Pundits speak sonorously and portentously of the upsurge in recruiting al Qaeda and its Somali affiliate al Shabaab will experience as a result of the bloodshed and mayhem caused b y the attack on the upscale Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya. They predict that disaffected youth will flock to the al Shabaab colors, eager to partake in the fun. I dunno. I spoke to a disaffected young man shortly after the attack, and he said he was joining his brothers, that the cries of the victims sent a tingle up his leg. I pointed out he was not Somali, and asked what common cause he had with al-Shabaab. He said

I went to public schools where teachers
Told of evils here at home
Where my browser’s bugs had features
Even with my Google Chrome
Every movie is the same old
Every tv show the same
iPhone5 right off became gold
Apple thinks my life’s a game
College was a big disaster
All my profs were reds or queer
Telling me I’m my own master
But making their intentions clear
My life was worthless they confided
Full of froth and empty views
Every thought I had one sided
Colored by the evening news
That is why I’m now Somali
Blood and mayhem! What a show!
Be there in a flash, by golly
But my mom won’t let me go