Did you see the 60 Minutes on conflict gold?

[Gayletmom]

I''m sitting here at the computer playing on PS (one of my favorite hobbies) while simultaneously watching 60 Minutes. I just saw a segment on the mining of gold in the Congo and it''s use financing the conflict there. It was so stomach-turning that I had to mute much of the discussion of rapes, killings, etc. While the percentage of gold in the world market that comes from Congo is small, about 1%, what''s a consumer to do?

I''m crazy about gold but am horrified at the thought that buying it might somehow contribute to such atrocities. I''m hoping some of our members might have more information. Also, what about platinum? Any conflict type issues there?

 

[Dancing Fire]

if you ever stop to think about it most of us would be running around naked if we stop buying conflict clothes.our cars would stop running because we don't buy conflict gas. yeah.... i can see it now,some gas stations will post a sign saying "our gas is refine from non conflict oil"

 

[ksluice]

I know T&Co gets a bad rap for their upcharges, but they out ahead on this issue, running all their own mines to make sure of the ethics of their diamonds and all metals.

 

[perry]

I doubt you can name a single commodity of value that has not been used to finance oppression and violance (or was not the reason for oppression and violance).

If you study the causes of war.... Historically, war is almost always about someone trying to steel from someone who has more.

DF is right. Lets all get nekag, go back to subsistance agriculture, hunting, and animal husbandry - and be at peace with our neighbors (not).

Perry

 

[ksinger]

Date: 11/30/2009 8:18:55 AM
Author: perry
I doubt you can name a single commodity of value that has not been used to finance oppression and violance (or was not the reason for oppression and violance).

If you study the causes of war.... Historically, war is almost always about someone trying to steel from someone who has more.

DF is right. Lets all get nekag, go back to subsistance agriculture, hunting, and animal husbandry - and be at peace with our neighbors (not).

Perry

LOL! Word to DF and Perry. Especially about war, at its core, being about trying to steal by force. And of course, to be sold to the public in modern times, when wars of conquest and empire are passe and highly disapproved of by the highly evolved creatures that we think we''ve become, the public, which has the collective delusion that they actually have some sort of choice in the matter, is pacified by the leaders spouting off tarted-up highly moral rhetoric. Yes war is hell, but THIS TIME, we ONLY do it from the highest and PUREST of motives!!!

Blaming gold, or diamonds for that matter, for the evil perpetrated by men upon other men, is mistaking the problem. If I thought my not buying gold, diamonds or whatever would stop this, I would happily stop buying. But come''on. Gold has been an object of lust since ancient times, and will be in demand for jewelry and industrial uses long after anyone who objects to its value funding war, is long dead. Does anyone honestly think that the collective demand for gold could ever be reduced enough to make it less valuable? But if not buying it makes you feel better, good on ya. Won''t change anything though.

OK Perry, I''m off to see if I can make a bow.

 

[Gayletmom]

I should have known that DF would be the voice of reason!

You all have an excellent point as to the many commodities that finance war and terror. I sure do wish, however, that more vendors were paying as much attention to this issue as Tiffany''s.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 11/30/2009 10:50:49 PM
Author: Gayletmom
I should have known that DF would be the voice of reason!

You all have an excellent point as to the many commodities that finance war and terror. I sure do wish, however, that more vendors were paying as much attention to this issue as Tiffany's.

Honestly, I don't mean to sound like a cynical old curmudgeon all the time - but if Tiffany's is running their own mines for stated ethical reasons, I'd bet my last dollar they would NOT do so if they were actually losing money on the deal. Trumpeting their supposedly superior ethics, probably brings them a goodly slice of the pie. If it didn't - if the awareness of a perceived moral conflict was not awake in their consumers, and owning their own mines was economically unfeasible, they very likely would not go to the trouble.

I'm genuinely curious: Is Tiffany's as ethical in their clothing sources? If so do they advertise it? (There is no Tiffany's in my city) Are all of the clothes they carry, made in shops that don't employ children, and that pay a living wage?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

No, I don''t have any conflict issues simply because as was stated, everything we buy/use is from exploited sources somewhere down the chain. I drive a car so I''m as guilty as the rest of them for exploiting oil, destroying the earth, etc.