Foto: Rudee Michelle Photography
Na kaj pomislite, ko pomislite na vojno?
O vojni se ne govori ravno hvalospevno. Je taktika. Sredstvo pogajanja. Sredstvo prevzema. Je nujno zlo. Pogosto boste slišali politike ali civiliste, kako se izrekajo proti vojni. Rekli bodo, da obstajajo načini, kako se ji izogniti. Da stvari ne bi smele eskalirati do te točke. Kdaj stvari eskalirajo v vojno?
V Ameriki se zdi, da je vedno neka vojna. Bila je »vojna proti drogam«, »vojna proti terorizmu«, »vojna proti rap glasbi«. Vedno se zdi, da obstaja neka tema ali entiteta, ki potrebuje regulacijo in olajšanje. Mnogi bi rekli, da poteka vojna proti naši dejanski vladi. Če spoznate pravo osebo, oboroženo z dovolj teorijami zarote, boste skoraj pripravljeni verjeti, da vlada zastruplja našo hrano. Največja teorija zarote, za katero vem, je 11. september in to, kako je bil izgovor za začetek vojne.
Najnovejša vojna tukaj v Ameriki je vojna proti Iranu. Nekateri pravijo, da gre za pohlep in moč. Spet drugi trdijo, da gre za fašističnega diktatorja, ki želi osvojiti druge države. Ta vojna ni kot druge vojne. Iskreno, pozabil sem nanjo, vendar sem se je v veliki meri znova zavedel zaradi nihanja cen goriva. Po naključju je v tej vojni sodeloval moj bratranec, jaz pa o tem nisem imel pojma, dokler tega nekega dne ni omenila njegova mama in sem si rekel: »Oh, vau, dejansko smo v vojni.«
Najnovejša vojna tukaj v Ameriki je vojna proti Iranu. Nekateri pravijo, da gre za pohlep in moč. Spet drugi trdijo, da gre za fašističnega diktatorja, ki želi osvojiti druge države. Ta vojna ni kot druge vojne.
Zakaj?
Rodil sem se v osemdesetih letih in odkar pomnim, se govori, razpravlja in izraža želje po »svetovnem miru«. Da bi vsi živeli v harmoniji in složno. Ko sem odrasel, sem se zavedel, da bodo nekateri verjeli v določen izid, če jim ga še naprej predstavljaš kot možnost. Na primer, vzgojen sem bil kot kristjan in pogosto nam predstavljajo idejo, da se bo Kristus vsak dan zdaj vrnil. To je neizogibno.
Želite vedeti, kaj je še neizogibno?
Smrt.
Trenutno poteka vojna med Ukrajino in Rusijo. Kaj je iz nje nastalo?
Mir?
Ne.
Smrti.
Na tisoče civilistov je umrlo.
Zakaj?
Kaj kdorkoli pridobi s tem, da ubija nedolžne ljudi?
V Ameriki ljudje ubijajo druge preprosto zaradi tega, v kar verjamejo, ali zaradi načina, na katerega so se odločili živeti svoje življenje.
Najbolj nedavna vojna, ki se bije na teh tleh, je »vojna proti transspolnosti«. Razglaša se, da so transspolne osebe škodljive, povzročajo bolečino in da jim v družbi ne bi smeli biti dovoljene določene svoboščine. Zaradi svoje etnične pripadnosti in zaradi tega, ker vem, kaj so moji dejanski starši prestali v svojih življenjih, sem nagnjen k empatiji do vsega, kar zveni kot diskriminacija ali segregacija. Kadarkoli slišim ali prebiram razprave o transspolnosti, si predstavljam, da je prav to tisto, kar so temnopolti ljudje doživljali v času boja za državljanske pravice.
Kadarkoli slišim ali preberem te razprave o transspolnosti, si predstavljam, da je prav to tisto, kar so temnopolti ljudje doživljali v času boja za državljanske pravice.
Belci so se lahko o temnopoltih ljudeh in drugih rasah izražali negativno, ne da bi se kdo temu uprl ali da bi zaradi tega imeli kakršne koli posledice. Drugih ras jim ni bilo treba obravnavati kot spoštovanih članov družbe.
Veste, kaj je to spremenilo?
»Vojna proti rasizmu.« Nenadoma je bilo to nekaj, na kar se je gledalo z neodobravanjem, zdaj pa zaradi kulture odpovedovanja ne morete užaliti določenih članov določenih skupnosti.
Kamorkoli se obrnete, je nova stvar, ki je ne smete storiti ali reči. Veste, kako se temu reče?
