Originally published between 2011 and 2014, this post has been updated but preserves its original publish date as content is migrated from the archives of The Flavored Word.
A girl’s best friend …
I like diamonds. And am “fortunate” enough to own a few … well, maybe more than a few by some standards, but, every now and then there is a movie released … a school lesson resurfaced … or a story that breaks … (like today’s [December 5, 2011] article by Los Angeles Times, Neela Banerjee) and I am reminded of the sacrifices that were made so my fingers, my ears, my neck and my wrist, can sport flashes of precise cuts, pristine clarity and flawless brilliant color. And I don’t like it. Not one bit.
If you saw the movie Blood Diamond, or if you are aware at all of the blatant disregard for human life that exists in the war-torn areas of Africa that trade these precious stones, then you undoubtedly are at least conscious to the plight of the thousands of mutilated lives fashioned in this iniquitous market.
So, what’s a girl to do? Well, it depends—on a number of things. First of all, I am NOT here to preach or demoralize anyone … I am only here to make you aware … and then to let you make your own decisions. That’s the beauty of living in a Western society—you are free to choose. So, I’ll tell you what this girl has done … first, the diamonds that this girl owns, she will continue to wear … BUT, I am mindful of their conception and I am not obtuse enough to think that they all originated in a non-conflict zone even though according to DeBeers their diamonds are 100% conflict free and supposedly, reputable jewelers only buy diamonds from vendors who adhere to the policies set forth by the United Nations. Supposedly.
I only wish, sometimes, I knew the story behind the diamonds that I do own … that I was aware of their journey to my hand, neck, wrist … and that in the future, the highly coveted stones came with a “made in” or “product origin” stamp … because for me, being aware of atrocities isn’t enough … it’s being responsive that makes the difference.
On a side note, should you choose to search Google Images for “Conflict Diamonds”, I am telling you to be careful because what you will see is far worse than anything you can imagine and far worse than anything you will ever personally endure, God willing.
Update. When I first wrote this post, while I was very moved by the entire concept of conflict diamonds, what I failed to realize was that it wasn’t (or isn’t) an issue reserved for diamonds alone. Other stones also have blood on them … alas, I have no proposed solution to this or anything else—perhaps the only real “solution” is awareness. For now. Be it the diamonds you own, the seafood you eat, the clothes you wear. If we all took a little more time to explore the origins, maybe we’d all be in a bit better world. Maybe.
Cover image part of Pexels’ free image library categorized under “diamond mining Africa.”
DISCLAIMER: I’m a writer and an editor. And I try my best to make sure every post is articulate and free from errors. However, being that I edit my own work—and it’s next to impossible to properly edit your own work—I admit, occasionally there may be an error or two I miss. But doing so doesn’t make me an idiot so don’t be mean. Just smile, pat yourself on the back for finding an error and be glad you’re not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes … xoxox
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