Incwadi kaDavid Remnick; U-Alfred A. Knopf, 2010, 586 pp.
Sngemuva kokhetho luka-2008, New Yorker umhleli uDavid Remnick wabhala isiqeshana eside ngencazelo yokunqoba kukaBarak Obama. Ngokuyinhloko kwakumayelana nokuthi kungani u-Obama abe ngowokuqala wase-Afrika waseMelika ukunqoba isikhundla sikamongameli. Isici esiyinhloko kwakuyinkulumo u-Obama ayinikeza ngo-2007 eBrown Chapel African Methodist Episcopalian Church, eSelma, Alabama.
Kuleyo nkulumo, u-Obama ubonge abaholi abakhulu bamalungelo omphakathi ngeminyaka yawo-1950 no-1960 - "isizukulwane sikaMose," ababiza kanjalo - wabe esezama ukuchaza indima yabaholi abamnyama abangaba iminyaka yakhe, "isizukulwane sikaJoshuwa." โWachaza umsebenzi owawulindele isizukulwane sikaJoshuwa,โ kubhala uRemnick, โfuthi wazimisa enhloko yaso, njengomphathi waso.โ Kodwa uRemnick akazange awuchaze lowo msebenzi. Ubebonakala engenandaba nokuchaza isizukulwane sikaJoshua sabaholi abamnyama kunokuchaza ubudlelwano baso obungakhululekile nesizukulwane esidala sosopolitiki abamnyama.
U-Remnick manje usenwebe eyakhe New Yorker faka ku-biography yobude obugcwele. Iphuzu okugxilwe kulo kuseyisingathekiso sikaMose/Joshua nokuthi u-Obama, ummeli wezinhlanga ezixubile kanye nesishayamthetho owazalwa wakhulela eHawaii, waba kanjani umongameli wokuqala omnyama. Akakakwazi ukuchaza ukuthi uyini "umsebenzi" wesizukulwane sikaJoshua noma "uhlobo olusha lwezepolitiki" u-Obama abonakala ethembisa. Ukubhala umlando wokuphila kukamongameli ngemuva nje kokungena esikhundleni kuwubuqili. Okwakubonakala kubalulekile ngemva nje kokwethulwa kungase kunciphe ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa. Kepha incwadi kaRemnick idlula okuningi okubalulekile ukwazi ngo-Obama njengoba abaphathi bakhe bezama ukuqala phansi kulandela ukuhlulwa okhethweni lweDemocratic Alliance ngoNovemba odlule. Ngokwesibonelo, akusitsheli lutho ngezimpande zezinqubomgomo zezomnotho zika-Obama, nakuba angena esikhundleni phakathi kokuwohloka komnotho okubi kakhulu eminyakeni engaphezu kwengama-70. Yincwadi exakile: umlando wosopolitiki ogwema kakhulu izindaba zezepolitiki, ucwaningo lwepolitiki yabantu abamnyama olunganaki cishe konke okwenzeke emphakathini omnyama kusukela kunhlangano yamaLungelo oLuntu.
Anganelisi njengoba kunjalo, amakhasi acishe abe ngu-600 we Ibhuloho: Impilo kanye nokuvuka kukaBarack Obama sitshele okuningi mayelana nokuthi izingqapheli ezimhlophe ezivamile zicabangani ngabantu base-Afrika baseMelika. Le ncwadi futhi ime njengesibonelo esihle sobuze bobuntatheli obujwayelekile bezepolitiki baseMelika. Zimanqika ukuhlukanisa lokho okucatshangwa ukuthi umphakathi olungile ngokuyisisekelo ngokuthatha ukuma obala kunoma yisiphi isihloko esiyimpikiswano, izintatheli esikhundleni salokho zivame ukugxila emsebenzini kunokuba zigxile kumuntu kanye nenqubo yezombangazwe ezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu kunomphumela wazo kubantu. .
