Kwabaningi baseMelika, ilungelo lobumfihlo liyisisekelo somthethosisekelo omkhulu
isakhiwo, ilungelo eliqinisekisa inhlobonhlobo yenkululeko. Siyacela
it ngezothando ezimangalweni zethu zokuzibona silungile ukuze sikhululeke emphakathini noma
ukungena ngokomthetho (โEngikwenza ekamelweni lami yibhizinisi lami siquโ); inkululeko
yenkolelo (โInkolo yamiโnoma ukungabi nayoโkuyibhizinisi lami siquโ); inkululeko ye
inhlangano (โLena iklabhu yangaseseโsinganquma ukuthi ubani ongajoyinaโ); futhi
inkululeko phakathi kwemindeni yethu kanye nobunye ubudlelwano bomuntu siqu (โNgizophakamisa
izingane zami ngendlela engifuna ngayoโ). Siphinde sikucele ngokungazi: akukho
ilungelo lokuba nemfihlo kuMthethosisekelo. Umqondo umusha uma kuqhathaniswa
kuhlanganiswe ndawonye ngezinqumo ezimbalwa zeNkantolo Ephakeme, zombili
ezakamuva zazo zakhishwa ngoJuni.
In Troxel v. Granville, iNkantolo yanquma ukuthi ogogo nomkhulu abanawo umthetho
ukuma kumalungelo okuvakasha nabazukulu babo phezu kwabazali
ukuphikisa. UJustice Sandra Day O'Connor uphikise ngombono wobuningi ukuthi
"Ngokujwayelekile ngeke kube nesizathu sokuthi umbuso uzijove
indawo yangasese yomndeni ukuqhubeka nokungabaza ikhono lalowo mzali
ukwenza izinqumo ezingcono kakhulu mayelana nokukhulisa ingane yalowo mzali.โ
In United States v. Hubbell, inkantolo yanquma ukuthi iWhitewater izimele
ummeli uKenneth W. Starr wephule isivumelwano sakhe sokuzivikela noWebster L.
Hubbell ngokukhipha i-subpoena efinyelela kude kangangokuthi ikhiqize okungaphezu kwalokho
Amakhasi ayi-13,000 amarekhodi ezezimali. U-Starr wabe esesebenzisa amafomu entela amadala ukuze akhokhise
U-Hubbell ngokubalekela ukukhokha intela, nakuba lokhu kwakungekona ukungaziphathi kahle okusolwayo
embuzweni wokuqala. Ukunanela isinqumo sangaphambili senkantolo yokudlulisa amacala ukuthi
wabiza izenzo zika-Starr โuhambo olubalulekile lokudoba,โ iNkantolo
yanquma ukuthi uma uhulumeni โengenalo ulwazi lwangaphambili ngobukhona
noma ukuphiโ kwamaphepha ebhizinisi noma angasese, kusetshenziswa amasamanisi ukusesha
ngoba ubufakazi buphula ukuvikelwa Kwesichibiyelo Sesine nesesihlanu
"ukusesha okungenangqondo nokubamba" kanye nokuzijezisa.
Zombili lezi zinqumo zibonakala ziyizindaba ezinhle. Isinqumo ngokuvakashelwa kogogo nomkhulu
amalungelo abonakala enengqondo: ngempela, anconywe ochwepheshe bezomthetho
abafuna ukukhawulela ukungena kwebhayoloji-yomndeni emindenini yezitabane. (Abaningi
Ingxabano yalawa macala kwakungekaSharon Bottoms, ilesbian evulekile
owalahlekelwa yilungelo lendodana yakhe kunina, owaphikisa ubutabane bukaBottom.
Ngokuhlekisayo, umyeni wesibili kamama wayegwetshwe ukuhlukumeza izingane:
kakhulu ngezithakazelo ezingcono kakhulu zengane.) Ukwahlulela ku-Hubbell
icala, ngakolunye uhlangothi, libukeka njengobulungisa obulula, okunye ukusola okufanele
we-Inquisitor Starr.
Kodwa ingabe umqondo wezomthetho wobumfihlo uyindlela engcono kakhulu yokuxoxisana ngalezi zinkinga,
ikakhulukazi izindaba zocansi nezomndeni? Ikakhulukazi ubutabane. Njengoba
umhlaba uba nzima kakhulu, ingabe sesihlehlele โkubumfihloโ
njengendlela yokugwema ukuxoxisana esidlangalaleni ngokuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba umuntu?
