Blood Diamond: Was Your Diamond Originally Red?
“Long sleeve or short sleeve?” Neither climate nor fashion plays into this decision. Rephrased, this question reads as “Would you like your hand or your arm cut off? Because either way, you will lose something.” Due to the split second nature of the question, often it is only the machete who decides.
What would you choose?
Americans can most likely not even imagine the horror of making a decision such as this. We live the majority of our lives quite unaware of the atrocities around the world. Our concerns include the next promotion, a new car, and how to “keep up with the Joneses.” University students and intellectuals have led some of the major societal changes across the globe, but some question if the students truly care about the issues they protest against or whether they solely enjoy the disruption they create.
Blood Diamond, the recent film directed by Edward Zwick and written by Charles Leavitt, strives to awaken American culture to one of the numerous cruelties initiated around the world which we support. Yes, which we support. Through our ignorance of world affairs, we support the organizations which instigate this violence.
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler in the country of Sierra Leone, who attempts to use a man named Solomon Vandy, played by Djimon Hounsou, in order to find the location of a priceless diamond. Vandy found this diamond while working as a captive of the RUF (the Revolutionary United Front). However, not only does the RUF search for this diamond in order to buy military arms, but Archer pursues the location of the gem in order to sell it to the highest bidder in the professional diamond industry, a major player in the conflict, or blood, diamond industry. Watch the trailer here.
Nevertheless, do not be fooled by the trailer, Archer is not necessarily the good guy. In fact, out of all of the sides presented in the movie, there may only be two good guys of the whole lot, Vandy and the American journalist Maddy Bowen, played by Jennifer Connelly. Blood Diamond presents the reality, or rather presents as much of the reality as Hollywood is able to produce, of the conflicts rampaging in Africa over politics and economic resources. No one side is the good guy.
The RUF, who claims to free the people from the oppression of the government, tyrannizes the people, kills innocent families, and intimidates them into submission. Their “signature tactic was amputation of civilians” as Greg Campbell reports in Amnesty Magazine.* The government also dehumanized its people. In the movie, the government would not let Vandy’s family free from the refugee camp due to possible rebels encamped within. Campbell also stated that the government forces “killed civilians suspected of aiding RUF, tortured children suspected of being RUF, and slaughtered hospital patients in their efforts to rid Freetown of rebels.”* While the diamond industry openly denounced conflict diamonds, its executives covertly organized the paperwork in order to buy the diamonds from “reputable sources” in other countries. Bowen recognizes in the film that Sierra Leone testified to miniscule diamond exports in comparison to the rich diamond fields which it possesses, while the neighboring country of Liberia conveyed higher exportation rates than available.
Each of the forces which openly cried for the help and liberation of the people broke their promises and inflicted casualties upon the people simply trying to live their lives within the land of their ancestors. Women are raped and killed, men are enslaved and killed, and children are stolen, brainwashed into soldiers, and killed. While death dominates the fate of most of the people affected by civil war in African countries, children face the most damaging consequences of the war.
The RUF frequently captures children and indoctrinates them into soldiers capable of killing their own villagers and family. “Commanders often cut the children's arms and packed the wounds with cocaine”* in order to produce crazed, cracked out soldiers unable to fully understand the impact of the actions which they viciously performed. These children are scarred for life; most cannot seek any home or help after removed from the army. However, organizations and homes do exist to help them learn how to be human again. Blood Diamond also shows the dear people who devote their lives to re-raising these children. SOS Children's Villages is a real life example of one of the agencies which aids war torn children.
Anytime anything of value has been found in developing countries, civil war has ensued. One of the surviving villagers of an attacked town in Blood Diamond tells Vandy that “It’s good that they have not found any oil, because then they would be in real trouble.” The Middle East suffers from similar strife as plastered upon the news, though Americans have become calloused to the pain which the people of the region bear. A dear friend of mine noted that his family in Iran dealt with the effects of the oil struggle and religious tension which pollute the political and social climate; hence their escape to the United States. American apathy and greed affects more than Sierra Leone, more than Africa and the Middle East, but extends its reach into every country of the world.
As I sat in the movie, I realized that as I was watching this very movie, somewhere in Africa, a woman was being raped by a soldier, a man was attempting to carry on life with only one arm, and a child was shooting down an innocent villager. And I was simply sitting and watching a movie, enjoying the company of a friend, and planning on relaxing the next day at home. I fell into the category of the ignorant American despite my university education and “social awareness” derived from an introductory Sociology course. Had I ever cared if the small diamond in my ring came from a conflict source?
During the middle of the movie, Maddy Bowen, the journalist, begins to write an article about Vandy’s struggle and his reunification with part of his family. Archer teases her about the tear-jerking tale. Bowen retorts angrily that “yes, it might make a few people cry, and maybe one will even write a check, but it is not going to solve anything.”
Perhaps this article will do nothing other than get you to watch the movie Blood Diamond and support Hollywood through ticket sales, but maybe someone might read and begin to do something about it. Change cannot come from one person or a check. It must come from a people; that is, more than one. Therefore, I encourage you to do the following:
1. See the movie Blood Diamond.
2. Read the article referenced in this piece.
3. See the movie Invisible Children also related to the struggles in Africa.
4. Since 65 percent of the world’s diamonds come from African countries,** research Green Diamonds (diamonds from non-conflict sources) and assert that your diamond be Kimberley Certified.
5. Tell others. This may include writing to your congressmen, composing your own blog post, copying this piece onto your own blog or email, or simply conversing with friends.
