Ndinoyeuka kuti, muzvitangwena zveBrooklyn muma 1930, baba vangu naamai, munguva dzokupererwa nezano rose, vakatendeukira kuvaponesi: mutengesi wepakona, uyo akapa mbiri kupfurikidza nokunyora zvakatengwa zvezuva racho papepa rakapetwa; chiremba ane mutsa aindirapa makore asingabhadharisi; Sekuru Phil, avo vakapiwa rezinesi rechitoro chenhau, avo vakatikweretesa mari patainetseka kubhadhara rendi.
Phil nababa vangu vaiva vaviri vehama ina, vaJudha vakabva kuAustria, vakauya munyika iyi Hondo Yenyika Yokutanga isati yatanga uye vakashanda pamwe chete mumafekitari eNew York. Baba vangu, vachitarisa kutiza fekitori, vakava mutarisiri, kunyanya pamichato, dzimwe nguva mumaresitorendi, uye nhengo yeLocal 2 yeWaiters Union. Nepo mubatanidzwa waidzora zvakasimba kuva nhengo yawo, paManheru eMakore Idzva, paidiwa vamwe vashandi, vanakomana venhengo, vainzi “vaduku,” vaishanda pamwe chete nemadzibaba avo, uye ini ndakaitawo saizvozvo.
Ndakavenga nguva yose zvayo. Tuxedo yeweta isingakodzeri, yakakweretwa kubva kuna baba vangu, maoko mapfupi zvisingaite (baba vangu vaive nemafiti mashanu-shanu uye pagumi nematanhatu ini ndaiva tsoka matanhatu). Mabatiro aiita maboss vaya vakadyiswa mapapiro ehuku vasati vabuda kunopa vaenzi nyama yakagochwa nefilet mignon. Wese munhu akapfeka mapfekero ake anoyevedza, akapfeka ngowani dzakapusa, achiimba “Auld Lang Syne” sezvo Gore Idzva rakatanga uye ini ndakamira ipapo ndakapfeka hembe dzeweta wangu, ndichiona baba vangu, chiso chavo chakapfava, vachichenesa matafura avo, vasinganzwi mufaro pakuuya kweiyo. Goredzva.
Baba vangu vainzi Eddie. Mumakore okuora mwoyo, michato yakaparara, pakanga pasina basa shoma, uye akaneta nokurembera pedyo nehoro yomubatanidzwa, achitamba makadhi, achimirira basa. Saka akazova, panguva dzakasiyana, muchenesi wemahwindo, mutengesi wemotokari, mutengesi wemumugwagwa wemitsipa, mushandi weWPA muCentral Park. Semuchenesi wemahwindo, rimwe zuva bhandi rake rinomutsigira rakadambuka uye akadonha pamanera pamasitepisi ekongiri epasuo renjanji. Akanga azvikuvadza zvakanyanya. Amai vangu vaisamubvumira kuti achenese mafafitera zvakare.
Upenyu hwake hwose akashanda nesimba kuti awane zvishoma. Ini ndagara ndisingadi kutaura kwevezvematongerwo enyika, vatauri venhau, uye vakuru vemakambani vakataura nezvekuti, muAmerica, kana ukashanda nesimba, ungave mupfumi. Ndakaziva kuti idzi dzaive nhema, pamusoro pababa vangu nemamiriyoni evamwe vaishanda nesimba kupfuura chero ani zvake. Amai vangu vaishanda uye vaishanda vasingawani muripo. Akanga akurira kuSiberia.
Baba vangu pavaishanda maawa avo pabasa, vaishanda zuva rese nehusiku hwese, vachitarisira mhuri, kutsvaga chikafu, kubika nekuchenesa, kuendesa vana kuna chiremba kana kukiriniki yechipatara nekuda kwegwirikwiti nemapundu uye chikosoro nematonsi uye chero chakabuda. Uye kutarisira mari yemhuri. Baba vangu vakanga vane dzidzo yegiredhi rechina uye vaisagona kurava zvakawanda kana kuti masvomhu akawanda. Akanga aenda kugiredhi rechinomwe, asi njere dzake dzaipfuura ipapo; akanga ari huchenjeri uye simba remhuri.
Taigara mumatende akatevedzana, dzimwe nguva makamuri mana, dzimwe nguva matatu. Dzimwe nguva dzechando taigara muchivako chaidziya. Dzimwe nguva, taigara mune yainzi “imba inotonhorera”—pasina kupisa kwemoto kunze kwechitofu chemarasha mukicheni. Hapana mvura inopisa kunze kweyatakabika pachitofu chimwechetecho. Yakanga iri hondo nguva dzose kubhadhara mabhiri. Ndaidzoka kumba ndichibva kuchikoro muchando, zuva richinyura kuma4, ndowana pamba pakasviba—Kambani yeMagetsi yakanga yadzima magetsi, uye amai vangu vanenge vakagara, vachiruka nemwenje wekenduru.
Pakanga pasina firiji, asi bhokisi reaizi, iro taienda ku“chando” totenga chidimbu cheaizi yemasendi mashanu kana gumi. Munguva yechando bhokisi remapuranga rakazorora pahwindo kunze kwehwindo, richishandisa zvakasikwa kuchengetedza zvinhu zvinotonhora. Kwakanga kusina mvura, asi tabhu yokugezera yaiva mukicheni yakanga iri tabhu yedu yokugezera.
