Taking it all for granted

Happy Fourth of July. We just got back from spending the day with friends grilling and swimming (YAY! NO RAIN! For the first time in ... um ... forever!), and then the grownups watched a movie while the kids watched another and played.

We watched Blood Diamond, and can I just say, Wow. Wow. Wow. I am still somewhat speechless. (But as you know, I always recover fairly quickly from speechlessness.) This movie is set in 1999 in the midst of the Sierra Leone civil war. Through the viewpoints of a family torn apart, a soldier of fortune, and an American journalist, it explores some of the situations behind the war, most specifically the conflict diamond trade (smuggling diamonds out of the country to sell for arms and ammunition), with a subplot about the children forced to fight in the revolutionary army.

Movies like this are always quite sobering and leave me feeling a little ... blue? ... sad? ... helpless? All of the above.

Todd and I had an interesting discussion when we got home. I asked him what he thought about the movie, and he said it was good, but frustrating, kind of like Hotel Rwanda or Sometimes in April (both excellent movies, but like this one, not for the faint of heart). He said learning about situations like Sierra Leone almost makes him want to shrug and say, “Yeah, that was interesting and sad, but so overwhelming, what the heck can *I* do about it?”

Then we considered that the point Blood Diamond and Hotel Rwanda make is that while we certainly cannot as a single person or family have a huge influence on the horrific conditions in many parts of the world (including some in very our own backyards), we can start with small actions or helping one or two people. It is still baffling and frustrating to know which one or two to help, or which small actions to take, of course. In the Sierra Leone situation, the actions of a few led many governments to join together to create public policy, which, while it may not keep people from continuing to perform illegal actions (smuggling, etc.), at least sends the message that these things are unacceptable and attempts to foster an environment of change.

I recommend you check out this movie, then do your own research to find out what horrors are taking place around the world or under your own nose, and carefully consider what small actions you can take to make a difference. At the very least, consider how much most of us (if you are reading this, probably you) take for granted our comfortable Independence Day celebrations—complete with endless supplies of grilled steak, hamburgers, and ice cream, beautiful yards and swimming pools, comfy living rooms and DVD players, and most of all, the ability to walk down our streets without fearing for our lives or those of our family members. Be thankful. (Then do something.)

I’m pointing one finger at you, and three back at myself, while I look at the wedding ring on my finger and wonder if the diamond there caused anyone to lose their life.