Blood Diamonds

Yes, I saw the movie over the weekend--I thought it was very well done. I actually lived in Freetown for about a year and a half--I thought Leo's Krio was a little rough, but I give him props for trying! Personally, I have a hard time even looking at diamonds...the commercials around the holiday season drive me crazy! I have many friends who do not have hands or feet or family members because of the war in Sierra Leone... I know young men who were child soldiers... young women who were taken as 'war brides' and gang raped... I know many, many poverty stricken people who lost their homes, farms, families during that war. I would never knowingly support an industry that contributes to this kind of horror. My husband bought me a diamond ring for our engagement--this was long before we knew anything about Sierra Leone. I didn't wear it for a couple of years--it's such a bitter-sweet thing for me. It reminds me of all the people who suffered so much...as well as someone who loves me so much. I have no idea how to reconcile this! I'm not totally of the opinion that people should boycott diamonds entirely...diamonds have potential to pull up the economy of African countries...if the profits ever actually reach the people, that is. I loved the line from the movie where the guy was like, "I hope they never discover oil here...THEN we'd have real proplems." It is such a difficult topic--I really hope the film serves to raise awareness, so that people will at least start asking that their stones are 'conflict free.'

I just think we should learn from it and quit buying diamonds period no more diamond purchases