Ingabe ubumfihlo sebuyisixazululo esilula esilingana nayo yonke izinkinga zomphakathi?
Ukuqophisana ngobumfihlo kuhlala kuvikela, akukaze kugomele ngokugcwele. Uma ngokweqiniso
sifuna ukuvikela inkululeko yethu, sidinga izixazululo ezisebenza kangconoโfuthi
Radical more. Sidinga ukuthola imiqondo emisha, futhi mhlawumbe nolimi olusha,
ukuveza nokuvikela izidingo nezifiso zethu eziyisisekelo. Ukugcizelela ubumfihlo
imane isisuse emhlabeni womphakathi.
Sivame ukucabanga ubumfihlo njengendlela yokubalekela izinto eziphazamisayo, ezingekho emthethweni
amandla ombuso noma omphakathi: ukuvikela abantu abancane. Kodwa, kaningi,
ubumfihlo buvikele futhi buqinise abanamandla. Ezomthetho nezenhlalo
umqondo wobumfihlo wagxila ngemva kokuwa kwe-feudalism, lapho esanda kukhululwa
ekugcineni ama-serfs athola inkululeko ethile kulabo ababenamandla onke
ubukhosi. Manje base bengaba nempahla futhi beba namalungelo angeziwe omuntu siqu
kanye nokuzimela emphakathini. Bangase babe ngasese-okungukuthi, hhayi ingxenye
indawo yomphakathi yenkosi. Ngaphansi kwalesi simiso, umkhaya manje usuyinto ebalulekile
iyunithi yezenhlalo. Kodwa ngezindlela eziningi, lesi sakhiwo esisha simane siphindaphinda i-
uhlelo lwamandla amadala.
Isazi somthetho saseBrithani uSir Edward Coke saphawula ngo-1623 ukuthi โet domus sua cuique
est tutissimum refugiumโโโindlu [yendoda] iyinqaba yayo.โ Nokho lokhu
umqondo wobumfihlo wawumncane kakhulu. Yakha ikhaya, futhi ngokwandiswa
umndeni, njengenhlangano yangasese yomphakathi. Kodwa kulowo mbuso umuntu,
njengenkosi, yayinamandla. Amakhosikazi nabantwana babengokoqoboโngokomthethoโ
โabaphethweโ ngabayeni noma obaba babo. โIndodaโ esimemezelweni sikaCoke kwaba
hhayi elinye igama elisho โumuntu.โ Ngokukhula kwebhizinisi elizimele, okufanayo
imibono ebiba yiqiniso ngaphandle kwekhaya: abanikazi babenamalungelo amaningi kunabasebenzi.
Umqondo wendawo yangasese nawo wawumusha, futhi uyinkinga kakhulu. Uchungechunge
yezenzo zokuvaleka eBrithani ngekhulu le-16 nele-17โeyayenza ibe yimfihlo
amahlathi namadlelo avame ukubanjelwaโakushintshanga kakhulu ukuba isakhamuzi kuphela,
kodwa futhi nomqondo womhlaba ojwayelekile ophethwe ngokwesiko. Lokhu kuqedwa
"kokuvamile" - ukubonakaliswa okubonakalayo komqondo obanzi womphakathi
izithakazelo kanye nemithwalo yemfaneloโkusahlala nathi nanamuhla. Umqondo wokuthi
imiphakathi ingase isebenze ngaphansi kwemodeli yokubambisana kunokuncintisana
kuyinto engaziwa kwabaningi e-US Lokhu kunyundela ezivamile, unathi
namuhla ngisho nasemishwaneni efana nethi โindawo evamileโ esetshenziselwa ukudelela, kunalokho
kunezinto ezibalulekile nezenzo. Ngenkathi ubumfihlo bunikeze ukuzimela okuthile
egunyeni elibusayo, ngokuvamile lalisiza futhi livikele labo abanegunya.
Lokhu sikubona ngisho nasenkathini yanamuhla. Lapho intando yeningi esikhundleni saphezulu
ilungelo lamakhosi, elithi โimfihloโ laba nezincazelo ezintsha, izinhlobo, nokuhlukumeza. Ngokuvamile
kwadingeka ukuthi umbuso ungenelele. Izintshisekelo zebhizinisi "zomuntu", isibonelo,
kwakuyizinkathazo zakhe zangasese. Nokho njengoba abanikazi bamabhizinisi buhlukumeza lobu bumfihlo, i
uhulumeni waphoqeleka ukuthi asebenzise imithethonqubo yokuvikela abasebenzi (khumbula,
isonto lomsebenzi lezinsuku ezinhlanu lisha) kanye namanye amabhizinisi.
