I was going to write a post about flirting tonight. But, I think that I will change my mind. On a whim, I decided to invite a friend to see Blood Diamond with me. The movie had been mentioned in a meeting last week at work and I originally had wanted to see it, as I was sensitized to the issue of conflict diamonds while in college (some of my profs were former missionaries to Sierra Leone). I knew that this movie would be graphic in violence and emotional for me. Emotional because of the sweeping vistas of grassy plains and hills, interspersed elephants going about their business, while men are at the business of war (not to let the ladies off the hook-I will get to that later). Graphic, well, the title should indicate so.
In college, some of my friends had the ethical conundrum regarding an engagement ring. They had just found out in a class that diamonds were being mined, exported illegally, and ultimately that symbol of finding your soul mate could also have funded the killing of many lives. But, I'm not laying on the guilt. I'm a consumerist and I make choices every day that I do not even think about, which I am sure have global results. That's the western guilt I live with. I try to buy fair trade, and organic, and shade grown, and...but I really get exhausted. And when I see a pair of jeans on sale that fit, I really have to try hard to remember what conditions the jeans might have been made in, or the plight of cotton workers, or that there might be lingering chemicals that are toxic to me. Frankly, with the amount of knowledge I have and an active imagination, I don't know why I get up in the morning!!
But, I am reminded that the world is broken (fallen, some would say) and that we can have hope that our actions are somewhat better than worse. Maybe not the best, which I hope and dream for (some would call that eternity or heaven), but certainly not the worst. HOPE.
I can't really even believe that I have started writing about a movie such as Blood Diamond and ending up hopeful. I could explain it a little more-there are themes of redemption, righteousness, sacrifice and justice in the movie. Tastes of the future. There is mercy. But, to mention specifics would give the movie away. It was somewhat traumatizing, but if I live a life where I am not even traumatized by the movies that I watch, then I will be numb.
One part of the movie that deeply distressed me, but I also felt helpful, was the depiction of the indoctrination of child soldiers. I am sure that wars have been waged in the west using children, but I hope it was not to the length that is currently going in some places of the world. Children should be appreciated and cared for, so that they can create a better world (and because they are intrisic worth, just like you and me). Not abused, drugged, traumatized and forced to do the jobs that adults won't or can't. But, then they grow into adults who can't get out of the system.
HOPE-oh yeah-what is that? Well, there is a little hope-maybe you've seen the movie and can comment. I like comments. Any ideas on how to change the world just a little? Man, I am so cheesy!
Oh, I found a curious musing here. And thanks to my friend for joining me for the movie-my nail marks on your arm will disappear shortly.
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3 comments:
Finally blogging, eh?
Umm, nothing more to say than that??
I was reflecting on an event that traumatized me this morning. When I was at school in Savannah I saw a hawk on the ground gaurding its catch from the crowd that had gathered around it in awe, as it moved around it became obvious that it had a squirrel in its talens. My heart broke for the little animal, I knew that I both didn't have the power to save it and that there is this hard balance in the world where predators and prey both struggle to live, if I had the power to take the squirrel from the hawk I would be taking sustanence away from it...
I had a dream last night about baby sea turtles emerging from the sand to make the great run for the ocean. I guess it played into the same issue, but in my dream I meddled. I knew that many of them never even make it to the water, and I couldn't bare to see something so small and so desperate be preyed upon, so I grabbed each little turtle as it emerged and rushed it to the water myself. I know that dreams are metaphors and it has more to do with me than my irreverance towards the natural circle of life in my own desperation to save baby critters.
I've never seen blood diamond, and I know I never will, but I get to enjoy the message of such movies through others sans trauma.
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