Umthombo: TomDispatch.com
IGroton neNew London, eConnecticut, ziyikhaya labantu abangaba ngu-65,000, amakolishi amathathu, i-Coast Guard Academy, imikhumbi-ngwenya engu-15 enamandla enuzi, ehlome ngezikhali zenuzi ekwazi ukucekela phansi umhlaba izikhathi eziningi, kanye ne-General Dynamics' Electric Boat, i-multi- Inhlangano ezimele ebiza izigidigidi zamadola enikezela ngezinketho zesitoko kubanikazi bamasheya bayo kanye namaholo amakhulu kubaphathi bayo abakhulu njengoba ifaka emaphaketheni amadola abakhokhi bentela futhi ikhiqiza eminye yaleyo mishini entshontshayo, engase iphele emhlabeni. Hawu! Lowo kwakuwumusho omude!
I-Naval Submarine Base New London inweba ngasohlangothini olusempumalanga yoMfula iThames, inqamula amadolobha aseGroton naseLedyard. Njengoba ithatha okungenani amahektha angama-680, isisekelo sinezindawo ezinkulu ezingaphezu kuka-160. Ababhalisile abangu-15 abazinze lapho yibona abakhulu kunawo wonke esizweni. Zakhiwe ezansi nomfula e-Electric Boat/General Dynamics, eyake yakha imikhumbi-ngwenya yenuzi i-Polaris kanye ne-Trident, iqashe abantu abangaphezu kuka-12,000 esifundeni sethu, futhi uhlela ukuqasha abanye abangu-2,400 kulo nyaka ukuhlangabezana โnesidingoโ esimangalisayo senguqulo entsha yalabo ababhalisile.
Abanye abafundi kungenzeka ukuthi sebeyazibuza: Ingabe imikhumbi-ngwenya iseyinto? Ingabe ngempela sisabeka amadoda (nabesifazane) kude ngaphansi kolwandle epayipini elikhulu lensimbi, elilungele ukuqalisa isiteleka sokuqala senuzi ngokushesha nje? Esikhathini lapho izinsongo ezinkulu empilweni yomuntu zingase zibe amagciwane afihlwe emiphefumulweni yethu, ingqalasizinda yethu ibhidlika, nokunye okungahambi kahle, ingabe ngempela sisebenzisa izigidigidi zamaRandi emikhumbi-ngwenya?
Yebo!
Emuva ngo-2010, uMnyango Wezokuvikela Ukubuyekezwa Kwesimo Senuzi icele โukuvuselelwa kwezikhali zesizwe ezisekelwe olwandle,โ njengokungathi besingachithi lutho ngemikhumbi-ngwenya ngaphambilini. Ukuze kuhlangatshezwane naleyo nhloso, abaphathi baka-Obama, abaphathi bakaTrump, futhi manje abaphathi be-Biden bonke bavumile ukuthi, emhlabeni osuvele ugcwele izikhali zenuzi ezibhubhisayo, i-US kumele iqale ukwakhiwa kwekilasi elisha le-12 Columbia ballistic missile submarines.
Ukuthunyelwa kwesabelomali seNavy sika-2021 silinganisela ukuthi inani eliphelele lezindleko zokuthengwa kwalelo klasi lemikhumbi engu-12 lababhalisile lizoba ngu-$109.8 billion. Kodwa-ke, ngisho nenani elikhulu kangako lingafakazeli lutho ngaphandle kokubala kwe-back-of-the-napkin. Ngemuva kwakho konke, ngokwesicelo seNavy sika-2022, i isilinganiso sezindleko ngomkhumbi-ngwenya wokuqala we-12 abahlela ukuwakha, umkhumbi oholayo ohlelweni lwawo olusha, usuvele ukhulile kusuka ku-$ 14.39 billion kuya ku-$ 15.03 billion. Manje, lokho kungase kungezwakali njengokuningi, kodwa khipha wonke lawo ma-zero ngemuva kwakho futhi uzobona ukuthi umehluko ungaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-640 zamaRandi, ngaphansi kancane kwalokho okuzotholwa yiBaltimore - idolobha elinabantu abangaphezu kuka-600,000. ku-federal bhubhane usizo lokusiza.
