Blood Diamonds
Posted by Deutlich on January 8th, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Back in 2000 & 2001, my roommate (another best friend whom I shall call Lily) was always scrounging up the latest & most poignant news articles.
Something about being in college made us a hell of a lot more aware of the shit going on outside of our borders. Granted, we were no idiots in high school but everything seemed to revolve around the drama-laden halls of that horrendous academic building.
Fuck, I hated high school.
But anyway, we’d sit in our dorm and chit chat about things and the conflict – or “blood” – diamond trade was a pretty big deal. I remember that there weren’t a whole lot of people aware of this. Something that was evident whenever we brought up the topic to our peers, all of whom were fairly well educated themselves.
Since then, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kanye West have brought much more awareness on the subject to America… but Lily & I were always like, “Duh? Didn’t you know? This shit’s been going on for a while.”
I mean, if a family even lived near the diamond mines, they were at risk of being mutilated, raped, burned or murdered. It was a little like telling your neighbor, “You know what? I don’t like you living next to my yard, so fucking move. You have 3 days to do it,” and then turning around and just wiping out the entire neighborhood before they had the time to meet the demand.
Former President Charles Taylor (of Liberia) is now undergoing a massive trial for all of the shit he stirred by condoning & facilitating the blood diamond trade and providing the weapons to the RUF to carry out some of the most heinous crimes you could possibly imagine.
I’m talking chopping off arms while laughing at their victims’ misfortune; sex slavery; and torching people’s parents right in front of their eyes.
Who recovers from trauma like that?
For that matter, ever since I’ve learned of the situation I’ve been fairly anti-diamonds. I know, there are a vast majority of them that come from non-conflict zones and that’s great. But I’m a pessimist and overly skeptical. Wherever there is money to be made, there are skeemers and liars.
I don’t hold qualms against those who do enjoy diamonds. I mean, really? It just isn’t any of my business.
Except for those “hip-hop” asshats with their motherfucking gaudy ass chains and blinding jewelry. Who the fuck told you it was cute to wear that shit in your mouth? And why the fuck do you feel the need to wear so much weight in diamonds that you could feed an entire country with its monetary equivalent?!
It’s usually those egotistical fuckwads that are rapping/rhyming about how horrendous the “white man” is for “keeping them down” when they won’t pull their own shit together.
Fuck, that just irritates the piss out of me.
Disclaimer: There is a vast difference between actual hip-hop and the bullshit the music industry likes to feed people. I love the real stuff because they talk about real shit. Aside from that, to this day there is entirely too much racial discrimination & disparity … but that motherfucker who grew up in the ‘burbs and is talking about the ‘hood? He needs to shut the fuck up.
January 8th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I have mixed feelings about diamonds, too, and I’m wearing one on my left hand. I’ve always felt strongly about diamond mining practices, and even though my diamond is certified conflict-free, I feel that in my small way I’m contributing to the societal diamond fetish that engenders this kind of horrible practice.
But I also love my diamond. A lot. So there you go. Maybe one has to be a better person than I am to give that up.
January 8th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I can totally related to this ranting anger. I feel like that about a lot of things (particularly environmental things and some political issues).
It’s hard how big of a role diamonds play in our romantic society. I mean, how do we shake that?
January 8th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
It’s ridiculous.
Regarding “hip hop”, you’re totally right. I don’t even consider radio hip hop, hip hop. It’s POP music. Popular music, that’s all. Also ridiculous. Seriously, wtf is with the stupid chains. That one douche who sings about beautiful girls, has a life size 64 count crayola box made of diamonds that he wears around his neck. SO NOT NECESSARY.
January 8th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Yes I totally know what you mean.
I have to say, when celebrities bring something like this into mainstream media i.e. leo and kanye, I’m grateful that theyre making people who wouldnt necessarily seek out this information more aware. I wish it was a topic people knew more a bout, i’m glad you wrote about
Oh and I hated highschool too. Loathed entirely.
January 8th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
See, what bothers me about the Hip-Pop community, with all the diamonds is that they’re probably wearing, what, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AROUND THEIR NECKS….right?