In The Bridge, enendikimba kaMose noJoshuwa, izingathekiso zingokweBhayibheli kakhulu. Akumangazi lokho njengoba uMartin Luther King, Jr. nabanye abaholi bamaLungelo oMphakathi basebenzise izindaba nezithombe eziseBhayibhelini ukudlulisa idrama yomzabalazo. Izazi-mlando zangaleyo nkathiโTaylor Branch (Ukwehlukanisa Amanzi, INsika Yomlilo, Emaphethelweni eKhanani), uDavid J. Garrow (Ukuthwala Isiphambano)โbancike kakhulu kweseBhayibhelini ukuze bahlele ama-akhawunti abo. Kodwa le ndlela iyayeka ukusebenza uma isikhathi sifinyelela kuze kube namuhla. Izingqinamba ezibhekene nabantu base-Afrika baseMelika kanye nabaholi babo bezombangazwe zihlukile futhi ngandlela thile ziyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu kunaseminyakeni engama-40 edlule. Isingathekiso esithi "izwe lesethembiso", esinenkosi njengoMose kanye no-Obama njengomfanekiso kaJoshua, sinikeza ukuvala okungamanga emzabalazweni wokulingana nokuzimela osaliwa. Okubi nakakhulu, kuvumela abamhlophe baseMelika ukuba babambe iqhaza ngokuqhubekayo endabeni ekhuthazayo ephetha ngokuthi iMelika ihlengwe ezonweni zayo ngokukhethwa kukamongameli omnyama.
Ini The Bridge Okushiya ngaphandle kakhulu ubuhlungu obubi ukwehla komnotho okwaqala ngeminyaka yawo-1970 kwabamnyama, ngaphezu kwanoma yiliphi elinye iqembu labantu. Lokhu naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi abantu base-Afrika baseMelika ngesikhathi u-Remnick ebhala babephinde bahlupheke ngokungafani nemiphumela yokunye ukuwohloka komnotho. Ukunqanyulwa kwenetha yokuphepha komphakathi emindenini ehola kancane kanye nemiphumela yayo akulula ukuyithola. I-Hip-hop ayizange yenzeke, ngokusobala, ngaphandle uma isicaphuna esisodwa, esingahlobene esivela ku-Spike Lee sanele.
Futhi uma sikhuluma ngesiko, kuthiwani ngemiphumela yokuphila emphakathini obangela izinkinga zezenhlalo umphakathi wase-Afrika waseMelika obhekene nawo, kuyilapho uwuvula njengendawo yokucwaninga yawo wonke umuntu omhlophe ongaba umguquli onombono omusha oqhakazile wokuphatha abampofu? Lokhu, futhi, u-Remnick akakaze akhulume. Ukuthi umuntu okhulele ku-Obama evikelekile usabela kanjani kulezi zinxushunxushu kungenye yezinto okufanele sizazi ngaye. Mhlawumbe i-hip-hop yadlula kuye. Imibhalo yakhe siqu yembula ukuthi uMalcolm X ube nomthelela wamasiko, kodwa ngemibono enempikiswano eyengeziwe. U-Obama ufinyelele ngokulangazela emuva efeni lamalungelo abantu njengefa lakhe. Inkulumo yakhe engqungqutheleni yeDemokhrasi yango-2004, eyamenza waba ngovelele ezweni lonke, yethulwa ngokuthi "Keep on Pushing," iculo langaleso sikhathi. Kodwa ucabangani ngenkathi eyalandela, ngale kwalokho iphupho alizange ligcwaliseke?
U-Remnick uyavuma izinsolo ezijulile abanye abanazo ngezibalo ezinjengo-Obama-ezinemininingwane yobungcweti ngokulandelana kwazo, kodwa izimpande ezingajulile emphakathini omnyama ngokwawo. Ukhuluma ngengcaphuno yango-1996 evela kuntatheli kanye nesifundiswa u-Adolph Reed, Jr. egqama ngokuhlaziya kwayo okubukhali nokuqonda ukuhleleka kwezepolitiki: "Umugqa [ka-Obama] we-bootstrap wathanjiswa yi-patina yezinkulumo zomphakathi wangempela, khuluma ngawo. ukuhlangana emakhishini, izixazululo ezincane zezinkinga zomphakathi, kanye nokuphakama okubikezelwayo kwenqubo phezu kwezinkingaโฆ. Ngiyasola ukuthi ukufaniswa kwakhe igagasi lekusasa kwezombusazwe ezimnyama zase-US lapha, njengaseHaiti nanoma yikuphi lapho i-International Monetary Fund inyakaza khona. ."
