Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu—Kungani Sasidingeka?

ISIQINISEKISO Samalungelo Abantu saseUnited States siye savusa isithakazelo esikhulu kangangokuba eminyakeni engu-50, kuye kwabhalwa izincwadi ezingu-700 ngokuphathelene naso​—⁠ezingaphezu kuka-40 kulonyaka kuphela. Njengoba u-1991 uwunyaka wama-200 kusukela kwamukelwa Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu, abantu bebenesithakazelo esikhulu ngisho nangaphezulu kulendaba. Nokho, ukuhlola kwembula ukuthi amaphesenti angu-59 omphakathi waseMelika awazi ukuthi siyini Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu.

Lapho uMthetho-sisekelo waseUnited States ulungiswa ngo-1788, wavumela izinguquko ezazizocacisa izimo ezazingachazwanga ngokucacile kuMthetho-sisekelo. Ngo-1791 izinguquko zokuqala eziyishumi zanezelwa kuMthetho-sisekelo. Lezinguquko eziyishumi zaziphathelene nenkululeko futhi zaziwa ngokuthi Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu, ngenxa yokuthi ziqinisekisa inkululeko ethile kubantu ngabanye baseUnited States.

Kungani Sasidingeka?

Kungani iUnited States yayidinga Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu? Kakade yayinoMthetho-sisekelo oqinile owawuklanyelwe ngokukhethekile “ukuvikela iZibusiso Zenkululeko” yezakhamuzi zayo. Izinguquko zazidingeka ngenxa yokuthi uMthetho-sisekelo ngokwawo wawuntula ngokudabukisayo: Kwakungekho ziqinisekiso ezishiwo ngokucacile zamalungelo omuntu ngamunye.

Ingozi eyayesatshwa abantu baseMelika abaningi yayiwubushiqela bukahulumeni othile wesizwe owawuzothatha ngenkani inkululeko yabantu, ikakhulukazi inkululeko engokwenkolo. UCharles Warren oyisazi-mlando unikeza ukukhanya okuthile ngokuphathelene nesizathu salokhu kwesaba. Uthi:

“Abantu kuzo zonke izinhlangothi baphikisa ngokuthi, nakuba injongo yokuqala yoMthetho-sisekelo yayiwukumisa uhulumeni, injongo yawo yesibili, ebaluleke ngokufanayo, kumelwe kube ukuvikela abantu kuhulumeni. Lokho kwakungokuthile wonke umlando nakho konke okuhlangenwe nakho kwabantu okwakukufundisile. . . .

“Babephile eminyakeni enzima, lapho babebone ohulumeni, kokubili bokubusa kwamakhosi nabamazwe, bewanyathelela phansi amalungelo abantu lawo bona kanye nokhokho babo emakoloni naseNgilandi ababelwe kanzima ukuba bawalondoloze. . . . Babazi ukuthi lokho uhulumeni owawukwenzile esikhathini esedlule, wawungase ukuzame futhi esikhathini esizayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi amandla awo okubusa awokubusa kwenkosi, ukubusa izwe, noma isizwe . . . Futhi bazimisela ukuthi, eMelika, amandla anjalo okubusa kumelwe ngokuqinisekile anqotshwe zisuka phansi.”

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi imithetho-sisekelo ehlukahlukene yamazwe yayineziqinisekiso zamalungelo abantu ezilinganiselwe. Kodwa empeleni umbhalo ogciniwe owesabekayo wembula ukuthi ukuncishwa inkululeko kwakuvamile kwamanye amazwe.

Amazwe ayengamakoloni ayethathe imikhuba eminingi yeZwe Elidala ayiyisa eZweni Elisha. Ashushisa amaqembu amancane futhi athanda elinye iqembu lenkolo kunelinye. Ngakho ngokushesha lapho izindaba zokuthi kwakwenziwa umthetho-sisekelo zisakazeka, abantu abathanda inkululeko baqalisa inhlangano yesizwe yokuqinisekiswa kwamalungelo abantu eyayizoqinisekisa inkululeko yabo futhi ihlukanise iSonto noMbuso.