Isu vakomana vana takakura tose—tairara vaviri kana vatatu pamubhedha, mumakamuri ane rima uye asingakoki. Saka ndaipedza nguva yakawanda ndiri mumugwagwa kana muchivanze chechikoro, ndichitamba bhora remaoko, nhabvu, softball, stickball, kana kuti ndichidzidza zvetsiva kubva kumukomana wemunharaunda akanga agadzira Golden Gloves uye akanga ari shanduro yedu yemukurumbira.
Kubva ndiine makore masere ndaiverenga chero mabhuku andaiwana. Chekutanga ndakanhonga mumugwagwa. Mapeji ekutanga akabviswa, asi izvo hazvina basa. Yaiva Tarzan uye Zvishongo zveOpar uye kubva ipapo ndaiva mutsigiri waEdgar Rice Burroughs, kwete mabhuku ake eTarzan chete asi mamwe mafungiro ake: Chessmen yeMars, nezvenzira iyo hondo dzakarwiwa nayo nevaMartians, nevarwi, netsoka kana kuti pamabhiza, vachitamba mitambo yechess; Musoro Wenyika, pamusoro pebudiriro yechienzi iri pakati penyika.
Kuverenga Dickens
Pandaiva nemakore gumi, the New York Post yakapa seti yemabasa akazara aCharles Dickens (wavasina kumbonzwa nezvake, hongu). Nokushandisa makuponi akachekwa mupepanhau, vaigona kuwana vhoriyamu vhiki yoga yoga nemapeni mashoma. Saka vakanyoresa, nokuti vaiziva kuti ndaifarira kuverenga. Uye saka ndakaverenga Dickens munhevedzano yatakagamuchira mabhuku, kutanga David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, Zvikuru Zvinotarisirwa, The Pickwick Papers, Hard Times, A Tale of Two Cities, nevamwe vose, kusvikira makuponi apera uye neniwo ndakanga ndaneta. Ndakashaya kuti Dickens anopinda papi munhoroondo yezvinyorwa zvemazuva ano nokuti ndiye chete wandaiziva nezvemabhuku iwayo. Chandaiziva ndechekuti aindimutsa manyawi. Kutanga, hasha dzesimba risingabvumirwi rakazvitutumadza nepfuma ndokuchengetwa munzvimbo nomutemo. Asi zvikuru kwazvo tsitsi huru kuvarombo. Ndaisazviona ndiri murombo semurombo waOliver Twist. Handina kuziva kuti nyaya yake yainge yandibaya moyo nekuti hupenyu hwake hwakandibata.
Kwemakore angu gumi nematatu ekuzvarwa vabereki vangu, vachiziva kuti ndainyora zvinhu mumabhuku ekunyorera, vakanditengera tapureta yakavakwa patsva yeUnderwood. Yakauya nebhuku rekudzidzira rekudzidzira kubata hurongwa, uye munguva pfupi ndakanga ndichinyora mabhuku ekuongorora kwezvose zvandaiverenga uye kuzvichengeta mudhirowa rangu. Handina kumbovaratidza chero munhu.
Kubva pazera ramakore 14 ndaiva namabasa apashure pechikoro neemuchirimo—kuendesa mbatya dze dry cleaner, ndichishanda somushambadzi panhandare yegorofu muQueens. Ndakabatsirawo muzvitoro zvinotevedzana zvezvihwitsi zvakatengwa nevabereki vangu mukuedza kukuru kuti vawane mari inokwana kuti baba vangu vagorega kuva weta.
Ndinoyeuka yekupedzisira yeaya mamiriro ezvitoro zveswiti, uye zvaive zvakajairika. Isu vatanhatu taigara pamusoro pechitoro mufurati ine makamuri mana mune imwe imba ine tsvina yekare ine nhurikidzwa shanu munaBushwick Avenue muBrooklyn. Mugwagwa waigara uzere noupenyu, kunyanya muchirimo nechirimo, apo munhu wose aiita seari kunze: vatana vakagara pazvigaro, vanaamai vakabata vacheche vavo, pwere dzichitamba bhora, “varume vakuru” vachikanda nzombe, vachinyengedza vasikana.
Ndinonyanya kuyeuka nguva iyoyo nokuti ndaiva nemakore 17 uye ndakanga ndatanga kufarira zvematongerwo enyika. Ndaiverenga mabhuku anotaura nezveFascism muEurope. George Seldes Sawdust Kesari, nezvokubvuta kwaMussolini simba muItaly, zvakandifadza. Handina kukwanisa kubuda mupfungwa dzangu ushingi hweMutevedzeri weSocialist Matteotti, uyo akazvidza Mussolini uye akazvuzvurudzwa kubva kumba kwake ndokuurayiwa nematsotsi ane hembe dzebrown.
Ndakaverenga chimwe chinhu chinonzi Bhuku reBrown reNazi Terror, iyo yakarondedzera zvakanga zvichiitika muGermany mukutonga kwaHitler. Raiva dhirama raipfuura chero chinhu chingafungwa nemunyori wemitambo kana munyori wemabhuku. Uye zvino mauto eNazi akanga ava kutanga kufamba: kupinda muRhineland, Austria, uye Czechoslovakia. Mapepanhau neredhiyo zvakange zvakazara nemufaro: Chamberlain akasangana naHitler kuMunich, kamwe kamwe, kunoshamisa, kunoshamisa chibvumirano chevasiri vavengi vaviri, Soviet Russia neNazi Germany. Uye pakupedzisira, kupinda kwePoland uye kutanga kweHondo Yenyika II.