Ubumfihlo bekhaya kuye kwadingeka bushintshwe ngendlela efanayo. Nje
emashumini amathathu eminyaka adlule, ukuhlukunyezwa kwezingane ngokomzimba nokushaywa komngane womshado kwakunganakwa
futhi babekezelelwa yiziphathimandla zomthetho kanye nomphakathi: babonwa
njengezenzo โzangaseseโ ezenzeka ebungcweleni bekhaya. Kwabaningi
uthi, owesilisa wayengeke alahlwe yicala lokudlwengula umkayo ngenxa yocansi ngaphakathi
umshado wawungokomthethoโkungakhathaliseki ukuthi wawuvumelana noma uphoqelelwe. Lapha "ubumfihlo"
yayiyisimbozo sokubusa nobudlova. Njengoba umphakathi usuzwela kakhulu
kulezi zindaba, izinkantolo ziphoqelekile ukuthi zilinganise lo mqondo wendabuko
yobumfihlo nokungabekezeleli ngokulinganayo udlame olubhekiswe kubantu.
Manje akulungile ukushaya umkakho, nakuba ungase ushaye eyakho
izingane, kodwa azisenawo amabhande noma iziphanyeko zocingo.
Nokho uthando lobumfihlo njengesivikelo senkululeko yomuntu siqu lusasebenza
eqinile. Akukho lapho lokhu kubonakala khona kakhulu kunaseminyakeni engu-25 edlule yoBukhosi
Izinqumo zenkantolo ezikhuluma ngobudlelwano bezenhlalo nezocansi. Ngo-1964, iNkantolo
wabusa phakathi Griswold v. Connecticut imibhangqwana eshadile eyayingakwazi ukuyithenga futhi iyisebenzise
izinto zokuvimbela inzalo; umbuso wawungakwazi ukugxambukela ekusithekeni komshado.
Ngo-1969 kwasetshenziswa impikiswano efanayo ku I-Loving v. Virginia ukugumbuqela amakhulu eminyaka
Imithetho ye-miscegenation. Ngo-1972 i-Eisenstadt v. Baird yelula ilungelo lemfihlo
emshadweni kubo bonke abantu abadala ubudlelwano bobulili obuhlukile: imibhangqwana engashadile
manje base benelungelo lokuthenga nokusebenzisa izinto zokuvimbela inzalo. Futhi, okuphikisana kakhulu,
ngonyaka ka-1973 Roe v. Wade iNkantolo Ephakeme yakhipha isinqumo sokuthi ilungelo lowesifazane loku
imfihlo yayihlanganisa ilungelo lakhe lokukhipha isisu.
Ngasinye salezi zinqumo sandise umqondo wenkululeko yomuntu siqu futhi sasiza
ukwakha umphakathi owazisa ubuqotho bomuntu ngamunye. Kodwa kwaba
umqondo wezomthetho wobumfihlo indlela engcono kakhulu eya kule ndawo? Ngokuwa
buyela emfihlakalweni ukuze kuvikeleke amalungelo abantu ngabanye, izinkantoloโzombili zidlulisela icala
kanye nethi Supremeโkungenzeka ukuthi bazigwema izindaba ezinzima neziyimpikiswano.
Kunokuba kwandiswe ilungelo lomthethosisekelo lobumfihlo, ngokwesibonelo, kungaba
akubanga ngconoโukwethembeka nokuqondileโukuba iNkantolo Ephakeme
umthetho wokuthi abantu abadala banelungelo lokwenza ngemizimba yabo lokho abakukhethayo?
Ukusekela indinganiso yenkululeko yomzimba neyobulili eyayiyisisekelo
ilungelo lokuba ngumuntu. Isinqumo esinjalo besiyokwandisa inkululeko yomuntu siqu,
yabungaza isithunzi somuntu, futhi yasiza ekwakheni umphakathi
bonke abantu abadalwe belingana futhi ukuphishekela injabulo kuncane
Kalula nakakhulu. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, nokho, iqiniso elibuhlungu lokuthi ubumfihlo
imodeli inemikhawulo ejulileโimingcele okungenzeka ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ibe nayo
inhlekelele. Inkululeko enikezwa ngu Roe v. Wade, ngokwesibonelo, baye baba
yaqedwa kancane kancane eminyakeni engamashumi amabili edlule, futhi eziningi zalokhu kuhlasela
ihloselwe incazelo yayo engavikelekile yobumfihlo.