Kodwa yilapho kuphela kule ncwadi ende lapho kubhekiselwa khona ukushiyeka okungenzeka kwe "sizukulwane sikaJoshuwa" futhi u-Remnick aqhubeke ngaphandle kokuhlola iphuzu. Okubi kakhulu, njengoba izinqubomgomo zezomnotho zokuphatha kuka-Obama azikachezuki kangako endleleni ye-IMF ye-Orthodox: iphakethe elilinganiselwe, nelesikhashana, elikhuthazayo; ukugxila ekuhlengeni umkhakha wezezimali ngenkathi kulungiswa kabusha kancane ngangokunokwenzeka; kanye nokukhathazeka okwedlulele kokunciphisa umkhondo wezomnotho kahulumeni ngokunciphisa ukushoda kanye nokuhoxiswa kwezikweletu zikahulumeni.
U-Remnick uveza ulwazi olusha oluthokozisayo. Abazali baka-Obama bafika njengabantu ngabanye ngamandla kunasesikhumbuzweni sakhe, Amaphupho avela kuBaba wamir. Umthelela ku-Obama wokukhuliswa nemfundo eHawaii, izwe elinezinhlanga ezixube kakhulu, ucace kakhudlwana. Sifunda kabanzi ngokuthi u-Obama wawuqala kanjani umsebenzi wakhe wezombangazwe e-Chicago, isibonelo ukubaluleka kokuthi yenaโnomkakhe uMichelleโbajoyine i-elite East Bank Club, indawo yokuhlangana yabacebile nabanamandla edolobha. Kodwa u-Remnick uhlala ebonakala eyeka ukubuza lapho nje izinto ziqala ukuthakazelisa ngempela. Ngabe abakwa-Obama bavele bajoyina i-East Bank Club noma kwadingeka bamenywe futhi, uma kunjalo, bahlongozwe ngubani? AbakwaPritzker, omunye wemindeni ecebe kakhulu yaseMelika kanye nesikhungo esikhulu samandla e-Chicago, babengabasekeli ababalulekile kusukela ekuqaleni komsebenzi ka-Obama wezepolitiki. Kodwa u-Remnick akabuzi ukuthi umusa ungageleza nhlangothi zombili. Ngabe u-Obama unikeze ukwesekwa kwamaPritzkers ngezikhathi ezibalulekile? Wake wenza ngokumelene nezithakazelo zabo? Akukho ndawo UBridgephendula le mibuzo.
Ukugxila kuka-Remnick enqubweni kunengqikithi yepolitiki kumsiza kakhulu ezahlukweni zakhe zomkhankaso wobumongameli, ikakhulukazi impi eshubile phakathi kuka-Obama noClinton. Kuyamangaza ukuthi, nokho, u-Obama uqobo uvamise ukushabalala kulezi zingxenye zencwadi, njengoba izisebenzi ezinjengoDavid Axelrod kanye noRahm Emanuel zithatha indawo ephambili. U-Hillary Clinton empeleni uvela njengomuntu omangalisa kakhulu, izifiso zakhe zesikhathi eside, ezikhuliswe ngokucophelela zavinjwa kungazelelwe ngumuntu osemusha.
Isiphetho siwukuthi The Bridge, ngenkathi ethembisa ukusinikeza isithombe sokuqala sika-Obama esiyindilingaโโimpilo yakhe ngaphambi koBumongameli bakhe kanye neminye imisinga eyasiza ekubunjweni kwakheโโuhluleka ukusitshela okuningi ngokuthi kungani eyingxenye ebalulekile yezombangazwe.