Hondo Yenyika muSpain
Hondo Yavagari Vemo muSpain, yakanga ichangobva kupera norukundo rwomukuru mukuru wechiFascist Franco, yakaratidzika kuva chiitiko chiri pedyo zvikuru nesu tose, nemhaka yokuti zviuru zvinoverengeka zvevanyanyisi vokuAmerica—makomonisiti, vesoshashari, vashori—vakanga vayambuka Atlantic kuti varwe nehurumende youtongi hwehurumende yeSpain. Mumwe wechiduku, aitamba nhabvu yomumugwagwa nesu—mupfupi uye mutete, mumhanyi anomhanya zvikuru munharaunda yacho, akanyangarika. Mwedzi yakati gare gare, shoko rakauya kwatiri: Jerry akaenda kuSpain kunorwa naFranco.
PaBushwick Avenue, pakati pevatambi vebasketball nevatauri vomumugwagwa, pakanga pane mamwe macommunist maduku, aiva vakuru kwandiri nemakore mashomanana. Vaiva namabasa, asi pashure pebasa uye pakupera kwevhiki vaiparadzira mabhuku echiMarxist munharaunda yacho, uye vakataura zvematongerwe enyika kusvikira usiku nomunhu upi noupi aifarira.
Ndaifarira. Ndaiverenga zvaiitika munyika. Ndakakakavadzana nevakomana vechikominisiti. Kunyanya nezve kurwisa kweRussia kuFinland. Vakasimbirira kuti zvakanga zvakakodzera kuti Soviet Union izvidzivirire pakurwiswa kweramangwana, asi kwandiri chakanga chiri chiito choutsinye chokurwisa nyika duku, uye hapana chimwe chezvikonzero zvavo zvakanyatsorongwa chakandinyengetedza.
Kunyange zvakadaro, ndakabvumirana navo pazvinhu zvakawanda. Vakanga vasingadi-chiFascist zvine utsinye, ndakashatirwa sezvandaiita pamusoro pekusiyana kweupfumi nehurombo muAmerica. Ndakavayemura—vairatidzika kuva vaiziva zvakawanda zvikuru pamusoro pezvamatongerwe enyika, zvoupfumi, zvakanga zvichiitika kwose kwose munyika. Uye vakanga vakashinga—ndakanga ndavaona vachizvidza mapurisa omunzvimbomo akaedza kuvadzivisa kuparadzira mabhuku mumugwagwa, kana kuti kugura mapfundo avo ekurukurirano. Kunze kwezvo, vaive vakomana venguva dzose, vatambi vakanaka.
Rimwe zuva muchirimo vakandibvunza kana ndaida kuenda navo ku“kuenzanisira” manheru iwayo. Ndakanga ndisati ndambosvika kuchinhu chakadaro. Ndakaita tuzvikonzero kuvabereki vangu uye boka redu rakatora chitima chepasi pevhu kuenda kuTimes Square. Patakasvika, aingova manheru chaiwo muTimes Square—migwagwa yakazara vanhu, mwenje ichipenya. “Kuratidzira kuri kupi,” ndakabvunza shamwari yangu Leon. “Mira,” akadaro. "Ten o'clock." Takaramba tichifamba pakati pemhomho yevanhu.
Sezvo wachi yaiva pashongwe yakarova gumi, mamiriro ezvinhu akachinja. Mukati meboka revanhu, mireza yakazarurwa, uye vanhu, zvichida chiuru kana kupfuura, vakaita mitsetse yakatakura mireza nezviratidzo uye vachiimba mashoko pamusoro porugare neruramisiro nezvimwe zvikonzero gumi nezviviri zvezuva racho. Zvaifadza uye zvisingatyisidziri. Vanhu vese ava vairamba vachienda kunzira, vasingavharidzi traffic, vachifamba mumitsara yakarongeka, isina mhirizhonga kuburikidza neTimes Square. Shamwari yangu neni takanga tichifamba shure kwevakadzi vaviri vakatakura mureza, uye iye akati: “Ngativasunungurirei.” Saka isu tose takapedza banner. Ndakanzwa kunge Charlie Chaplin ari mukati Mazuvano, paakangonhonga mureza mutsvuku akaerekana awana vanhu zviuru vachifora kumashure kwake vakasimudza zvibhakera. Takanzwa masairini, uye ndakafunga: panofanira kuva nemoto pane imwe nzvimbo, tsaona yorudzi rwakati. Asi ndakazonzwa mhere mhere ndikaona mazana emapurisa, akanga akatasva mabhiza, uye netsoka, achipinda mumitsetse yevanhu vaifora, achipwanya vanhu netsvimbo.
Ndakashamisika. Iyi yakanga iri America, nyika umo, pasinei nekukanganisa kwayo, vanhu vaigona kutaura, kunyora, kuungana, kuratidza pasina kutya. Yakanga iri muBumbiro reMitemo, Bhiri reKodzero. Takanga tine demokrasi. Mumasekonzi mashoma, ndakasvetwa nomumwe murume muhombe, akandibata bendekete, ndokundirova zvakasimba. Ndakangoona blur. Ndakanga ndisingazivi kuti yaiva shamhu here kana kuti chibhakera kana kuti blackjack, asi ndakarohwa ndikafenda.