Ukuzungeza leyo mikhumbi-ngwenya izincazelo ezicaphuna "isu" kanye "namandla." Kodwa ungakhohliswa: bazoba ababulali bomhlaba abangaba khona. Ngamunye walabo ababhalisile abasha abangu-12 izobe ihlome ngemicibisholo eyi-ballistic eyethulwe ngaphansi komkhumbi-ngwenya we-Trident D-16, noma ama-SLBM, anebanga lamamayela angu-5 futhi ekwazi ukuthwala ama-warheads angu-4,500 W-14-76 we-thermonuclear. Ngayinye yalezo zinhloko zempi inamandla aphindwe kasithupha kunebhomu le-athomu elaqhunyiswa amasosha ase-US Hiroshima ngo-August 6, 1945. Qala ukuphindaphinda 12 izikhathi 16 izikhathi 14 izikhathi 6 futhi awekho umhlaba owanele ukubhubhisa ngezibalo kanjalo. Phela, ibhomu elilodwa laseHiroshima, โelincaneโ njengoba lalinjalo, wabulawa abantu abalinganiselwa ku-140,000 futhi baphendule idolobha laba imvithi nomlotha.
Indlela engcono kakhulu yokuqonda umkhumbi-ngwenya wekilasi lase-Columbia, iwuhlelo lwe- $ 100 billion-plus oluhlose ukuletha ama-Hiroshimas ayi-16,128.
I-submarine Capital of the World
Mina nomndeni wami sihlala eNew London futhi ubufakazi bezempi bukhona yonke indawo lapha. Kukhona inganono etshalwe phakathi kwama-roses emnyango we-motel ngqo emgwaqweni onguthelawayeka eduze kwendlu yethu. Nenye phambi kwelondolo. Amafulegi amakhulu aseMelika abhakuza endaweni edayisa izimoto ehlinzeka ngezimali ezikhethekile kubasebenzi beNavy.
Izimpawu ezimemezela ukuthi iNew London/Groton ibe โI-submarine Capital of the Worldโ dweba imigwaqo emikhulu engena edolobheni. Isizinda esikhulu semikhumbi-ngwenya yemikhumbi-ngwenya kanye namayadi e-General Dynamics/Electric Boat aphethe uhlangothi lwaseGroton loMfula iThames. Kunegalaji elikhulu lemikhumbi-ngwenya eyakhiwe ingxenye encane, ependwe umthunzi oluhlaza kakhulu wamashumi ayisikhombisa, elihlafuna indawo yonke eseceleni komfula i-Groton, eduze kwama-cranes namatheku kanye nezakhiwo zezimboni ezinemibala ehlukahlukene empunga. Kuyadabukisa. Izindlu zasemanzini zaseNew London kanye namabhishi angasese abheka izizukulwane ezintathu zezakhiwo eziyinkimbinkimbi yezempi-yezimboni. Ngeke sifune ukuhlala eGroton, kodwa okungenani babuka amehlo abo edolobheni lethu eliwubukhazikhazi kanye namapaki agudle umfula.
Ngasohlangothini lwaseNew London, i-General Dynamics/Electric Boat ibukeka njengekhempasi yebhizinisi kunendawo yemikhumbi. Iqasha abantu abaningi, kodwa kusenenqwaba yabantu baseNew London abasebenza emisebenzini engahlangene nezempi noma ibhizinisi lokwakha nokuklama imikhumbi-ngwenya. Ngeshwa, lokho kubonakala kushintsha, ngoba iGeneral Dynamics iyashintsha ukuhlangana phezulu imisebenzi yayo yobunjiniyela nokukhiqiza ukuze kwakhiwe lelo qoqo elisha lemikhumbi-ngwenya.
Onjiniyela bendawo bahogela imali emoyeni, okusho ukuthi idolobha lethu lithola ukulungiswa okuhloswe ukuheha uhlobo lochwepheshe abasha abazoklama futhi bengamele ukukhiqizwa kwalabo ababhalisile. Intuthuko entsha eduze ne-General Dynamics complex yaseNew London manje isiqasha izindlu zesitudiyo ngo-$1,300 ngenyanga, nakuba eyethu ingeyethu. idolobha lesihlanu elimpofu kakhulu e-Connecticut.