If Roe v. Wade ikhomba ubuthakathaka bemodeli yobumfihlo, i-Bowers yango-1984
v. Isinqumo sikaHardwick sifakazela ukwehluleka kwaso okuphelele. Uma uthi nhlรก Bowers
v. Hardwick kubukeke njengomuntu ongenangqondo, ukuwina okuqinisekile. UMichael Hardwick, a
indoda eyisitabane, yaboshwa futhi yagwetshwa ngamacala okuphula umthetho wokulala eGeorgia
umthetho ngokwenza ucansi ngomlomo nenye indoda egumbini layo lokulala umnyango uvaliwe.
Abameli bezitabane nabameli baphikisene ngokuthi ukuboshwa kwephule okukaHardwick
ilungelo lobumfihlo.
Kodwa iNkantolo Ephakeme yakhipha isinqumo sokuthi-naphezu kwezibonelo ezibekwe nguGriswold,
U-Loving, no-Roe-lalingekho ilungelo lomthethosisekelo lokuba nemfihlo lapho kufika
ukuya ebulilini obuvumelanayo, ngoba babungenabo ubuhlobo nobumfihlo bokuzikhethela
eyayisungulelwe umshado nokuzalana. Uma labo ngaphambili
amacala ayekade ephikisana, futhi awina, ilungelo lobuqotho bomzimba, uMichael
Kungenzeka ukuthi ukugwetshwa kukaHardwick kwachithwa, kanye nokukaGeorgia
umthetho wesodomi.
KuloMsombuluko ekuseni ukwahlulela kungase kubonakale kulula. Individual Supreme
Amacala ezinkantolo anqunywa ngezimpikiswano ezibekwa abameli abaphikisayo
futhi yakhelwe kokubili isibonelo esingokomthetho nesimo somlando. Kodwa yini ecacile
ukuthi izimpikiswano zobumfihlo zihlala ziphikelela futhi azingabazeki uma kuqhathaniswa.
In Troxel v. Granville iNkantolo yathi โimfihlo yomndeniโ iphakeme ngokomthetho
umqondo oqhudelanayo โwezithakazelo ezingcono kakhulu zengane.โ Ngokweqile kwayo,
lona umqondo ofanayo owawuvumela futhi ukhuthaze udlame lwasekhaya.
Ochwepheshe bezomthetho baphakamise ukuthi kusetshenziswe le mithetho yobumfihlo kwabanye abantu
izinkinga. Oshicilelweni lwangoJuni 12 lwe I-Republic entsha, uJeffrey Rosen uhlongoze
ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi emsebenzini kungaxazululwa kangcono ngakho
umqondo onwetshiwe "wokungena kobumfihlo" kunalowo owamukelwe manje
(nakuba kunenkinga) imodeli โyendawo yokusebenza enobuthaโ. Uyakuphikisa lokho
โisithunzi nokululazekaโ okubangelwa ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kwakungaqondwa
njengokuhlasela kwemfihlo yomuntu siqu kanye โnokulimala esithunzini.โ Lokhu kuphikisana
iyavuma ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kwephula ubuqotho babahlukunyeziwe
umzimba. Kodwa, njengezinye izixazululo "zobumfihlo", ibhekana nenkinga
ngokwakha indawo yebhafa ehlukanisa umuntu oyedwa komunye, i
uqobo emphakathini.
Lokho, enhliziyweni, yilokho okungalungile ngengxabano yobumfihlo. Njalo njalo
ifuna ukuthola ukuvikeleka kanye nenkululeko yomuntu siqu ngokususa umuntu
emphakathini. Kunokuba ugomele lobo bulili noma ubudlelwano bocansi
zinhle futhi zinhle, zifuna โukuvikelaโ ngokuzisusa ku-
indawo yomphakathi ibe yimfihlo. Ukuvikelwa okunjalo ngokuhlehla akupheli
ukusungula ilungelo eliqinile nelingenakwephulwa lokuzimela kwethu okuyisisekelo. Akufanele
sonke sithuthela endaweni lapho ubumfihlo bungaba inketho, hhayi imfuneko
ngenkululeko yomuntu siqu? Akufanele yini sithuthele endaweni lapho sinelungelo
โukubaโโhhayi ilungelo โlokuba ngasese?โ Z
UMichael Bronski ungumbhali wezincwadi eziningi futhi unikela njalo
Umagazini we-Z.