Ndakazopepuka ndiri pamusuwo zvichida papera hafu yeawa. Ndakanga ndisingazivi kuti nguva yakanga yafamba sei, asi chaiva chiitiko chinotyisa chandakamuka. Pakanga pasina kuratidzira kwaiitika, pasina mapurisa aionekwa, shamwari yangu Leon akanga aenda, uye Times Square yakanga yakazadzwa nechaunga chayo chenguva dzose choMugovera usiku—sokunge pasina chakanga chaitika, sokunge kwakanga kuri kurota kwose. Asi ndaiziva kuti kwaisava kurota. Padivi pemusoro wangu paiva nebundu rairwadza.
Zvinotonyanya kukosha ndezvokuti, mumusoro mangu maiva nepfungwa yairwadza zvikuru: macommunist maduku aya aiva pabhuroko racho akanga akarurama. Nyika nemapurisa ayo vaive vasiri vatsigiri vekwavakarerekera munharaunda yezvido zvinopokana. Vakanga vari kudivi ravapfumi nevane simba. Kutaura kwakasununguka? Edzai, uye mapurisa anenge aripo nemabhiza avo, tsvimbo dzavo, nepfuti, kuti akumisei.
Kubva panguva iyoyo zvichienda mberi, ndakanga ndisisiri munhu akasununguka, mutendi mukuzviruramisa hunhu hwedemocracy yeAmerica. Ndakanga ndiri munhu anonyanyisa, ndichidavira kuti chimwe chinhu chinokosha chakanga chisina kururama munyika ino—kwete bedzi kuvapo kwourombo pakati pepfuma huru, kwete bedzi kubatwa kwakashata kwavanhu vatema, asi chimwe chinhu chakaora pamidzi. Mugariro wacho waida kwete bedzi purezidhendi mutsva, kana kuti mitemo mitsva, asi kudzurwa kwenhevedzano yekare, kutangwa kwenzanga itsva—inobatira pamwe, ine rugare, inoenzana.
Ndisisiri Munhu Akasununguka, Ndakanga Ndiri Munhu Akasimba
Pamwe ndiri kuwedzeredza kukosha kwechiitiko chimwe chete ichocho, asi handifungi kudaro. Ndasvika pakutenda kuti hupenyu hwedu hunogona kuchinjirwa kune rimwe divi; pfungwa dzedu dzinotora imwe nzira yokufunga, neimwe chiitiko chinokosha, kunyange chiduku. Kutenda ikoko kunogona kutyisa, kana kuti kunakidza, zvichienderana nokuti unongozvifungisisa here kana kuti kuita chimwe chinhu nazvo.
Makore anotevera chiitiko ichocho muTimes Square anganzi “makore angu echikomonisiti.” Izvozvo zvingava nyore kusanzwisisa nokuti shoko rokuti "communist" rinobatanidza Joseph Stalin uye gulags yerufu nekutambudzwa, kunyangarika kwekutaura kwakasununguka, mamiriro ekutya uye kudedera akagadzirwa muSoviet Union, hurumende yakaipa iyo yakatora makore makumi manomwe, vachinyepedzera kuva "socialism."
Hapana chimwe chazvo chakanga chiri mundangariro kana kuti vavariro dzavanhu vaduku vanoshanda vandaiziva avo vaizviti “makomonisiti.” Chokwadi kwete mupfungwa dzangu. Zvishoma zvaizivikanwa nezveSoviet Union, kunze kwemufananidzo werudo, wakafarirwa nevanhu vakaita semuongorori wezvechitendero wechiRungu, Dean weCanterbury. Mubhuku rake Simba reSoviet, rakaparadzirwa zvakafara nesangano rechikomonisiti, iye akapa vanoomerera pakuodzwa mwoyo necapitalism chiono chavaishuva: chenzvimbo umo nyika yakanga iri ya“vanhu,” umo munhu ari wose akanga ane basa netarisiro youtano yapachena, uye vakadzi vaiva nemikana yakaenzana nevarume, uye vakadzi vaiva nemikana yakaenzana nevarume, uye vakadzi vakanga vane mikana yakaenzana nevarume. uye mazana emarudzi akasiyana-siyana akabatwa noruremekedzo.
ISoviet Union yaive iyi yerudo blur, kure kure. Chakanga chiri pedyo, chichioneka, ndechekuti macommunist ndivo vaitungamira mukuronga vanhu vanoshanda munyika yose. Ndivo vaive vakashinga zvakanyanya, vaiisa pangozi kusungwa uye kurohwa kuronga vashandi vemotokari muDetroit, vashandi vesimbi muPittsburgh, vashandi vemicheka muNorth Carolina, vashandi vemvere nematehwe muNew York, marefu mashore kuWest Coast. Vakanga vari vokutanga kutaura, kupfuura izvozvo, kuratidzira, kuzvisungirira kumagedhi efekitari uye White House fenzi, apo vanhu vatema vakanga vachirovererwa muSouth, apo "Scottsboro Boys" vakanga vachiendeswa kujeri muAlabama.