Uma abantu babewesaba kangako uhulumeni wesizwe ohlangene, kungani babezowenza? Ngemva kokusayinwa kweSimemezelo Sokuzibusa ngo-1776, kwadingeka isimiso sikahulumeni omusha. Ukubusa kweBrithani ikoloni ngayinye kwaphela. Khona-ke ohulumeni bamukela iZiphakamiso Zesigungu, ezabahlanganisa baba isizwe esisodwa​—⁠kodwa ngegama kuphela. Njengoba esinye isazimlando sikubeka: ‘Ngamunye wafuna ukusebenza njengenhlangano ezimele, futhi umona nombango kwabusa ukusebenzelana kwalemibuso.’

Khona-ke, kwabe sekuklanywa uhulumeni wesizwe, owawakhiwa umnyango wesishaya-mthetho, umnyango ophethe, kanye nomnyango wokwahlulela. Lamagatsha amathathu asebenza ngaphansi kwesimiso sokuhlolwa nokulinganiselwa ukuze kuvinjelwe ukubusa kobushiqela. Ikakhulukazi umnyango wokwahlulela wawuzoba umvikeli kanye nomchazi wamalungelo omthetho-sisekelo. INkantolo Ephakeme yayizoba inkantolo yezwe enkulu kunazo zonke, futhi yaba umhlaziyi womthetho.

UMkhandlu wokuqala, owahlangana ngo-1789, wasebenza ngokuzikhandla esiQinisekisweni Samalungelo Abantu esasithenjisiwe. Umphumela wokugcina: izinguquko eziyishumi, noma imithetho yokuthuthukisa uMthetho-sisekelo. Lezinguquko zaba ingxenye yoMthetho-sisekelo eminyakeni engu-200 edlule, ngoDecember 15, 1791​—⁠cishe iminyaka engaphezudlwana kwemithathu ngemva kokwamukela uMthetho-sisekelo.

Inkululeko Engokwenkolo

Kuwo wonke amalungelo aqinisekiswa iSiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu, elinye elingelibaluleke kakhulu inkululeko engokwenkolo. Yona kanye ingxenye yeNguquko Yokuqala ifundeka kanje: “Awukho umthetho ozoshaywa uMkhandlu ngokuphathelene nokumiswa kwenkolo, noma ukuvimbela ukulandelwa kwayo ngokukhululeka; noma ukungavumeli inkululeko yokukhuluma.”

Phawula ukuthi lenguquko ibhekiselwe eMkhandlwini, hhayi ezigungwini ezishaya imithetho. Kodwa ngokwamukela iNguquko Yeshumi Nane ngo-1868, iNguquko Yokuqala yenziwa yasebenza nasembusweni. Inikeza ukuvikeleka okungokomthetho-sisekelo wesizwe ngokumelene nokonakalisa kombuso inkululeko yabantu.

INguquko Yokuqala ivimbela uMkhandlu ukuba ubeke imingcele enkululekweni yenkolo. Ivimbela futhi uMkhandlu ukuba umise inkolo noma wenze imithetho ngokuphathelene nesonto. Isiphakamiso ‘esimelene nokumiswa kwenkolo umthetho’ sasihloselwe, njengoba uThomas Jefferson asho, ukumisa “udonga lokuhlukanisa iSonto noMbuso.”

INguquko Yokuqala iqinisekisa inkululeko yombono nokukhuluma, kokubili ngokwenkolo nangokwezwe, futhi lenguquko esikhathini esizayo yayizoba impikiswano enkulu engokomthetho-sisekelo. Abasunguli bayo babazi ukuthi inkululeko engokwenkolo iyithinta kakhulu inkululeko yomphakathi nenkululeko yomphakathi iyithinte ngokufanayo inkululeko engokwenkolo.

Kungani Kwaba Yinkolo Kuqala?

Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi abaklami besiQinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu bakhetha ukuxoxa ngendaba yenkolo kuqala. Ngenxa yempi engokwenkolo eyayithathe amakhulu eminyaka ezabelweni zabo, ezingqondweni nasezinhliziyweni zabo yashiya umphumela ongakhohlakali. Babezimisele ukuqaphela ukuba lezozimpi ezibuhlungu zingaphindi zenzeke.

Inkululeko engokwenkolo yayibaluleke ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yokuthi lamadoda ayevela emazweni lapho kwakunemithetho eyayimelene nokuhlubuka, ukuhlubuka ezimfundisweni zesonto, isimiso sobupapa, kanye nokuhlambalaza futhi ngisho nangokumelene nokungalisekeli iSonto ngokwezimali. Izijeziso zokwehluleka ukulalela lemithetho zazingaba ukuhlushwa, ukuboshwa, noma ukubulawa. Khona-ke, uThomas Jefferson noJames Madison banxusa ngokujulile ukuba iSonto lihlukaniswe noMbuso. Kwakungasekho ukuthanda ukuphatha kukahulumeni kunokwabapristi noma ukushushisa labo abangavumelani nakho!

