Conflict Metal

Here's another NPR triggered story: NPR today did a piece on conflict metals which are basically like conflict diamonds except that they are precious or industrial metals, not gems. NPR interviewed a bunch of folks who were demonstrating outside Intel in Portland, Oregon, against the use of conflict metals in computer chip manufacturing. Seems they want Congress to pass a law making companies accountable for their supply chains to make sure that no conflict metals are being used in that company's products.

I think my first question is why should a vocal minority be allowed to impose its conscience on the rest of the world?

Right behind that, my next thought was that these people were trying to impose on the company an obligation that they seemed to lazy to undertake themselves. I'll explain. At every step of the supply line, you can look back at the supply line, but that line also runs forward by which I mean the customer is also part of the process and if they sell the product to another customer, like a used car, they are now part of the chain. So, if you don't like a company's manufacturing process, then don't buy its product or even better make yourself, the consumer legally responsible for the origin of the components. And, if your answer is that you don't know if the product is made with materials that make a profit for a group you think is morally repugnant, then think about that for just a second. If you don't know, and, thus, it is not fair for you to have to be accountable for your use, why is it fair to make a company accountable for where the people they buy from get their stuff? If you can't be bothered to go find out, why should you make them do it for you?

Oh I know; I know. It's because you are morally right and true and brave and wise and anointed and all that and that GIVES you the right to create laws like this. And it means that you have the right to use the government to impose your true and noble nature on everyone else when you can't get enough people voluntarily involved in your cause that they would cease to purchase the product based on their own sense of morality. Certainly, it would NEVER mean that if you can't get enough people to voluntarily boycott the product, it is because they don't care enough to find out if it is in the class of evil products or maybe even, gasp, disagree with you. No, you have to do what's best for them. Because you know it far better then they, the poor little things. Onward, Utopia! Huzzah!