Mufananidzo wangu we“mukomonisiti” wakanga usiri mukuru wehurumende yeSoviet, asi baba veshamwari yangu Leon, mutyairi wekombi akauya kumba achibva kubasa akuvadzwa uye aine ropa rimwe zuva, arohwa nezvidhoma zvomushandirwi wake (hungu, shoko iroro rakakurumidza kuva rutivi rwemashoko angu) nokuda kwekuedza kuronga vamwe vake vatyairi vekombi mumubatanidzwa.
Munhu wese aiziva kuti macommunist vaive vekutanga anti-fascists, vachipokana nekurwisa kwaMussolini kuEthiopia uye kutambudza maJuda kwaHitler. Uye, zvinoorora zvikurusa, akanga ari macommunist, zviuru zvavo, avo vakazvipira kundorwa muSpain, muAbraham Lincoln Brigade, kuti vabatane navazvipiri vanobva kumativi ose enyika kuti vadzivirire Madrid navanhu veSpain kurwisana neuto rechiFascist raFrancisco. Franco, iyo yakapiwa zvombo uye ndege neGermany neItaly.
Uyezve, vamwe vevanhu vakanakisisa munyika vakanga vakabatana nesangano ramakomonisiti neimwe nzira; paive nemagamba nemagamba munhu aigona kuyemura. Paive naPaul Robeson, muimbi anoshamisa-mutambi-mumhanyi, ane izwi rakanaka raigona kuzadza Madison Square Garden, achipopotera kusarongeka kwemarudzi, kupokana nehufashi. Uye nhamba dzezvinyorwa (vasiri Theodore Dreiser naWEB Dubois macommunist?), uye vane tarenda, vane hunyanzvi hwemagariro evatambi vekuHollywood nevanyori nevatungamiriri (hongu, "The Hollywood Ten," vakaendeswa pamberi pedare reCongress, vachidzivirirwa naHumphrey Bogart nevamwe vazhinji. )
Chokwadi, musangano iroro, somune rimwe ripi zvaro, waigona kuona kururama kunotungamirira kudzidziso yokudavira dzidziso, denderedzwa rakapfigwa repfungwa dzisingapindiki nokupokana, kusashivirira kwokupokana kwevanhu vaitambudzwa zvikuru nevashori. Asi, zvisinei, zvisina kukwana, kunyange zvinosemesa, aive mamwe marongero, zvimwe zviito, kwakaramba kuchena kweiyo yakanaka, inomiririrwa mudzidziso dzaKarl Marx, uye miono yakanaka yevazhinji vadiki vanofunga nevanyori. Ndinorangarira kuverenga kwangu kwekutanga kwe Manifesto yeCommunist, izvo Marx naEngels vakanyora apo ivowo vakanga vari vaduku vane mirangariro yamasimba masimba—Marx akanga ane makore 30, Engels 28. Kunzvera kwavo capitalism kwakanga kune mufungo, nhau yahwo yokushandisa zvisina kufanira, kusika kwayo pfuma yakanyanyisa nourombo, kunyange mu“democracy” yakasununguka yenyika ino. . Uye chiono chavo chesocialist chakanga chisiri choudzvinyiriri kana kuti chehurumende asi chenzanga yakasununguka. “Udzvanyiriri hwavo hweboka revashandi” hwakanga huri nhanho yokuchinja, umo nzanga yaizobva muudzvinyiriri hwevapfumi kuenda kuhudzvinyiriri hwevarombo ichienda kunzanga isina mapoka yedemocracy yechokwadi, rusununguko rwechokwadi.
Gadziriro yezvoupfumi ine mufungo, yakarurama yaizobvumira zuva pfupi rokushanda ndokusiya munhu ari wose akasununguka kuita sezvaaida—kunyora nhetembo, kuva nomusikirwo, kutamba mitambo, kuva munhu chaiyeiye. Kuzadzisa kugona kwavo sevanhu. Urudzi hwaizova chinhu chekare. Vanhu munyika yose, vedzinza ripi neripi, vekondinendi ipi neipi, vaizogara murugare nebatira pamwe.
Mukuverenga kwangu kwevechiri kuyaruka, pfungwa idzodzo dzakachengetwa dziri mhenyu navamwe vanyori vakanakisisa muAmerica. Ndakaverenga Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Basa muChicago stockyards ndiro raive muenzaniso wekushandiswa kwecapitalist. Uye mumapeji okupedzisira ebhuku racho, chiono chenzanga itsva chinofadza. John Steinbeck's Mazambiringa eHasha kwaiva kuchemerera kwairatidza kuti upenyu hwaiva hwaita kuti varombo vagone kushandiswa uye chero kuedza kwavo kuchinja upenyu hwavo kwaisangana nezvikwata zvemapurisa.
Pandakanga ndava nemakore 18, ndisingashandi, mhuri yangu ichida kubatsirwa, ndakaita bvunzo yakaziviswa zvikuru yeBasa reHurumende yebasa muBrooklyn Navy Yard. Majaya ane zviuru makumi matatu, (vakadzi vaikumbira vakanga vasingafungi) vakanyora bvunzo, vachikwikwidzana nemazana mashoma emabasa. Yakanga iri 1940, uye zvirongwa zveNew Deal zvakanga zvarerutsira asi hazvina kupedza Kuora mwoyo. Pakaziviswa zvakabuda, 400 vevakakumbira vakanga vawana zvibodzwa zve100 muzana pabvunzo uye vaizowana mabasa. Ndaive mumwe wavo. Kwandiri nemhuri yangu, kwaiva kukunda. Muhoro wangu waizova $l4.40 kwemaawa makumi mana pasvondo. Ndaigona kupa mhuri $40 pavhiki uye imwe yasara yodya masikati uye kushandisa mari.