Ibhonasi Eseceleni? Killer Kitsch
Isiyaluyalu sokubhikisha mayelana nodlame lwethu lodlame lwezempi lwendawo lwakhula lwaze lwaqina ngeminyaka yawo-1970 kanye nawo-1980 kodwa selokhu kwathi nhlo kwaba nokuhleba, naphezu kwemilindelo nemibhikisho evamile eyenziwa ngabathile. idlanzana labantu. Kunzima ukukuqonda njengoba ingozi isasondele. Phela, Iwashi Losuku Lwenhlekelele elingokomfanekiso le I-Bulletin ye-Atomic Scientists manje umi at Imizuzwana eyi-100 ukuya phakathi kwamabili ku-nuclear, iseduze njengoba ike yaba khona eminyakeni yayo engu-70 ikhona. Ngaleso sikhathi, i-United States izophinda futhi sebenzisa izizumbulu zemali kwezempi yayo ngonyaka wezimali ka-2022.
Umphumela? Izitobhi zethu zasendaweni ze-thrift zigcwele i-kitsch eyinqaba eza nomsebenzi wezempi. Ngiphuza ikhofi lami lasekuseni endegi emhlophe ekhumbula i-Electric Boat's 1987 Christmas Blood Drive, ebhalwe iconsi elibomvu legazi, ilogo yenkampani, kanye nenkulumo ethi โNginikela ukuze abanye baphile.โ
Ngiwumgqugquzeli wokuphila impilo yonke, ingane yabantu abathi, njengababhikishi, bagibela uthango futhi nqamula izingidi ukuze ungene ezikhungweni zezikhali zase-US njengaleso sizinda samasosha asolwandle e-Groton. Ubuntwana bami ngabuchitha e- I-Pentagon, lapho, izikhathi ezimbalwa ngonyaka, abazali bami nabangane bethu benza izibuko eziwubuciko ngegazi nomlotha namatshe amatshe amatshe amatshe amatshe amatshe amatshe amatshe, beshiya izisebenzi zasePentagon zidabula udaka nodaka, zilandelela endlunkulu yoMnyango Wezokuvikela. Futhi nokho ngizovuma kuwe, ekusithekeni kwe TomDispatch, ukuthi nginobuthakathaka bangempela be-kitsch yezempi.
Umyeni wami ungumdlali we-pacifist impilo yakhe yonke. Abazali bakhe baye ezitolo ezinkulu ukuyobamba โMisa Amathoyizi Empiโ imibukiso futhi bangena ezitolo zamathoyizi ukuze bafake izitikha ezithi โlokhu kudumisa ubudlovaโ GI Joe kanye nonodoli bakwaRambo. Uchithe ihlobo lakhe ngaphandle kwe-Electric Boat e-Groton. Umndeni wakhe kanye nabangane babo baya kuma-commission and christenings of subssanda kwakhiwa, bephethe izimpawu zokubhikisha, bavimbe iminyango, futhi bezama ukubhalela izihambeli ezigqoke kahle eziza kuleyo mikhosi eyinqaba enezimpawu ezingavamile zokubhapathizwa kobuKristu kubo. Futhi nokho (noma ngabe ngisho, futhi kanjalo?) uthanda i-kitsch yezempi, futhi. Ngenxa yalokho, noma nini lapho siya endaweni yethu ye-Goodwill, isitolo se-Salvation Army, noma ukuthengiswa kwamagceke omakhelwane, sihlala sibheka izinkomishi nezibuko zikabhiya ekhoneni lethu lesakhiwo sezempi-yezimboni.
Kuyihlaya elikhulu kithina. Ikhithi elinjalo elibulalayo lisisiza ukuthi silawule ukungaphatheki kahle kwethu ngokuhlala emphakathini ogcwele impi.
Inkomishi eyodwa yekhofi eyenziwe e-China yevintage yakamuva esinayo, ngokwesibonelo, inesithombe ohlangothini olulodwa lomkhumbi-ngwenya kanye nenkulumo ethi "Ikilasi laseVirginia: Ukubhekana Nenselele, Ukushayela Izindleko." Enye ifundeka kanje: โIdizayinelwe Ukufinyeleleka: General Dynamics, Electric Boat.โ
Leyo nkomishi yesibili ihlale ingenza ngibe yisicefe ngoba imikhumbi-ngwenya yaseVirginia Class yayinjalo eyakhiwe ngu Isikebhe sikagesi eNew London/Groton ngokubambisana neNewport News Shipbuilding, ingxenye ye Huntington Ingalls eVirginia.
