha, nokwazisa amakhono nolwazi abalunikezayo lapho buyela ekhaya.”
Kwakuwubuqili bukaSchultz ukuqondisa kabusha leyo lebula yodumo engu-1% evela kwabacebile kakhulu, emelwe ama-CEO afana naye, aye “kumaqhawe” ethu. Ekhonsathini, ngithemba ukuthi u-Schultz uzoba nethuba lokucacisa kabanzi ngalezo “nkululeko emangalisayo.” Ngabe uzosho ukuthi i-US inayo eliphezulu kakhulu ngomuntu ngamunye inani lamajele emhlabeni? Ingabe uhlanganisa phakathi kwaleyo nkululeko ephawulekayo isiqinisekiso sokuthi izinja, ama-Tasers, isisi esikhalisa izinyembezi, namaphoyisa odweshu azothunyelwa ngemva kwakho uma ungadluli kumnyama ukuphikisana ukubulawa kwebhungu eliMnyama elingahlomile ngumuntu omele leli zwe okwandisa impi amaphoyisa? Ingabe inkululeko ibe nkulu kakhulu ukuba ingahluleka futhi kanjalo nokuba nelungelo lokuncibilikisa umnotho futhi hamba ngaphandle kokuya ejele - njengoJamie Dimon, i-CEO ye-Chase, wenza - kungashiwo? Ingabe lezi nkululeko eziphawulekayo zihlanganisa ukuba nazo zonke izingcingo zaseMelika kanye ne-imeyili eqoshiwe futhi agcinwe kude ngabe-NSA?
Futhi kuthiwani ngalelo gama elithi “iqhawe”? Omakadebona abaningi bayayenqaba, futhi hhayi nje ngenxa yesizotha sikaGary Cooperesque. Omakadebona abaningi abake babona ukulwa, babuka izingane zihlukaniswa, noma ozakwabo befela ezingalweni zabo, noma ibutho elinamandla kakhulu eMhlabeni lichitha izigidigidi zamaRandi lilwa nabanye abantu abampofu kakhulu emhlabeni iminyaka engu-13 lizizwa lingamaqhawe. Kodwa lokho akuvimbi ukusetshenziswa kwaleli gama. Ngakho kungani siyisebenzisa? Njengoba intatheli uCara Hoffman eveza ku Salon:
“'[H]ero' ibhekisela kumlingiswa, umlingiswa oyinhloko, into ethile eqanjiwe, hhayi kumuntu, futhi ukusebenzisa leli gama kungalimaza bona kanye abantu elihloselwe ukubancoma. Nakuba ihloselwe ukudala umuzwa wokuhlonipha, ingase futhi ithenge ukuthula, ivimbele izinkulumo, futhi izuzise labo abaphethe ngaphezu kwalabo abazulazula endaweni entsha yekhaya ngemva kokulwa. Uma uyiqhawe, ingxenye yomlingiswa wakho ukuzidela, ukuthula. Lokhu kwenza kube nzima kwabanye ukuthi bakubone njengomuntu onamaphutha, ongumuntu, osengozini noma oxhashazwayo.”
Sisebenzisa igama elithi iqhawe ngokwengxenye ngoba lisenza sizizwe sijabule futhi ngokwengxenye ngoba livala amasosha (okungukuthi, ngikholwa, kwenza sonke sizizwe singcono). Ibhalwe njengeqhawe, futhi kunzima ukucabanga kabili ngokubeka izikhali zakho phansi. Sibonga amaqhawe adikibalisa ukungaboni ngaso linye, okuyisizathu esisodwa sokuthi abaphathi bezempi badle leli gama.
Kunamasosha aseMelika amiswe emhlabeni wonke acabanga ngokufaka isicelo sokwenqaba ukuya empini ngenxa kanembeza (njengoba ngake ngenza), futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngiye ngizwe kwabanye babo. Bavame ukuqonda indlela izenzo zezempi zombuso waseMelika ezisiza ngayo ukudala zona kanye izitha abasuke betshelwa ukuthi bazibulale. Bayaqonda ukuthi izigidigidi zamaRandi ezichithwa empini azisoze zasetshenziselwa imfundo, ukunakekelwa kwezempilo, noma ukuthuthukisa amandla ahlanzekile lapha ekhaya. Bayazi ukuthi balwela ukulawula kweMelika phezu kokugeleza kwezibaseli ezimbiwa phansi kule planethi, ukushiswa kwayo okushisa umhlaba wethu futhi kusongela ukuphila komuntu.
Bese kuba noBruce Springsteen noMetallica bebatshela ukuthi “ngiyabonga” ngokugqoka lowo mfaniswano, ukuthi bangamaqhawe, ukuthi noma yini abayenzayo emazweni akude ngenkathi siqhubeka nempilo yethu lapha akuyona inkinga. Kukhona nethuba lokuthi, ngolunye usuku, wena, umakadebona, ungangeniswa kuleso siteji ngesikhathi sekhonsathi noma enkundleni ngesikhathi somcimbi. i-ballgame ngokubonga esidlangalaleni. Isosha elixabene licabanga kabili.
I-Valor
Ngibuyele kuleso sitolo sezincwadi se-indie ngihlezi etafuleni elifanayo elinombala we-chrome ngizama ukukusheshisa konke lokhu, kuhlanganise nokuhlangenwe nakho kwami ku-Army Rangers, futhi ngiphethe inothi elihle. Ukukhishwa kwakamuva kwe Itshe eligingqikayo kubonakala sengathi iphelile. Ngaphandle kwefasitela, ilanga lilunguza phakathi kwamafu aminyene. Bathengisa iwayini lapha, futhi. Lapho ngiqeda ngokushesha lokhu, ngiqala ngokushesha ukuphuza.
Akubuzwa ukuthi kufanele sihloniphe abantu abalwela ubulungisa nenkululeko. Omakadebona abaningi bangena embuthweni wezempi becabanga ukuthi ngempela basebenzela injongo enhle, futhi akuwona amanga ukusho ukuthi balwela abafowabo nodadewabo kwesokunxele nakwesokudla. Ngeshwa, izinhloso ezinhle kulesi sigaba azinakuthatha indawo yepolitiki enhle. Impi yobushokobezi izongena onyakeni wayo we-14. Uma ngempela ufuna ukukhuluma “ngokuqwashisa,” sekudlule iminyaka isikhathi lapho noma ubani lapha kufanele akwazi ukwenza sengathi izingane zethu ezineminyaka engu-18 zizobulala futhi zife ngesizathu esihle. Kuthiwani ngamakhonsathi ambalwa ukwenza lelo phuzu?
Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, ngizophuza iwayini futhi ngizame ukujabulela umculo ngenxa yomsindo womshini we-espresso.
U-Rory Fanning wanqamula i-United States wePat Tillman Foundation ngo-2008-2009, kulandela ukuthunyelwa kabili e-Afghanistan ne-2nd Army Ranger Battalion. UFanning waba owenqaba ukuya empini ngenxa kanembeza ngemva kohambo lwakhe lwesibili. Ungumbhali wencwadi entsha Ukulwa Okufanelekayo: Ukuhamba Kokulwa Kwezempi Ukuphuma Kwezempi NaseMelika (I-Haymarket, i-2014).
Landela i-TomDispatch ku-Twitter bese ujoyine nathi Facebook. Bheka iDispatch Book entsha, kaRebecca Solnit Amadoda Chaza Izinto Ngami, futhi u-Tom Engelhardt usanda kushicilelwa I-Shadow Government: Ukuqapha, Impi Yezimfihlo, ne-Global Security State ezweni elilodwa elinamandla.
I-copyright 2014 i-Rory Fanning