Yakanga iriwo sumo kune nyika yeindasitiri inorema. Ndaifanira kuva anodzidzira kushanda mungarava kwemakore matatu aizotevera. Ndaigadzirira “munzira,” nzvimbo yakakura yakarerekera kumucheto kwechiteshi paive nengarava yehondo, USS Iowa, yaifanira kuvakwa. (Makore mazhinji gare gare, muma1980, ndakadanwa kuti ndive chapupu pakutongwa muStaten Island yevarwi vehondo vakanga varatidzira vachipesana nokuiswa kwezvombo zvenyukireya pangarava yehondo yakamira ipapo— USS Iowa) Basa redu, zvikurukuru, rakanga riri rokubatanidza simbi dzechikepe, tichikambaira zvikuru mukati mezvikamu zviduku zvesimbi zve“pasi romukati,” umo munhuhwi namanzwi zvaikwidziridzwa kane zana. Taiyera nenyundo, uye taicheka nokunamata, tichishandisa “zvinopisa” ne“chippers”.
Hapana vakadzi vanoshanda. Mabasa eunyanzvi akaitwa nevarume vachena, avo vakanga vakarongwa mumasangano emabasa emaoko eAFL anozivikanwa kuva asingagamuchiriki kuvatema. Vatema vashoma vaiva munzvimbo inochengeterwa ngarava vaiva nemabasa akaoma zvikuru, anonetsa zvikuru mumuviri, kufanana nenziyo dzemvura.
Chaiita kuti basa rifambe zvakanaka imari yairamba ichibhadharwa, uye chiremerera chaivapo chokuva murume anoshanda, achiunza mari kumba sababa vangu. Kwakanga kunewo kudada kuti takanga tichiita chimwe chinhu nokuda kwenhamburiko yehondo. Asi chinokosha zvikuru chakanga chiri chokuti ndakawana boka duku reshamwari, vandaidzidza navo—vamwe vavo vagadziri vengarava seni, vamwe vagadziri vengarava, vanogadzira michina, vagadziri vepombi, vashandi vesimbi, zvichingodaro—vakanga vari vechiduku vane pfungwa dzakasimba, vakatsunga kuita chimwe chinhu kuti vachinje. nyika. Kwete zvishoma.
Kuronga Mubatanidzwa
Isu takanga tisingabatanidzwe mumubatanidzwa wevashandi vane hunyanzvi saka takasarudza kuronga vadzidzi kuti vave mubatanidzwa, mubatanidzwa. Taizoshanda pamwe chete kuvandudza mamiriro edu ekushanda, kukwidza mubhadharo wedu, uye kugadzira kushamwaridzana mukati uye mushure memaawa ekushanda kuti tiwedzere kunakidzwa kuhupenyu hwedu hwezuva rekushanda.
Izvi takazviita, zvinobudirira, nevashandi vaduku 300, uye kwandiri yakanga iri sumo yokutora rutivi chaiko mubato rebasa. Takanga tichironga mubatanidzwa, uye tichiita zvakanga zvaitwa nevanhu vanoshanda mumazana emakore, tichigadzira nzvimbo duku dzetsika noushamwari kuti dzigadzirire kuodzwa mwoyo kwebasa racho pacharo.
Vana vedu, vakasarudzwa sevakuru vakuru veApprentice Association, takava shamwari chaidzo. Taisangana mamwe manheru pavhiki kuti tiverenge mabhuku ezvamatongerwe enyika nezvemari uye kutaura pamusoro penhau dzenyika. Aya akanga ari makore apo vamwe vezera redu vakanga vari kukoreji, asi takanzwa kuti takanga tichiwana dzidzo yakanaka.
Kunyange zvakadaro, ndakafara kusiya nzvimbo inochengeterwa ngarava ndokujoina Mauto Endege. Pakanga pari panguva yehondo dzekubhururuka muEurope apo ndakatanga kuve neshanduko yakasimba mukufunga kwangu kwezvematongerwo enyika, kure nerudo rweSoviet Union iyo yakafukidza vazhinji vezvematongerwo enyika nevamwewo-kunyanya mumhepo yeHondo Yenyika II nekubudirira kunoshamisa kwe. Red Army kurwisa vapambi veNazi. Chikonzero cheichi chinjo chakanga chiri kusangana kwangu nomupfuti womuchadenga pane rimwe boka iro rakabvunza kana vavariro dzemubatanidzwa—England, France, United States, Soviet Union—dzakanga dziri chaizvoizvo dzinopesana nechifashisti uye dzegutsaruzhinji.
Rimwe bhuku raakandipa rakazunza pfungwa dzandakanga ndabata kwemakore. Izvi zvaiva Iyo Yogi uye Commissar, naArthur Koestler. Koestler akanga ari mukomunisiti, akanga arwa muSpain, asi akanga ava nechokwadi—uye umboo hwake chaihwo hwaiva nesimba, kufunga kwake kusingazununguki—kuti Soviet Union, nokutaura kwayo kwokuti inyika ye“socialist,” yakanga iri chitsotsi. (Pashure pehondo, ndakaverenga Mwari Akakundikana, umo vanyori vane perero nokuzvipira kururamisiro vandaisagona kubvunza—Richard Wright, Andrew Gide, Ignazio Silone, uye Koestlerwo—vakarondedzera kurasikirwa kwavo nokutenda mubato rechikomonisiti neSoviet Union.)