Lezo zikebhe zibiza nje amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-3.45 ngasinye kanti lelo โsu lamagceke amabiliโ - iConnecticut kanye neVirginia - benzelwe ukugcina zombili lezo zinkampani enhlekeleleni yezezimali. (โUkuntantaโ igama elifika engqondweni.) Nokho, yenza umkhiqizo obiza ngisho nangokwengeziwe njengoba imikhumbi-ngwenya ehlanganiswe ingxenye ethile kwakudingeka intandwe kanzima yehla yenyuka ogwini lolwandle lwaseMpumalanga. Ngokusho kukaRonald O'Rourke we I-Congressional Research Service, โInhloso eyinhloko yaleli lungiselelo kwakuwukunciphisa izindleko zokwakha izikebhe ezisezingeni laseVirginia ngenani eliphansi lonyaka uma kuqhathaniswa nezindawo ezimbili zemikhumbi (kunokuba ziphelele endaweni eyodwa yemikhumbi) kuyilapho kulondolozwa amakhono abalulekile okwakha imikhumbi-ngwenya kuzo zombili izikhungo zemikhumbi.โ Akwenzeki, njengoba kwavela. Khona-ke futhi, yimuphi umsebenzi wokwakha izikhali ongenawo ukweqa kwezindleko okumangazayo eMelika ekhulwini lamashumi amabili nanye?
Ngokweqiniso, ungacabanga ukuthi uhulumeni wobumbano wenza inkontileka no-Hershey kanye ne-Nestle ukuze basebenzisane kuswidi entsha enkulukazi bese bekhokha imali eyengeziwe ngenxa yokuthi abasebenzi babo babedinga ukudlulisa umkhiqizo emuva naphambili phakathi kwamafekthri abo, aqhelelene ngamakhulu amamayela? Imicabango enjalo ihlale ingifikela lapho ngiphuza ikhofi lami lasekuseni kuleyonkomishi ebhalwe ukuthi โYakhelwe Ukufinyelelekaโ. Intukuthelo elandelayo ifana nokunyakaziswa kwe-caffeine okwesibili!
Ihora Lenjabulo?
Uma sikhuluma ngokucasuka, siphuza obhiya bethu behora lenjabulo ngezingilazi zokukhumbula i-USS Pittsburgh, SSN 720. Lowo mkhumbi-ngwenya wekilasi lase-Los Angeles wasebenza ngo-1985 futhi wawungomunye wemicibisholo ye-Tomahawk Cruise e-Iraq phakathi neMpi YaseGulf ka-1991.
Izibuko zikabhiya zingenza ngicabange ngomucu omuncu wamabha khona kanye ngaphandle kwesango elikhulu lendawo yemikhumbi ye-Electric Boat e-Groton. Zonke sezivaliwe manje, kepha ngeminyaka yawo-1970s ekukhiqizeni imikhumbi engaphansi kolwandle, imigoqo efana El Bolero (ifushaniswe ibe yi-The Elbow) kanti eka-Elfie yasebenzela izisebenzi zasegcekeni lemikhumbi kanye nabaqhubi bemikhumbi-ngwenya ngokufanayo. Isixuku sasemini sasiminyene, indawo yokucima ukoma igcwele izingilazi zikabhiya ezincane, futhi izisebenzi zaziphonsa izikweletu zamarandi emigqonyeni kadoti njengoba ziphuma ziphindela ngaphesheya komgwaqo emsebenzini. Lawo mabha alinganisela ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi enze okuningi ekugijimeni kwebhili yedola yansuku zonke yesikhathi sesidlo sasemini kunezinye izindawo zokudlela zasendaweni nezindawo zokudlela ezenziwe ngeviki.
Ngesinye isikhathi, abaphezulu e-Electric Boat bahlazeka ngenxa yokubukwa kwansuku zonke kwezisebenzi ezidakiwe, amabhodlela kabhiya agcwele imiphetho, ama-fender-benders avamile, kanye nezimpi ezivame ukuhambisana nokuphuza ngokweqile. Isixazululo sabo? Bayeka ukudedela abasebenzi bayodla isidlo sasemini.