Umkhankaso wobumongameli baka-Obama uguqule ipolitiki yeDemokhrasi ngokwakha inhlangano enkulu emazingeni aphansi, engahlangene neqembu, enamagatsha cishe kuzo zonke izifunda, kuhlanganisa namaningi abethathwa njengangenakuphumelela phambilini. Noma u-Obama aheha ukwesekwa okuvela emithonjeni eminingi enezithende, umkhankaso wakhe welula isu likaSihlalo Wekomidi Likazwelonke LeDemocratic Alliance u-Howard Dean lokusebenzisa i-inthanethi ukunxenxa izigidi zeminikelo emincane futhi iyisebenzise ukukhankasa kuzo zonke izifundazwe. I-Democratic Party kusukela ngaleso sikhathi yenze konke okusemandleni ayo ukuze isebenzise lesi sisetshenziswa, yasiphuca isasasa nokusebenza kwayo. Kepha izingqapheli eziningi zikholelwa ukuthi inhlangano ka-Obama, noma into efana nayo, imele ikusasa lepolitiki yeDemokhrasi eqhubekayoโuma inekusasa.
The Bridge bekungaba ukufundwa okubalulekile ukube bekusitshela okungaphezu kwalokho ebesikwazi mayelana nendlela inhlangano ka-Obama esezingeni eliphansi eyathuthuke ngayo, ukuthi yiliphi iqhaza elibanjwe oqokiwe ekuyakheni, nokuthi ikhombisa kanjani ifilosofi yakhe yezepolitiki kanye nohulumeni. U-Remnick ubika ngeqiniso ukuthi lo mkhankaso "udonse amavolontiya amancane ayezimisele ukusiphula futhi azinikele ekungeneleleni ukhetho osekunesikhathi eside" futhi wasebenzisa "amasu okuhlela umphakathi." Kodwa akukho okunye. Lesi sici "se-Obamaism"โmhlawumbe, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ingxenye ebaluleke kakhuluโsibonakala sinentshisekelo encane ku-Remnick. Esikuthola esikhundleni salokho ukungqubuzana kwabantu no-Obama ngokumelene noClinton, Obama ngokumelene noMcCain, Sarah Palin ngokumelene naye.
U-Remnick akanakusolwa ngokungalindele zonke izici zomsebenzi ka-Obama ezingabaluleka ekuqondeni isikhundla sakhe njengomongameli. Kodwa isidingo sokunaka okuthile ekucabangeni kwakhe kwezomnotho kanye nerekhodi lakhe kufanele kube sobala. URace ngokusobala wayegxile kuRemnick ekubhaleni incwadi yakhe. Kodwa ukuqonda ngokugcwele umthelela ka-Obama kwezombusazwe zobuhlanga kwelula uhlaka lwendabuko lokuthi abantu baseMelika-ikakhulukazi abamhlophe baseMelika-babheka kanjani osopolitiki abamnyama badlule iphuzu lokuba wusizo.
The Bridge unokuningi akushoyo, engazi, ngendlela abelungu abayithathile ngayo indaba yeCivil Rights futhi bayithambisa ukuze bazizwe bengcono ngaleli zwe elidlule lokucwasa ngokwebala. Okusazobonakala ukuthi bazoqala kanjani ukucubungula indaba eyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, engapheli yokucwasa ngokwebala esikhathini esilandelayo-nokuthi yiziphi izinhlobo zokuyekethisa osopolitiki abamnyama abazenzayo lapho bebhekene nakho. Abantu baseMelika baseMelika okungenani banenzuzo yokwazi ukuthi ikhona.
Z
U-Eric Laursen uyintatheli ezimele, isishoshovu kanye nomhleli ohlala entshonalanga Massachusetts. Ungumbhali we Ukuqonda Ukuphahlazeka (I-Soft Skull Press, 2010) kanye nombhali olandelayo Impesheni Yabantu: Impi Emelene Nokuphepha Komphakathi Kusukela ngo-1980 (AK Press, Spring 2012).