Very Important Question for the Ladies
Ok, I lied, TWO important questions:
1. Is there any stone, other than a diamond, that can be given for an engagement/wedding ring?
2. Would YOU accept anything other than a diamond?
Now, given these facts, would you answer these questions any differently?
According to theU.S. Department of Defense and Global Witness. U.S. Military, and elaborated upon here,
“Deaths from diamond-fueled Civil Wars (in Angola, Liberia, and Sierra Leone alone) exceed all U.S. Military Deaths in the last 70 years by 50%.”
This is how De Beers controls the industry:
1. US diamond wholesalers typically have only one source of diamonds: De Beers.
2. Once a year, wholesalers are invited to purchase diamonds. If they refuse or cannot attend, they are never invited again (business is over).
3. Each wholesaler is given a closed package of diamonds and a fixed price. They cannot inspect the contents of the package or the quality of the diamonds. If they do not accept the package at the set price, they are no longer allowed to purchase.
(This information is a few years old - if you have updated information, please let me know.)
I’m fascinated by this industry; I’ll be digging in to find out more in Matthew Hart’s book Diamond, available here: http://bit.ly/2leBoq
Change your mind?
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March 3rd, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Pete, I guess the question for me isn’t should or should I not buy diamonds which is something I might do once in my life. I guess I think more about should I shop at Walmart! The question isn’t always where is the biggest problem but more where can I have the greatest impact. I have reapped my mind around this many times over th elast 40 years and I think I think it’s the invisible coices that I have made that have made the biggest, tangible impact. Moving into an inner city neigborhood so what my education and love for people could make an impact in their childrens education as I fight with the school to give my children who are also in public schools right along side of them. Or choosing to give up every Wedndesday night to hang out with kids who have no role models. I don’t want to make this about me, I just want to make it about invisting in someone every week for th enext year will make a bigger impact on that person, his/her children for generations to come. So don’t buy the diamond, and then figure out some place where you can serve someone on this planet and it will not only change theri life, but it will change yours!