Njengomuntu osemusha, ngangicabanga ukuthi ukuphuza kwasemini kwakuqeda ukungezwani kwengqondo kwabantu abasebenzayo ababeka ukudla kwezingane zabo etafuleni ngokushisela imishini eyayisongela zonke izingane noma kuphi kule planethi. Nokho, njengoba ngikhula, ngiyazibuza ukuthi ukuphuza okunjalo emini kwakungeyona nje into ejabulisayo.
I-Small No
Enye indlela esilawula ngayo ukungaphatheki kahle kwethu ngenguqulo yethu yasendaweni yesakhiwo sezempi nezimboni nokuthi kusho ukuthini kuleli zwe kanye nale planethi ukuba ibe "Cha" encane kodwa ebonakalayo phakathi nokugcwala kwezempi kuleli dolobhana, phakathi kwazo zonke lezo. chubby, ngwenya cute ezihlobisa izindawo zethu zomphakathi.
Sima ekhoneni lomgwaqo elimnyama eduze nendawo okungenani ihora kanye ngesonto ukuze sibhikishele umhlaba esizithola sikuwo. Kuyavunywa ukuthi kuyinto encane, kodwa sikwenza ngaphandle kokwehluleka. Amaloli agcwele amanzi kanye nezimoto ezinejubane ezinopende ongokwezifiso zivuselela izinjini zazo njengoba zidlula, zisika lelokhona livaleke ngokungathandeki, kuyilapho zijikijela amatshe lapho zivuka. Izimoto zishayelwa kakhulu izinsizwa ezihlanzekile, ezivame ukugqoke umfaniswano wesizinda se-Groton-New London Naval Submarine. Bahambe ihora lenkululeko e-Chipotle esanda kuqedwa, ecwebileyo ekhuphuka igquma noma i-Mynx Cabaret enezimbewu ngaphesheya komgwaqo. Uma sinamandla okuhlala, sizobona ithimba leChipotle libuya lidilika egqumeni ekupheleni kwalelo hora.
Ekhoneni elilodwa kunesitolo sotshwala esibi esinendawo enkulu yokupaka, uhlobo lwendawo okufanele lukwenze ubuze imikhuba yakho yokuphuza. (Uma ngingenayo inkinga, kungani ngipake lapha?) Ekhoneni lesibili kunendawo engenalutho enensalela yesitolo esake sachuma sokulungisa izimoto. Eyesithathu inenkampani eqashisa amaloli, uphawu lomphakathi odlulayo. Futhi ngokuqinisekile, amapuleti elayisensi ezimotweni ageleza esichotho esivela emiphakathini egxile kuNavy efana neyethu ezweni lonke.
I-Route 12 iwuthelawayeka omncane lapho izimoto zivame ukushaya khona amakhilomitha angu-70 ngehora njengoba zibhonga egqumeni. Sibancane kakhulu futhi sihamba kancane uma siqhathaniswa. Umama uhamba eceleni komgwaqo, ngimile, ngisusa isisindo sami sisuka kolunye unyawo siye kolunye, kuyilapho umngane wethu uCal Robertson ehlezi. Umakadebona waseVietnam, wabuya kuleyo mpi yakudala engenamyocu kodwa ecasulwe ngokujulile yikho konke akubona nakho konke akubona.
UCal uphethe uphawu olubhalwe lo mbuzo: โKuthiwani Ngezingane?โ Ezinye izimoto ziyakhala ziphendula. Ukuqagela kwami: hhayi kakhulu ukweseka umlayezo wakhe njengokubona ubukhona bakhe njalo kulamashumi eminyaka amade. Mina nomama singabaxhumanisi, abaphethe izimpawu ngezikhathi ezithile babala imizuzu, kodwa uCal - unethezekile ku-walker kunokuguqulela esihlalweni - angakwenza lokhu usuku lonke.
Umama uphethe uphawu olulula oluthi โNo Nukes.โ Emadodeni agibele amaloli ayephuma ukuyodla isidlo sasemini, ngapenda kweyami: โAbangaphansi kwe-Meatball, hhayi Imikhumbi-ngwenya Yenuzi.โ Ithola ukuvuma ngekhanda noma ukusineka ngezikhathi ezithile. Futhi okwamanje, emphakathini wakithi, indawo lapho ngikhulisela khona izingane zami, imboni yezempi-yezimboni iyaqhubeka nokutshala imali futhi yakha imikhumbi ehloselwe ukuphela komhlaba kuphela.
Copyright 2021 Frida Berrigan
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