Eminye yemiqondo kaMadison yokugcina iSonto lihlukene noMbuso ibhalwe encwadini enesihloko esithi “A Memorial and Remonstrance” (Isikhumbuzo Nezikhalazo). Uphikisa ngobuciko ukuthi inkolo yeqiniso yayingakudingi ukusekelwa umthetho, ukuthi akekho okufanele akhokhiswe intela ukuze kusekelwe noma iyiphi inkolo, nokuthi ushushiso lwaluyinto engenakugwenywa yenkolo emiswe uhulumeni. UMadison futhi waxwayisa ngokuthi ukumiswa okunjalo kwenkolo uhulumeni kwakungaphazamisa ubuvangeli bobuKristu.

UJefferson wavumelana noMadison futhi wathi ukusekela koMbuso kwenza inkolo yobuKristu ibe buthakathaka: ‘UbuKristu bachuma eminyakeni engamakhulu amathathu ngaphandle kokuba imiswe ngokomthetho. Ngokushesha lapho isimiswe ngaphansi kombusi uConstantine, bancipha ubumsulwa bayo.’​—⁠Under God, kaGarry Wills.

INkantolo Ephakeme Nenkululeko Yenkolo

Sekuphele iminyaka engu-200 kusukela Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu saqinisekiswa. Izithembiso zaso zahlangabezana nezinto ezazikhathalelwa kwezenhlalo nakwezombangazwe ngekhulu le-17 nele-18 leminyaka. Ingabe lesiQinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu esifanayo sasihlangabezana nezidingo ezishintshayo zezakhamuzi phakathi neminyaka engu-200 eyalandela? Yebo, ngenxa yokuthi kuthiwa “wawunezimiso eziqinile” lezo “ezazingasetshenziswa ezinkingeni ezihlukahlukene zezindaba zabantu.”

KuseNkantolo Ephakeme yaseUnited States lapho izimiso ezibaluleke kakhulu ziye “zasetshenziswa khona ezinkingeni ezihlukahlukene zezindaba zabantu,” ikakhulukazi ekuchazeni inkululeko yomphakathi. INkantolo iye yachaza izinhlobo zenkululeko uhulumeni okungafanele uziphazamise. Njengoba esinye isazimlando sabonisa, ukuthi iNkantolo yenza kube khona ukulinganisela phakathi komphakathi ohleliwe kanye nelungelo lomuntu ngamunye.

Eminyakeni engu-50 edlule, oFakazi BakaJehova baye bayisa amacala amaningi eNkantolo Ephakeme ngokuphathelene nendaba yenkululeko yokukhuluma kanye nenkululeko yokukhulekela. Iningi lalamacala lalihilela ilungelo lokusakaza imibono.a

ISiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu singayichaza inkululeko, kodwa incwadi ethi Supreme Court and Individual Rights, kaElder Witt, inesihloko esifundeka kanje “Jehovah’s Witnesses: Definers of Freedom” (OFakazi BakaJehova: Abachazi Benkululeko). Ithi: “Ngokwesazimlando somthetho-sisekelo uRobert F. Cushman, kusukela ngo-1938 amalungu alelihlelo aletha eNkantolo Ephakeme amacala amakhulu angamashumi amathathu avivinya izimiso zenkululeko engokwenkolo. Kwamaningi alawomacala, iNkantolo yakhipha isinqumo esibavunayo.”

Kodwa ngo-1940 isinqumo esidumile seMinersville School District v. Gobitis sabalahla oFakazi BakaJehova ngokuphathelene nendaba yokukhulekela ifulege.b Saphakamisa umkhosi ophoqelelwe wokukhulekela ifulege. UMnu. onguMahluleli uFrankfurter wakhipha umbono weningi futhi wathi nakuba ‘inkululeko nokubekezela kanye nokuba nomqondo omuhle’ kuwuvuna umkhaya wakwaGobitas, wayekholelwa ukuthi abahluleli kufanele bahloniphe izenzo zabameleli abakhethiwe babantu. Ngamanye amazwi, abezombangazwe kufanele bavunyelwe ukuba benze imithetho ebekela inkululeko engokwenkolo imingcele. Kodwa lokhu yikho kanye okwenqatshwa Isiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu.

