Blood Diamond.

I have a very low tolerance for Hollywood violence. I firmly believe in the right to exercise my choice on whether or not to turn on the television or put in a movie. That doesn’t mean that I don’t watch TV or go to the movies. I do. (Mostly Thursday nights – I love you, Tina Fey!!) That doesn’t mean that I never turn it on for my children. I do. However, I work hard to censor the things that are projected in our living room.

Movie lovers are annoyed by me. I appreciate movies, but again, I have no tolerance for violence. As I child, I was so distraught during Bambi that my mother had to remove me from the theater. At twenty-six I got literally sick to my stomach during the movie Crash. Those who know me know that I am very sensitive. My husband and I joke about it and I’m totally about to lose some respect here, but I generally only watch movies that receive three stars or less. I sometimes try to watch movies just for the art of the film. But usually, I end up troubled for days by what I see.

So, it was with a sense of dread that I picked up Blood Diamond from Blockbuster recently. I did not enjoy watching it. I didn’t enjoy those three hours of my life and wished over and over again that I was doing something else with my time. However, it was a learning experience. I am a more educated and passionate person for having seen it. It’s been haunting me. It’s been keeping me up at night. The scenes that run through my mind physically pain my heart. I’ve found that to be true of the books I’ve been reading as well. I want to learn about this world, but I want badly to close my eyes and for someone to be able to tell me that it’s over.

I’ve always told my students that learning is hard. Learning hurts. Broadening your world is painful, but necessary.