FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO AMERICAN CONSUMERS:
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OPRAH TRYING TO PROTECT DIAMOND INDUSTRY & HER PROFITS

For those of you who missed it, yesterday’s Oprah show was a big disappointment. Leonardo DiCaprio did his best to say what consumers can do, but Oprah overwhelmed her show with a 2-part video on how diamonds are helping Africa and how the KP is basically eliminating conflict diamonds.

Nothing about how blood diamonds are still a problem, nothing about our website, nothing on the Cote d’Ivoire situation, nothing on the industry’s failures, etc.

Apparently, Oprah has her own agenda with diamonds. She has an exclusive line of diamonds with one of the most powerful diamond companies in the world - DeBeers. DeBeers persuaded Oprah to tell people on her show that diamonds are helping Africa instead of hurting so people will continue buying diamonds - especially her diamonds so both DeBeers and Oprah can profit from the exploitation of Africa. So here’s a little post-show research on what she’s up to behind the scenes.

Oprah has 2 links to the diamond industry:

1 Most importantly, she markets diamonds on her show, magazine, and website. Doesn’t look like she has her own retail diamonds line, but she does market various diamond jewelry. (see links below to several “Oprah-inspired” diamond necklaces, watches, rings, etc.) So she may have agreements with diamond companies behind the scenes. It’s proven to have huge effects on the sales of diamond jewelry (I’ve attached several articles below). She also does have a boutique (which is closed until January, so I can’t tell if there are diamonds for sale).

2 The person who launched and published her magazine “O: The Oprah Magazine” for several years is now the head of DEBEERS USA – Alyce Alston. Hmm. (I’ve attached an article about her below).

Oprah-inspired diamond jewelry:

- “Tiffany and Oprah inspired cubic zirconia engagement ring”, available at http://www.glitzs.com/itemdetails.asp?mod=1241

- “Oprah’s favorite things” Philip Teslar diamond watch, available at http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/h..._350_101.jhtml

- “Oprah’s inspired elegant diamond pear drop silver earrings” availabel at http://www.evesaddiction.com/erz10211.html

- Oprah Locman diamond aluminium watch, featured in O, Oprah Magazine, November 2001 and currently being promoted on the Oprah.com website at http://www2.oprah.com/omagazine/olis...0200_acc.jhtml

- Diamond pendant chain http://www.nextag.com/oprah-diamond/...E2622C994E2857

De Beers exec a Jacksonian of all trades The Clarion-Ledger April 8, 2005 Friday

Copyright 2005 The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS)
All Rights Reserved
The Clarion-Ledger

April 8, 2005 Friday

SECTION: BUSINESS; Pg. 1C

LENGTH: 685 words

HEADLINE: De Beers exec a Jacksonian of all trades

BYLINE: Nell Luter Floyd, nlfloyd@clarionledger.com

BODY:
Alyce Alston to oversee diamond merchant's retail division

By Nell Luter Floyd

Alyce Alston's career has carried her from launching Oprah Winfrey's O magazine to now working for one of the world's largest diamond merchants.

Alston, a Jackson native who was the publisher of O, The Oprah Magazine at its debut in 2000 and then group publisher of Fairchild Publications' W magazine, is the new chief executive officer of De Beers North America.

Oh Oprah, don't make me hate you.

Seriously, I hate finding out shit like this.

it looks like they were trying really hard to find oprah's big vested interest in the diamond industry that just isn't there.

I can't stand her, but this doesn't add to my loathing. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, and cubic zirconia surely a close second...

__________________
Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

I didn't see the show but I would never wear any of that shit unless someone in my family passed something down. My bf knows this. I'll be damned if I'm gonna wear some rock on my hand that got smuggled out of a mine in some poor south african kid's ass.

__________________

I agree it's bad, I just already disliked Oprah immensely. If she herself co-ordinated the ass-smuggling (and I secretly kind of hope she did, or maybe smuggled them in her own ass) then I'd like her even less.

__________________
Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

Well, you dont get as rich as Oprah from being all sugar and spice without a little foul play.

I picture and her lesbian assistant chick rolling around naked on shag pile carpets, with only diamonds on.

__________________
Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

ive always felt that her lust for diamonds was incongruous with everything else about her and what she stands for. its too bad that shes actually linked to the diamond industry. that makes her sordid.

__________________
When I awoke, the Dire Wolf
Six hundred pounds of sin
Was grinning at my window
All I said was "Come on in".
Grateful Dead

She's kind of vile. And she's got a massive Jesus complex.

church of Oprah, where the sick get healed with her wads of med. buying dough, "praise be to Operah!" *with a big gospel choir going in the back, preferably all black too* She'd make a great cult leader of a holy roller church.

i want jarvis cocker to do his farty dance on her show

and don't worry folks coz everything else you'll ever buy is good and wholesome and made by idyllic hunter gatherers

__________________
they made soup out of my research turtles.

hahahaha She totally would.

Of every scandel I've read about other people, this does not take the icing on the cake and it sounds like people that are jealous of Oprah are doing a piss poor job of making her look vile.

ok i didn't see leonardo decaprio, talking about his movie Blood Diamond on oprah, but they tried to cut off all the negatives about diamond industry in africa and slant it like it's a good industry for africa.

as an african american, oprah must know that
basically black people got treated, also like with the gold mines, like slaves in these industries and not that long ago...

dirt wages, hard labor, bad living conditions, terrible.


i didn't know oprah's publisher, former publisher now..is now directly working with DeBeers.

this is how DeBeers operates media control in 21st century.

YES. And sing an uncensored "(Cunts are still) Running the world" Live. Somehow.

True about the hunter-gatherers. Have you been over to the weapons thread?

__________________
Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

I had tivo'd this show and I am watching it now. A.I. are so far off the mark it's not even cool. If you can't see the show, google 'Kimberly Treaty' or Botswana's diamond industry. Maybe it's on YouTube by now.I think Amnesty International has let the smug interns run the show on this issue, they are such a respected organization that something has to be wrong for them to release such an unfounded statement. Anywise, watch for yourself. This is all bullshit.

Why would Oprah risk her reputation for a sponsorship? She doesn't need the money, and she could stand to lose everything for selling out her ideals and her image. For her to back something for profit at the expense of suffering would cause a public relations disaster like the world has never seen. BTW, "inspired by" does not mean endorsed by. I could sell my toddler's drawings and say they were inspired by Oprah. The fact that someone who used to work for her now works for DeBeers? Big fucking deal, it's called the corporate ladder and maybe they offered her a great deal. I used to work for one of the biggest banks in the world, and I also used to smoke pot, so does that mean that that bank supports drugs?

Please watch the show if you can, because you will see just how silly this whole thing is.

Misanthropic. I agree.

I think people are trying to make Oprah look bad because they are jealous that not only does she have alot of money but she doesn't hoard it all to herself...double whammie in America especially.

People are just all a bunch of jealous haters here and can't be happy for anyone..

For example

OMG I hate that bitch
Do you know her?
No but I hate her
Why?
She just think she's all that with her blonde hair and nice car
but you dont know her
pfft whatever shes a bitch


Quit hating and if you're that jealous of others then get your own life.

lol someone has a hard on for oprah