Kuodzwa mwoyo neSoviet Union hakuna kuderedza kudavira kwangu mugutsaruzhinji, kungofanana nokuodzwa mwoyo nehurumende yeUnited States kwakaderedza kudavira kwangu gutsaruzhinji. Zvamazvirokwazvo hakuna kutapura kuziva kwangu kwekirasi, yemusiyano munzira iyo vapfumi navarombo vaigara muUnited States, mukundikano yenzanga kugovera zvinodikanwa zvikurusa zvoupenyu—zvokudya, pokugara, kutarisira utano—kumakumi amamirioni. yevanhu.
Sezvineiwo, pandakava refutenendi wechipiri muArmy Air Corps, ndakaravidza kuti upenyu hwakanga hwakaita sei nokuda kwamakirasi akaisvonaka—nokuti zvino ndakanga ndava nembatya dziri nani, zvokudya zviri nani, mari yakawanda, chinzvimbo chakakwirira kupfuura chandaiva nacho muupenyu hwomunhu asiri varwi. .
Hondo yapera, ndiine mazana mashomanana emadhora emari yokuunganidza uye yunifomu yangu nemenduru zvazara, ndakakumbanirazve Roz. Takanga tiri vaduku, vakaroorana vanofara. Asi hatina kuwana imwe nzvimbo yokugara, asi imba yepasi yakanga yakazara makonzo .
Ndakanga ndadzokera mukirasi yevashandi, asi ndichida basa. Ndakaedza kudzokera kuBrooklyn Navy Yard, asi rakanga riri basa roruvengo risina rimwe remativi anotsiva enguva iyoyo yapakuvamba. Ndakashanda seweta, semucheri wegomba, semushandi wedoro, uye ndakaunganidza inishuwarenzi yekurovha pakati pemabasa. (Ndinogona kunyatsonzwisisa manzwiro evarwi veHondo yeVietnam, avo vaive vakakosha apo mauto, achidzoka kumba, asina mabasa, asina tarisiro, uye pasina kupenya kwakatenderedza varwi veHondo Yenyika II - kudzikira kwavo. .) Munguvayi, mwanasikana wedu Myla akaberekwa. Pazera ramakore 27, ndine mwana wechipiri munzira, ndakatanga koreji somudzidzi mutsva paNew York University pasi peGI Bill of Rights. Izvozvo zvakandipa makore 4 edzidzo yepakoreji yepachena, ne $120 pamwedzi, kuitira kuti, naRoz achishanda zvishoma, naMyla naJeff mukireshi, neni ndichishanda usiku-shift pashure pechikoro, taigona kurarama.
Pese pandinonzwa kuti hurumende haifanire kupindira mukubatsira vanhu, kuti izvi zvinofanirwa kusiiwa ku "bhizinesi repachivande," ndinofunga nezve GI Bhiri, uye nekushamisa kwayo kusiri-bureaucracy.
GI Bill, Koreji, uye Kudzidzisa
Kutanga koreji kwakabatana nekubuda mudzimba dzedu dzepasi dzinosiririsa kuenda kupurojekiti yedzimba dzemari shoma mudhorobha reManhattan kuEast River. Makamuri mana, zvekushandisa zvinosanganisirwa murendi, hapana makonzo, hapana mapete, miti mishoma uye nhandare yekutamba pasi, paki iri pedyo nerwizi. Takafara. Ndichienda kuNYU neColumbia ndakashanda shifiti yevana kusvika-gumi nembiri mukamuri yepasi peimba yekuchengetera zvinhu yeManhattan, ndichiisa mabhokisi anorema embatya pamarori aitakura kuenda kumaguta munyika yose.
Takanga tiri vashandi vechienzi, isu vatakuri vamatura—murume mutema, mutami wokuHonduran, mumwe mhare yehondo (akaroora, ane vana, akatengesa ropa rake kuti awedzere cheki yake duku yomubhadharo). Anesu kwenguva yakati akanga ari jaya rainzi Jeff Lawson baba vake vaiva John Howard Lawson, munyori weHollywood, mumwe weHollywood Ten. Paiva nemumwe murume wechidiki, mudzidzi weColumbia College uyo akatumidzwa zita rasekuru vake, mutungamiri wevashandi vesocialist Daniel DeLeon (Ndakasangana naye makore mazhinji gare gare; aive akashata mundangariro, uye ndakazonzwa kuti akange arara pasi. motokari yake mugaraji uye akafema carbon monoxide yakakwana kuti azviuraye).
Tese taive nhengo dzemubatanidzwa, District 65, uyo waive nemukurumbira wekuve “bapiro reruboshwe”. Asi isu, vatakuri vemarori, takanga tasara kupfuura mubatanidzwa, uyo wairatidzika kuva unozengurira kudzongonyedza basa rokurodherwa kweiyi imba inochengeterwa zvinhu.