Amaphephandaba angaphezu kuka-170 asigxeka lesinqumo. Ambalwa kuphela asisekela. Ukukhulumela okungokomthetho cishe kuyo yonke indawo kwasilahla. Akumangalisi ukuthi lesinqumo sachithwa kungakapheli neminyaka emithathu. Khona-ke, ecaleni leWest Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, uMnu. onguMahluleli uJackson ekhulumela iNkantolo wathi: “Yona kanye injongo yeSiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu yayiwukuhoxisa izindaba ezithile ekushintshashintsheni kwezimpikiswano zezombangazwe, ukuzenza zingafinyeleleki eningini nasezikhulwini nokuzimisa ngokomthetho njengezimiso ezingokomthetho ezizosetshenziswa izinkantolo. Ilungelo lomuntu ekuphileni, enkululekweni, nasempahleni, ekukhulumeni ngokukhululeka, ukubhala ngokukhululeka, inkululeko yokukhulekela neyokuhlangana, kanye namanye amalungelo ayisisekelo akufanele kuvotelwe; akuxhomekile emiphumeleni yanoma yiluphi ukhetho.”c

Ukhetho lunqunywa iningi. Kodwa izinhlobo zenkululeko eziyisisekelo eziqinisekiswe iSiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu zivikela abayingcosana ekuxhashazweni iningi namandla oMbuso. Muva nje, uMahluleli uSandra Day O’Connor wabhala: “Ngokubona kwami, iNguquko Yokuqala yenziwa ukuze nje kuvikelwe amalungelo alabo imikhuba yabo engokwenkolo engahlanganyelwa iningi futhi okungenzeka ukuthi ibhekwa ngenzondo.” Lokhu ngokusobala yilokho abaklami boMthetho-sisekelo kanye neSiqinisekiso Samalungelo Abantu nabo ababekucabanga.

Ingabe zonke izizwe zizomisa imithetho-sisekelo enesiqinisekiso samalungelo abantu? Eziningi azikwenzanga, futhi uma umlando uyisibonakaliso, eziningi ngeke zikwenze. Ngakho ukuba nethemba lokuthi zonke izizwe zizoba nezincwadi eziklanyelwe ukuqeda ukucindezela futhi zimelele amalungelo awo wonke umuntu kuzoholela ekudumazekeni.

Uhulumeni Ongeke Udumaze

Khona-ke, ingabe ukulangazelela kwezwe lonke inkululeko, ubulungisa, kanye namalungelo alinganayo ngeke kube khona? Ngokuphambene, sesiseduze nokubona ukugcwaliseka kwalawo mathemba kunanini ngaphambili. Kungani kunjalo? Kungenxa yokuthi siphila esikhathini, leso isiprofetho seBhayibheli esakhuluma ngaso kudala, lapho bonke ohulumeni abacindezelayo beyosuswa futhi ukuphathwa kwezindaba zabantu kuyothathwa uhulumeni uJesu Kristu afundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawuthandazele​—⁠uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.​—⁠Mathewu 6:​9, 10.

Izenzakalo eziyinhlekelele eziye zenzeka ekhulwini lethu lama-20 leminyaka zinikeza ubufakazi bokuthi sisezinsukwini zokugcina zalesimiso sezinto nokuthi ngokushesha uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini uzobusa umhlaba. (Mathewu 24:​3-13; 2 Thimothewu 3:​1-⁠5) Njengoba isiprofetho seBhayibheli sabikezela: “Ezinsukwini zalawomakhosi [ohulumeni abakhona manje] uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso [wasezulwini] . . . nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso [ekhona manje], wona uqobo ume phakade.”​—⁠Daniyeli 2:⁠44.

Lokho kuyosho ukuthini ngabantu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liyethembisa: “Kusengumzuzwana, omubi angabe esabakho; . . . Kepha abathobekileyo bazakulidla ifa lomhlaba, bathokoze ngokuthula okukhulu.” (IHubo 37:​10, 11) Ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini, ukuthula kweqiniso nokulondeka kuyoba khona phakade kulomhlaba. Khona-ke, kungalesosikhathi kuphela, lapho inkululeko yeqiniso, ubulungisa, amalungelo alinganayo, kanye nobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke kuyoba khona kuwo wonke umhlaba.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]