If I ruled the world, I'd free all my sons;
Imagine that;
Black Diamonds and Pearls;
I'd love them, love them, baby.
("If I Ruled the World" by Nas & Lauren Hill)
Last night I finally watched "Blood Diamond" with Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Connelly. I was aware of the civil wars that had broke out in Africa (thanks to my intensive Perspectives on Africa course in college) especially in war zones like Cote d'Ivory, Liberia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Burundi, just to name a few.
So I wasn't sure how I felt with Hollywood glamorizing a grave situation. Nevertheless, the movie brought back my frustrations of TIA (This is Africa), as in you can't help what happens in Africa because it's Africa. And, oh, how my heart hurt. I remember after every class, my hope of Africa dwindled and dropped down yet another rung on the ladder. My optimism for Africa was severely wounded after meeting its adversary: reality. Despite the fictional characters in the movie, the child soldiers, the fisherman, the families torn and murdered--these are all real. Too real, in fact.
Here we are in a consumerist society buying and "throwing diamonds in the sky, if you feel the vibe" (thanks, Kanye), oblivious to the blood that's been dripped to find and sell these lustful rocks.
I'm glad that the movie surfaced this issue to mainstream America and elsewhere to hopefully bring awareness and consciousness to the blind consumer. Jennifer Connelly's role also struck a chord with me. Part of me still longs to be that person. The one on the front lines. The one so brave. The one that seeks to write about some atrocity. The one to believe writing will make a difference. The one that values another day life has to offer.
More info on conflict-free diamonds:
Note to my future husband: Whoever you are, I hope you read this blog and will seek to find me a conflict-free ring.
2 comments:
The sad thing is that the diamond market was artificially created and is kept artificially expensive through the machinations of the DeBeers cartel. Their manipulation of the diamond has inflated the price of these rocks and created many of the ills associated with them as the blood diamond issue.
Precisely! Annd..isn't it ironic that they marketed the phrase 'Diamonds are Forever', in which it was successfully implemented into the media creating a frenzy amongst women and men to purchase and consume these rocks?! Damn you, DeBeers! haha. How are you Sunjun???
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