Takashatirwa pamusoro pemigariro yedu yebasa, tichifanira kurodha kunze murutivi menzira kuchinaya kana kuti sinou, pasina mvura kana kuti sinou zvinowanika kwatiri. Takaramba tichikumbira giya kukambani, pasina chakabuda. Humwe usiku kuchinaya, takamisa basa, tikati taisazopfuurira kutoti takanga tine chipikirwa chinosungirwa chemidziyo yokunaya. Supervisor akanga ari padivi pake. Rori iya yaifanira kubuda manheru kuti isangane nehurongwa, akatiudza. Akanga asina simba rokuvimbisa chimwe chinhu. Takataura zvakaoma. Isu hatisi kunyura nekuda kwehurongwa hwakarasika. Akasvika parunhare, achitya kufonera mukuru wekambani pamba pake, achivhiringidza mutambo wemanheru. Akadzoka kubva parunhare. "Ok, tora nhumbi dzako." Zuva rebasa rakatevera racho, takasvika panzvimbo yaichengeterwa zvinhu ndokuwana mudungwe wemabhachi matsva aipenya neheti.
Ndiyo yakanga iri nyika yangu kwemakore 33 okutanga eupenyu hwangu—nyika yokurovha nemabasa akaipa, ini naRoz tichisiya vana vedu vane makore maviri nematatu vachitarisirwa nevamwe isu tichienda kuchikoro kana kuti kubasa, tichigara zvikuru. yenguva iyoyo munzvimbo dzakatsvikinyidzana uye dzisinganakidzi, tichizengurira kufonera chiremba vana pavairwara nokuti taisakwanisa kumubhadhara, topedzisira taendesa vana kumakiriniki ezvipatara uko vaigona kuvatarisira. Ndiyo nzira iyo chikamu chikuru chechiverengero chavagari vapasi chinorarama, kunyange muiyi, nyika yakapfuma zvikurusa munyika. Apo, ndakashongedzerwa namadhigirii akafanira, ndakavamba kubva munyika iyoyo, ndichiva purofesa wekoreji, handina kutongokanganwa izvozvo. Handina kumborega kuva munhu anongwarira mukirasi.
Ini ndinoona kuti vatungamiriri vedu vezvematongerwo enyika vanofamba sei zvine hasha pakutaura kwakadai, sei, zvinoita sekunge kupomera kwakaipisisa kunogona kuitwa nemumwe wezvematongerwo enyika pamusoro pemumwe kuti "anokwidza ruvengo rwekirasi… Eya, kirasi yakave yakatarisana nekirasi, kwete mumashoko, asi muchokwadi chehupenyu uye mazwi achanyangarika chete kana chokwadi chekusaenzana chanyangarika.
Hwaizova upenzi kwandiri kutaura kuti kuziva kirasi kwaingova muuyo wokukura murombo uye kurarama upenyu hwomwana murombo uyezve upenyu hwomurume wechiduku anomanikidzwa zvakaoma. Kune vanhu vakawanda vane migariro yakafanana vakavamba gadziriro yakasiana zvikuru yemirangariro pamusoro penzanga. Uye kune vamwe vazhinji, vane hupenyu hwepakutanga hwakanga hwakasiyana zvikuru nehwangu, avo vane maonero enyika akanga ari pedyo neangu.
Pandakanga ndiri sachigaro wedhipatimendi renhoroondo paSpelman College uye ndaiva nesimba (kunyange simba shoma rinogona kuita kuti vanhu vade musoro) kuhaya munhu mumwe kana vaviri, ndakakoka Staughton Lynd, munyori wenhoroondo wechidiki akangwara, akapedza kudzidza paHarvard neColumbia, kuti auye. joina iyo Spelman faculty. Takasumwa pamusangano wevanyori vezvakaitika kare muNew York apo Staughton akaratidza chishuvo chokudzidzisa pakoreji yevatema.
Staughton aibva kwakasiyana zvachose nekwangu. Vabereki vake vaive mapurofesa ane mukurumbira kuColumbia naSarah Lawrence, Robert naHelen Lynd, vanyori vesociological classic. Middletown. Staughton akanga arererwa mumamiriro ezvinhu akanaka, akaenda kuHarvard neColumbia. Uye zvakadaro, sezvataienda mberi tichienda panhau iri yose yezvamatongerwe enyika pasi pezuva—rudzi, kirasi, hondo, chisimba, urudzi, ruramisiro, fascism, capitalism, socialism uye nezvimwe—zvakajeka kuti uzivi hwedu hwenzanga, mipimo yedu, yakanga iri yechienzi. zvakafanana.
Tichifunga nezvezviitiko zvakadaro, tsika dzechinyakare “kuongorora kirasi” hadzigoni kuramba dzakasimba. Asi sezvo dzidziso inoparara, tariro inooneka. Nokuti zvinoratidzika kuti vanhu, pasinei nemamiriro avo ezvinhu, vakazaruka kupfuura zvatinofunga, kuti mufambiro wavo haugoni kufanotaura nechivimbo kubva pane zvakaitika kare, kuti isu tose tiri zvisikwa zvinotapukira kune pfungwa itsva, mafungiro matsva. Nepo kusadzivirirwa kwakadaro kuchigadzira marudzi ese ezvinobvira, akanaka neakaipa, kuvapo kwawo chaiko kunofadza. Zvinoreva kuti hapana munhu anofanira kunyorerwa uye hapana shanduko mukufunga inofanira kunzi haigoneki.
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