Well, in order to “protect their property”, most of them utilize guns. Or at least an entourage with guns. Which can often lead to more bloodshed over the diamonds that were probably “blood diamonds” to begin with. (cause really, does T.I. care about conflict-free diamonds? I doubt it)
Quite a lovely viscious circle of violence over little shiny rocks, huh?
January 8th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Jess – It’s just an ugly catch-22, isn’t it?
Nicole – Exactly. I’m pretty sure I’ll be asking for some other gemstone if it ever comes down to it, or no stone at all.. but yeah. Exactly.
Jamie – I.cannot.stand.that.song. And a crayola box of diamonds?! Seriously?! WHO needs that?!! Bah. Also, you’re absolutely correct in regards to the pop music category. I can’t listen to 90% of it. Gimme some Blue Scholars or Lateef the Truthspeaker any day of the week.
Chelsea – I’m pretty glad when big topics become more mainstream too. I just wish it wasn’t in such a fleeting way.
Ah, and high school? Horrendous. Blech.
Cheese – I’m glad you made the hip-pop distinction. Because, yes. I always wondered how well they paid attention to where their diamonds came from too, especially while “producing” music that often dealt with socio-economic problems and griping about some drama rama instead of trying to fix the problem.
January 8th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I understand your righteous indignation. There’s a lot going on that people don’t even think about because it’s not on MTV Anymore.
As for jewelry, I think ostentatious jewels like what the rappers have is just a sign of bad taste. Not to be mean, but it’s like the Neveaux Riche! They get some success then waste money on things advertising their success. It’s a compensation thing, I think.
Anyway, i have 3 diamonds, they’re on my wedding ring. I know they didn’t come from conflict zones.
January 8th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Katana – it’s not mean, it’s the truth.
Like I said, I take no issue with folks who do like diamonds, I sincerely hope they pay attention to where they came from (such as yourself), but in the end? There’s not a whole lot I can do about other people’s choices anyway. My mom has several diamonds in her ring, so.. what? There’s not a whole lot to be done about that and I mean, they are pretty. They’re just not for me.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I’ve known about the blood diamond thing for a long, long time and I can honestly say that I own exactly zero diamonds. So while I feel no culpability – if someone gave me a diamond? I wouldn’t ask where it came from.
I guess I’m one of those ignore it people.
As far as hip-hop goes, I really fail to understand the whole thing. I like the music but it all just seems like bad taste to me.
Again, I’m a square.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Ex – Being that one of my initial major influences in music came from Germany (majority being trance/techno/house music) it took me years to figure out that there were two very distinct types of Hip-Hop. One (the original or real hip-hop) is amazing. AMAZING. I mean, to be able to speak on real life topics and flow the way they do on top of having a killer beat? Amazing. But the crap that’s spewed in mainstream is a far cry from what original hip-hop was like. What it really comes down to is that people sort’ve clumped version 1 with version 2 instead of making a distinction between quality music and industry led hype.
January 8th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Laughing at your disclaimer.
It is so creepy what those people go through so WE can wear diamonds. If I ever get married, I’m getting a tattoo of a wedding band around my finger that says “diamonds are forever, but so is this tattoo.”
January 8th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
As a guy, going without diamonds is not too hard. What really boils my nugget is only buying certain brands of chocolate for the same reason. There’s some messed up things in this world…
January 8th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
MsPuddin – I fuckin love that idea because, yeah, it is damn creepy. Come to think of it, there are a lot of countries dealing with “the short end of the stick” thanks to our overspending on unnecessary bullshit. Affluenza, anyone?
Pixel – Precisely. And coffee, I might add.
January 8th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I completely agree on the unnecessary amounts of bling that rap stars and what have yous flaunt around and wear, it’s ridiculous and for lack of a better word…ridiculous!
January 11th, 2008 at 12:46 am
See, another reason to like you. This is a topic I champion a lot and way before the Leo’s movie came out. Thanks for talking about this topic. The situation is West Africa is really dire. I still don’t believe the diamond companies and their “conflict free” claims.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:48 am
Katelin – It really IS ridiculous.. and nonsensical. Blech.
Egan – I don’t either. Not. at. all.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
“Who the fuck told you it was cute to wear that shit in your mouth?”
That right there? That is why I fucking love you.