»Vojna proti svobodi govora.«
Po dolgem premisleku in tehtanju sem se odločil, da želim začeti vojno.
»Vojno proti vojni.«
V svojih vizijah vidim več sodelovanja, manj razpravljanja o mnenjih. Več smiselnega in razumnega odločanja, manj pohlepa. Imamo obilje virov, vendar jih ne delimo. Tukaj je veliko zemlje, tukaj je veliko denarja. Zakaj se posamezniki borijo za preživetje? Zakaj obstaja vojna proti drogam, alkohol pa je zakonit? Obstaja cela vrsta primerov vožnje pod vplivom alkohola in umorov, ki se dogajajo, vendar lahko vstopim v katerikoli lokal, ki prodaja alkohol, samo z osebno izkaznico, in kupim toliko alkohola, kolikor ga želim.
Obstaja vojna proti marihuani, cigarete pa so povsem zakonite. Obstajajo številne raziskave, ki kažejo na učinke kajenja na človeško telo in celo na učinke pasivnega kajenja. Tudi če sami ne kadite, ste zaradi tega, ker ste v bližini dima, ogroženi. Vedno obstaja nekaj, za kar vam povedo, da vas bo ubilo. Je človeško življenje blago? Včasih se lahko zdi tako.
Moj oče je imel znamenito šalo, ki jo je uporabljal, kadar je zbolel in mu je bilo predpisano zdravilo: »Dajte mi tableto, ki popravi vse.« Bil je prvi, ki mi je predstavil idejo, da morda dejansko nočejo ničesar ozdraviti ali popraviti, kajti Kakšen bi bil potem sploh namen?
Moj oče je imel znamenito šalo, ki jo je uporabljal, kadar je zbolel in mu je bilo predpisano zdravilo: »Dajte mi tableto, ki popravi vse.«
Raziskave in razvoj so industrija, vredna milijarde dolarjev.
Prodaja alkohola je industrija, vredna milijarde dolarjev.
Prodaja tobaka je industrija, vredna milijarde dolarjev.
Ko pomislite na to, je vsaka tragedija nekomu plačilo. Če je nekdo ubit, je s tem povezana neka služba. Ljudje lahko rečejo: »Ne ubijaj«, toda če nihče ne bo ubit, več posameznikov ne bo dobilo plače. Od pogrebnega zavoda, reševalca, policista, zdravnika, medicinske sestre, podjetja, ki izdeluje medicinsko opremo, ljudi, ki to opremo prodajajo, receptorke in zaposlenih v tem podjetju. Lahko bi nadaljeval, vendar saj razumete bistvo.
Vsi smo v vojni.
Vsi se za nekaj borimo in/ali proti nečemu.
Nekateri med nami smo v vojni sami s sabo.
Moja preprosta rešitev: Ustavite vojno.
To ne pomeni, da ne bo nobenega konflikta, ampak da bodimo iskreni glede tega, zakaj obstaja konflikt. Denar. Rekli bodo, da gre za svobodo in pravice, in v nekaterih pogledih je to morda res, toda navsezadnje gre za denar.
Eden mojih najljubših izvajalcev vseh časov, Tupac, je nekoč v eni od svojih pesmi dejal:
»Imajo denar za vojno, a ne morejo nahraniti revnih.«
Eden mojih najljubših izvajalcev vseh časov, Tupac, je nekoč v eni od svojih pesmi dejal:
»Imajo denar za vojno, a ne morejo nahraniti revnih.«
Programirani in pogojeni smo, da se borimo.
Programirani in pogojeni smo, da je rešitev konflikta vojna.
Imeli smo dovolj svetovnih vojn.
Želim si svetovne ljubezni.
Končajte vojno.
Imejte radi sami sebe.
***
War.
What comes to mind when you think of war?
War isn’t something that’s spoken of glowingly. It’s a tactic. A measure of negotiation. A measure of a takeover. It’s a necessary evil. Oftentimes, you’ll hear politicians or civilians speak out against war. They’ll say there are ways around it. That things shouldn’t escalate to that point. At what point do things escalate to war?
In America, there seems to always be a war. There was a “war on drugs,” “war on terror,” “war on rap music.” There seems to always be some topic or entity that needs regulation and reprieve. Many would say there’s a war on our actual government. If you meet the right individual equipped with enough conspiracies, you’ll be inclined to believe that the government poisons our food. The biggest conspiracy I’m aware of is 9/11 and how it was an excuse to go to war.
