Down with the diamond industry, up with Kanye West

So, apparently I've decided recently that instead of updating you all on the boring details of my life, I'm going to use this blog as a method to post my opinions on world happenings. And to urge everyone who may be a semi-regular reader of mine to become more globally aware. Today's topic: Everyone should boycott the purchase of diamonds.

I say this for a couple of reasons. One: diamonds are severely overpriced hardened bits of carbon that actually have no more value than a piece of quartz, but because of an extensive campaign by the De Beers diamond company in the early part of the 20th century, the world (or should I say the western world...) has come to view them as the classic sign of wealth and prosperity. Not to mention, women everywhere have come to view them has the ultimate symbol of love from a man. Which is complete crap. Diamonds are not precious or rare or anything like that. They are as plentiful as quartz, and easy to synthesize in a lab. The ONLY reason why they are so expensive in jewelry stores is because the diamond industry severely regulates the market.

The second reason why I urge EVERYONE to stop buying diamonds is because of the atrocities that have occured in Sierra Leone as a result of the diamond industry. Sierra Leone is a small African country that is being torn apart by war, which is fueled largely by the diamond mining industry in that country. If you do a Google search for "Sierra Leone diamonds" you will immediately encounter several reports on the atrocities that have been occuring in Sierra Leone, which have been said, in a report written by Anup Shah, to be worse than those witnessed in Kosovo. And the war revolves around mostly the diamond mining. The war is fought mostly by children's armies, with kids 18 and under. And not only are these things happening in Sierra Leone, but in Angola, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Africa is a continent ravaged by war, atrocities and diesease, and something NEEDS to be done to help. We western countries, who colonized the majority of Africa in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and tore apart Africa through the slave trade, are now refusing to take responsibility for our actions. We sit in our cushy houses with running water and electricity and wonder why Africans haven't been able to keep up with the rest of the world.

Anyways, the reason why I say "up with Kanye West" is that he's actually a popular artist that is releasing socially conscious music. He has a song protesting the diamond industry in Sierra Leone. He also was nominated for (and I think won) a Grammy for a song he wrote called "Jesus Walks." And its just so refreshing to see hip-hop music with a good message, instead of violence and a poor attitude towards women.

Anyways, thats enough for me. I'll step off the soap box now ;).