Do not let this die into the past. Remember what we have come from in order to prevent its propagation in the future. Care.
What would you choose?
Americans can most likely not even imagine the horror of making a decision such as this. We live the majority of our lives quite unaware of the atrocities around the world. Our concerns include the next promotion, a new car, and how to “keep up with the Joneses.” University students and intellectuals have led some of the major societal changes across the globe, but some question if the students truly care about the issues they protest against or whether they solely enjoy the disruption they create.
Blood Diamond, the recent film directed by Edward Zwick and written by Charles Leavitt, strives to awaken American culture to one of the numerous cruelties initiated around the world which we support. Yes, which we support. Through our ignorance of world affairs, we support the organizations which instigate this violence.
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler in the country of Sierra Leone, who attempts to use a man named Solomon Vandy, played by Djimon Hounsou, in order to find the location of a priceless diamond. Vandy found this diamond while working as a captive of the RUF (the Revolutionary United Front). However, not only does the RUF search for this diamond in order to buy military arms, but Archer pursues the location of the gem in order to sell it to the highest bidder in the professional diamond industry, a major player in the conflict, or blood, diamond industry. Watch the trailer here.
Nevertheless, do not be fooled by the trailer, Archer is not necessarily the good guy. In fact, out of all of the sides presented in the movie, there may only be two good guys of the whole lot, Vandy and the American journalist Maddy Bowen, played by Jennifer Connelly. Blood Diamond presents the reality, or rather presents as much of the reality as Hollywood is able to produce, of the conflicts rampaging in Africa over politics and economic resources. No one side is the good guy.
The RUF, who claims to free the people from the oppression of the government, tyrannizes the people, kills innocent families, and intimidates them into submission. Their “signature tactic was amputation of civilians” as Greg Campbell reports in Amnesty Magazine.* The government also dehumanized its people. In the movie, the government would not let Vandy’s family free from the refugee camp due to possible rebels encamped within. Campbell also stated that the government forces “killed civilians suspected of aiding RUF, tortured children suspected of being RUF, and slaughtered hospital patients in their efforts to rid Freetown of rebels.”* While the diamond industry openly denounced conflict diamonds, its executives covertly organized the paperwork in order to buy the diamonds from “reputable sources” in other countries. Bowen recognizes in the film that Sierra Leone testified to miniscule diamond exports in comparison to the rich diamond fields which it possesses, while the neighboring country of Liberia conveyed higher exportation rates than available.
Each of the forces which openly cried for the help and liberation of the people broke their promises and inflicted casualties upon the people simply trying to live their lives within the land of their ancestors. Women are raped and killed, men are enslaved and killed, and children are stolen, brainwashed into soldiers, and killed. While death dominates the fate of most of the people affected by civil war in African countries, children face the most damaging consequences of the war.
The RUF frequently captures children and indoctrinates them into soldiers capable of killing their own villagers and family. “Commanders often cut the children's arms and packed the wounds with cocaine”* in order to produce crazed, cracked out soldiers unable to fully understand the impact of the actions which they viciously performed. These children are scarred for life; most cannot seek any home or help after removed from the army. However, organizations and homes do exist to help them learn how to be human again. Blood Diamond also shows the dear people who devote their lives to re-raising these children. SOS Children's Villages is a real life example of one of the agencies which aids war torn children.
Anytime anything of value has been found in developing countries, civil war has ensued. One of the surviving villagers of an attacked town in Blood Diamond tells Vandy that “It’s good that they have not found any oil, because then they would be in real trouble.” The Middle East suffers from similar strife as plastered upon the news, though Americans have become calloused to the pain which the people of the region bear. A dear friend of mine noted that his family in Iran dealt with the effects of the oil struggle and religious tension which pollute the political and social climate; hence their escape to the United States. American apathy and greed affects more than Sierra Leone, more than Africa and the Middle East, but extends its reach into every country of the world.
As I sat in the movie, I realized that as I was watching this very movie, somewhere in Africa, a woman was being raped by a soldier, a man was attempting to carry on life with only one arm, and a child was shooting down an innocent villager. And I was simply sitting and watching a movie, enjoying the company of a friend, and planning on relaxing the next day at home. I fell into the category of the ignorant American despite my university education and “social awareness” derived from an introductory Sociology course. Had I ever cared if the small diamond in my ring came from a conflict source?
During the middle of the movie, Maddy Bowen, the journalist, begins to write an article about Vandy’s struggle and his reunification with part of his family. Archer teases her about the tear-jerking tale. Bowen retorts angrily that “yes, it might make a few people cry, and maybe one will even write a check, but it is not going to solve anything.”
Perhaps this article will do nothing other than get you to watch the movie Blood Diamond and support Hollywood through ticket sales, but maybe someone might read and begin to do something about it. Change cannot come from one person or a check. It must come from a people; that is, more than one. Therefore, I encourage you to do the following:
1. See the movie Blood Diamond.
2. Read the article referenced in this piece.
3. See the movie Invisible Children also related to the struggles in Africa.
4. Since 65 percent of the world’s diamonds come from African countries,** research Green Diamonds (diamonds from non-conflict sources) and assert that your diamond be Kimberley Certified.
5. Tell others. This may include writing to your congressmen, composing your own blog post, copying this piece onto your own blog or email, or simply conversing with friends.
Do not let this die into the past. Remember what we have come from in order to prevent its propagation in the future. Care.
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The boys' and my Gingerbread house from last year: The Family's House
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