I Care When I Want

I was recently asked why I care so much about Hollywood gossip. I answered “Because its interesting to me.” Lots of things are. Food, comedy, and women wearing red draws all interest me. If a woman is funny, knows how to cook, and flashes me some red chances are I will break all my vows and marry her. But since that isn't happening allow me to continue. Besides gossip and stuff there are things that I actually do read about and have knowledge of that I just don't talk about with friends. Why? Most of it is just depressing as fuck to me.

Girls being raped and kidnapped in Africa, cars just blowing up because its cheaper to just let it happen and pay off folks than it is to recall them as soon as the issue is known, MERS, planes vanishing out the sky, Russia saying “Fuck rules!”, its all just too much and not fun. This doesn't mean that I don't know about things other than what Lindsay Lohan and her stupid face is up to. Like Pygmies of the Congo for instance. For well over a hundred years they have been getting fucked over in various ways. They were brought to America and around the world as parts of circuses back in the day. Till this day they are still hunted and used as food even though over a decade the U.N decided that this was not a cool thing to do. Despite getting help from former MMA fighter Justin Wren who they have named Efeosa (“the man who loves us”) this is still going on and worse. And we're helping make it worse.

Yeah. This is gonna be one of those posts.

As far as many are concerned Pygmies aren't even considered humans hence the eating. Because of who they are they get denied basic medical treatment, schooling, and even citizenship. The women are constantly raped by rebels and HIV is used as a weapon against them. Children are forced into battles by these same rebels where they're pretty much used as fodder. Some of these kids are as young as 6 years old. They are born into the worst situation of being dependent on slave owners that decide whether or not to pay them on a whim. And by pay I mean cigarettes and fur to eat. That is not a typo. They barely survive and get pushed further into the wild only to be chased from where they have settled because the land is rich with a material called Coltan.

While Coltan is not exclusive around the world to the Congo the abuse against these people is. People talk about blood diamonds (remember that was a huge things years ago?) and the KONY2012 (strange how fast that disappeared after the founder stripped naked and slapped the pavement) while in the last decade and a half over five million people have died due to battling over a material. The Rwandan army made over $250 million in a year and a half even though the shit isn't even mined there. How? Take one guess. They can get around $400 for one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of Coltan.

Coltan is refined to create a material called Tantalum which is used to create electronic elements that control the flow of currents in small electronics like laptops and cell phones. Some companies ask that the materials do not come from places such as the Congo where slave labor is being used. Neither of these devices are going out of style and are constantly being created, improved, tossed away because they run too slow or get shitty service, and more are purchased. Either way, people are being fucked over so I can comfortably sit here in my apartment and write, watch TV, and chat with friends.

Life is shitty and beautiful. It really is. We don't have a choice in where we were born. I won't sit here like an idiot and say “I could've been one of those kids born in the Congo” because besides being a silly thing to say I wouldn't be this version of me. All I would know is a shit ton of pain and suffering. This year I have not worked a single day but have given to more charities than I ever have in my life (even the one sponsoring Justin Wren to continue helping in the Congo). Why? Not sure. Spending my time alone these last almost six months have made me look at a lot of things in my life and the world differently.

So while there are people suffering and dying around the world there is still time for me to check out what Kim Kardashian wore at her wedding...and it better not be a white dress. You ever meet one of those people that think that everything they say is profound? Everything they post on Facebook and Twitter are inspirational quotes they know they don't believe or will forget as soon as they look away from the screen. They want you to feel bad for not marching towards the police. I say stay home if you want. I say help out when you feel like it. Life is a trip and we never know when it'll end. Be nice or as nice as you can to your friends, family, and strangers you come across. Just try not to feel guilty when you honestly don't care.