Are Diamonds a Girl's Best Friend or Man's Worst Enemy?

I was reading an article recently in the women's version of Relevant magazine (I'm drawing a blank on the name) and the article was about the conflict or "blood diamonds" that come out of Africa. The article did not make me aware of the issue-- I was already well aware of the issue, but it brought up a very interesting point. If everyone were to stop buying diamonds, what would it do to the African economy? That is their only real source of income in the country. Very interesting. But it must be weighed with the risk of people's live being at stake just to get those diamonds. It's not as simple as, what is more important: a nation's economy or people's lives because they are very intertwined. If an economy is suffering, the people are suffering, not just the one person; if someone is suffering for the diamonds, the economy is helped, which in turn helps more than just that one person. Kind of a dilemma, isn't it?
This issue has become a very important one since the presence of a diamond will soon (but not too soon) be on my hand. It has become more than a romantic issue, it has become a moral issue. Can I live with the knowledge that the diamond that sparkles on my finger has the possibility of having cost someone their life? I looked up the diamond market and it is a $60 billion industry (at least the figures I looked at). In the article I read, it said that only about 1% of the money that comes from the diamonds goes to fund conflict zones. Let's do the math... 1% of 60 billion is 60 million! Um... that's a lot. I had to do the math twice to make sure I did it right. $60 million is going to fund conflict zones-- no wonder there's such a problem! I can't imagine what I would do with $60 million-- buy a lot of guns and shoot people seems to be the answer to that question. I went into a diamond store at the mall in Fort Collins and asked them about their knowledge about conflict-free diamonds. The guy handed me a laminated piece of paper stating that the company claims it does not buy from sources that are known to fund conflict areas. Well, isn't that fine and dandy... but what about their sources source? And their source? Can they really trace their suppliers back that far? How can there be any guarantee? They can feel safe behind their 1% figure, but ignore what that really means (in case you forgot, it was $60 million).
So here is my answer to all of this: I don't think my not buying a diamond will devastate the African economy, so I will gladly and eagerly buy from a company that makes laboratory-made diamonds-- you can guarantee no one lost their lives or freedom to making those. I can admire the diamond on my hand a lot more knowing there isn't someone's blood behind it. (Also, it's a lot cheaper (and I mean a lot!) and really good quality!)
I am taking a stand against injustice. Even though the economy is supported by diamond exports, it is not worth it to support their economy when the risk is so high. Help support them in another way-- agriculture, building, etc. Employ the people and export goods that are handmade or at least grown in the country without slave labor. If we stop buying their diamonds, they will have to find some other way to support their people and their country, without it costing people their lives and freedom. I am doing what I feel is my duty and calling in this situation, and I do not look down or put down anyone who chooses to buy a diamond from a jewelry store. When i think about it, the injustice just makes that diamond a rock, and nothing more in my eyes. But that's my own conviction. I hope no one takes this issue lightly, but acts in their own accord and their own will in the decision of buying diamonds. Just don't forget the risk you are taking if you buy one from the store. And educate people about the problems as well, because a lot of times, people just don't know the problems that are going on. Talking and educating only made people smarter and more educated and knowledgable. So this is me teaching. I hope you took the time to listen.

My boyfriends' names are Ben and Jerry!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year: it's FREE CONE DAY at Ben and Jerry's!!! I love this day! What is better than free ice cream? Nothing! My mouth waters just thinking about how great Dublin Mudslide tastes, and how much better it tastes when its FREE! And being a poor college student, free is even more important! I'm so bummed I have classes today so I can't spend my day getting in line over and over again to get free ice cream (frowned upon but not forbidden)! I need to stop writing about this before I freak out and ditch my next class to go get ice cream!

(And yes, they are getting free publicity out of me... but I can't help but spread the good news!)

My Life is Over

A relationship has ended. It was tragic, heartless, and ungodly. No, I haven't ended things (again) with the current boyfriend. My relationship with my first love, the one and only chocolate, has ended. Because of conversations with the beau about fair trade and companies who hold to those standards (and especially those that don't-- like Starbucks, for example-- sorry to those who have a deep and intimate relationship with that company as well. I will be holding a mourning session for those who need it at my house tomorrow night at 6:30pm). Anyway, I went onto the Internet to see if my lover, Hershey's, was a Fair Trade company. (I feel really techno-savy because I just linked it... I'm a dork, I know! Back to what I was saying...) If you haven't guessed it already, they are not. I don't know what to do with myself. I have a giant Hershey's bar sitting on my desk right behind my laptop taunting me, "eat me! eat me!" However, all I can hear are the cries of the poor slave children who picked the cocoa beans to make my delicious piece of heaven! The devil has cursed it! My solution, however, because throwing away an unopened piece of chocolate would certainly send me straight to hell, is to eat the remaining chocolate in my room (you'd be surprised how much that is...) then try (key word!) to only buy chocolate that has been approved by Fair Trade organizations and/or sold at places like Wild Oats that sell only organic, fair traded food. Why do these companies have to be so crappy by using slave labor yet make such delicious addictions? I'm having such a crisis over this-- I don't think most people understand the devastation I am experiencing. I wanted to curl up in bed and cry and eat... chocolate! UGH! Vicious circle! The one thing that always makes me feel better, no matter what, is now the enemy-- how am I supposed to cope with this? My shrink is going to have a field day with this one ;-)