The latest war here in America is the war on Iran. Some say it’s about greed and power. Some say it’s about a fascist dictator looking to conquer other countries. This war isn’t like other wars. I honestly forgot about it, but I’ve been made aware of it in large part by the fluctuation of gas prices. Coincidentally, my cousin participated in the war, and I had no clue until his mother mentioned it one day, and I said to myself, “Oh wow, we’re actually in a war.”
The latest war here in America is the war on Iran. Some say it’s about greed and power. Some say it’s about a fascist dictator looking to conquer other countries. This war isn’t like other wars.
Why?
I was born in the 1980s, and ever since I can remember, there’s been talks, discussions, and desires of “World Peace.” Everyone living in harmony and on one accord. As I mature, I realize that if you continue to present a possible outcome, then some will believe in that outcome. For example, I was raised Christian, and we are often presented with the idea that any day now, Christ will return. It’s inevitable.
Want to know what else is inevitable?
Death.
Currently, there’s a war going on between Ukraine and Russia. What has amounted from it?
Peace?
No.
Deaths.
Thousands of civilians gone.
Why?
What does anybody gain from killing innocent people?
In America, people are killed by others simply based on what they believe or how they decided to live their lives.
The most recent war being struck on this soil is the “war on transgender.” It’s proclaimed that transgenders are harmful, hurtful, and shouldn’t be allowed certain freedoms within society. Due to my ethnicity and knowledge of what my actual parents endured during their lives, I’m inclined to be empathetic to anything that sounds like discrimination or segregation. Whenever I overhear or read these trans discussions, I imagine that this is exactly what Black people experienced during the Civil Rights era.
Whenever I overhear or read these trans discussions, I imagine that this is exactly what Black people experienced during the Civil Rights era.
White people could refer to Black people and other races negatively with no pushback or consequences. They didn’t have to treat other races as respected members of society. You know what changed that? The “war on racism.” Suddenly, it was frowned upon, and now with cancel culture, you can’t offend certain members of certain communities.
Everywhere you turn, there is a new thing you can’t do or say. You know what this is called?
The “war on free speech.”
After much thought and consideration, I’ve decided that I want to start a war.
The “war on war.”
In my visions, I see more collaboratives, less deliberations of opinions. More sensible and reasonable decision-making, less greed. We have an abundance of resources, yet we don’t share. There’s plenty of land here, plenty of money here. Why are individuals struggling? Why is there a war on drugs but alcohol is legal? There’s a litany of drunk driving incidents and murders that occur, yet I can walk in any establishment that sells alcohol with simply an ID and buy as much alcohol as I’d like.
There’s a war on marijuana, but cigarettes are perfectly legal. There are numerous studies that indicate the effects of smoking on the human body and even the effects of secondhand smoke. Even if you’re not smoking but around smoke, you’re at risk. There’s always something that you’re told is going to kill you. Is human life a commodity? It can feel like such at times.
My dad’s famous joke that he used whenever confronted with being sick and prescribed medication was, “Give me the pill that fixes everything.” He was the first person that presented the concept that they don’t want to actually cure or fix anything because what would be the point?
My dad’s famous joke that he used whenever confronted with being sick and prescribed medication was, “Give me the pill that fixes everything.”
Research and development is a billion-dollar industry.
Selling alcohol is a billion-dollar industry.
Selling tobacco is a billion-dollar industry.
When you think about it, every tragedy is a paycheck. If somebody is killed, there’s a job related to it. People can say, “Don’t kill,” but if nobody gets killed, several individuals won’t make a paycheck. From the funeral home, the EMT, police officer, doctor, nurse, the company that makes medical equipment, people who sell the equipment, the receptionist, and employees at that company. I could keep going, but you get the point.
We’re all at war.
We’re all fighting for and/or fighting against something.
Some of us are at war with ourselves.
My simple solution; Stop war.
This isn’t to say there won’t be any conflict, but to say that let’s be honest about why there’s conflict. Money. They’ll say it’s for freedom and liberty, and in some regards that might be true, but ultimately it’s about money.
One of my all-time favorite artists, Tupac, once said in a song:
“They got money for war but can’t feed the poor.”
One of my all-time favorite artists, Tupac, once said in a song:
“They got money for war but can’t feed the poor.”
We are programmed and conditioned to fight.
We are programmed and conditioned that the resolution of conflict is war.
We’ve had enough World Wars.
I want there to be World Love.
End the war.
Love yourself.
Uredniška opomba:
Povzetek temelji na avtorjevem osebnem spominu in interpretaciji vojne.
Prevod kolumne je bil pripravljen s pomočjo umetne inteligence ter dodatno uredniško pregledan in prilagojen za objavo.
