"Blood Diamond"

“I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond!”

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend." 

"Diamonds are forever."  

I spent 143 minutes of my night last night in heartbreak. My heart broke for those who have a love of diamonds and no knowledge of their history. My heart broke for those who have killed for those diamonds and of course my heart broke for those who lost their lives because of this "precious" resource that some people just cannot live without.

Blood Diamond is an absolutely amazing movie that I highly recommend to all. I had never seen it and questioned myself watching it. (It is rated R and involves a lot of violence. Along with the fact it takes place once again in Africa and it is a true story). That is all it takes to break my heart, yet at the same time it makes me want to jump up and scream at the world for being so stupid!

If you don't know what "Blood Diamond" is about here is a quick summary. In Sierra Leone, Africa there was a war fought, African against African, for these diamonds that were supposedly everywhere. They were the key to making lots of money and taking control of the country. Many people, the Rebels, decided to kill for these diamonds. They went around attacking everyone who wasn't looking for diamonds for them and killed for fun. Child soldiers began to develop and kill anyone they came across. It was a horrific time and can be compared to the genocide in Rwanda where once again it was person against person of the same country. It was also rebels against the government and powerful against the innocent. I watched the whole movie and could not believe this actually happened and nobody tried to stop it! I felt as if I was watching "Hotel Rwanda" all over again. How on Earth does something like this go on for so long without people working to stop it?

I can't help but think of all of those innocent people who were killed because of a diamond. I cannot help but think of all of those children who were turned into killers because of a diamond. And all of those people who called themselves rebels, who turned to killing, because of a diamond. It hurts my heart to even think of that. It's been on my mind all morning. I decided long ago that if I did get a ring of any sort it would not be a diamond. I was never a fan of wearing something shiny on my finger anyway. I'm not that type of girl. But now I am definitely, positively sure, that I will never wear a diamond. Some of the diamonds in our market now are still coming from places of illegality, and there is still blood being shed for it. Not a chance would I ever buy a diamond that an innocent person may have had to die for. I will not take that chance. I encourage you to rethink your thoughts about diamonds. Question where the diamond came from. Try to figure it out. That diamond you may be wearing right now, or are thinking about wearing could be on your finger because someone was shot and killed for it or had their hands chopped of for it. Please think about it. I'm not saying to boycott wearing diamonds, but I am asking you the try ti find out more about your diamond and pray for those involved in this process of getting diamonds to us here in American. 

 
Please pray for continual peace in these areas of the world and for peace in our land. It is much needed. No more lives should be lost.

"This ain't comin' from no prophet
Just an ordinary man
When I close my eyes I see
The way this world shall be
When we all walk hand in hand

When the last child cries for a crust of bread
When the last man dies for just words that he said
When there's shelter over the poorest head
We shall be free

When the last thing we notice is the color of skin
And the first thing we look for is the beauty within
When the skies and the oceans are clean again
Then we shall be free

We shall be free
We shall be free
Stand straight, walk proud
'Cause we shall be free
When we're free to love anyone we choose
When this world's big enough for all different views
When we all can worship from our own kind of pew
Then we shall be free
We shall be free

We shall be free
Have a little faith
Hold out
'Cause we shall be free

And when money talks for the very last time
And nobody walks a step behind
When there's only one race and that's mankind
Then we shall be free

We shall be free
We shall be free
Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith, hold out
We shall be free"