dallaspenn.com

There are times that I realize how safe and ultimately disconnected I actually am here behind my computer. I can spit fire upon devils and dimwits with equal aplomb. Showing both parties the underside of my arse on frequent occasion. It makes me feel smart and victorious. I imagine myself to be worldly and progressive. As long as I keep the rose colored tint on my monitor I don’t ever have to see my reflection and how foolish I truly am.

When I was mining the internets for the images that I abscond with from various locales and URL’s I came across the picture posted above. The caption was interesting in that it described an area in Africa that I had no knowledge of the U.S. being involved in. Somalia, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Egypt, the list goes on and on, but there was no Congo mentioned in my mind’s recollection. What resource did Congo contain that would intrigue the United States? It must be diamonds. Or maybe it’s gold. I pray for the people of Congo that is isn’t oil because you see the graveyard that Iraq has become. To my surprise and then my dismay I learned the material that has made the Congo the new millenium’s ‘Killing Fields’.

Coltan is the compound name for the minerals columbite and tantalite. This combination forms a metallic ore that is used in the creation of capacitors for electronic equipment like cell phones, computers, video games and personal audio devices. The surge in demand for these items has fueled the mining exploitation and civil war in the Congo. The United States provided the military training and arms for the Rwandan guerilla forces that would invade the Congo and start the war. The civil war continues unabated after nearly four million people have been killed because of it. Forget about Iraq, and don’t even mention Darfur, there is a civil war being fought right now and the blood is on your hands because it’s inside your handheld PDA. The blood in on my hands as well as I type away on my laptop.

Gotdamn this capitalist devil tricks me to dance with him at every turn. I can’t escape his clutch and I don’t think that I want to. I’m not hardbody enough to live my life without watching television or drinking alcohol or giving a prostitute forty fucking dollars. The only way for me to save the Earth would be for me to kill myself and permanently remove my carbon footprint from the globe, but that would suck since I have some kick azz NetFlix movies coming to my house. I tried to stop supporting diamonds that didn’t have the Kymberli certificate until I learned that diamonds are so easily smuggled across borders that even one with a certificate is prah’lee from a conflict region. I try to be a good person too by not staring at retarded people directly into their eyes. It’s difficult and when they catch me I look away quickly.

I would like to be some kind of hero to the people, but in all honesty I am as shallow and lazy as the worst person. If I had to choose between my comfort and the convenience of communication that my computer and cell phone provide and whether or not a few hundred booty scratchers get to see another morrow… They should do like RON JEREMY and kiss their azzes goodbye. I’m not courageous or commendable enough to care about some people that I will prah’lee never meet. Now I see why white is always throwing money around to SALLY STRUTHERS and the whatnot. I’m starting to feel the guilt that privileges have to deal with. I will give a bum on the subway a dollar tomorrow and pray that this feeling goes away.

Oh, and yeah, KILL YO’ FUCKIN’ iPOD!