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Blood Diamond Scandal: Jennifer Siebel's Engagement Ring of Death!
Oh Lord. Is this for real?
From the SFist inbox this morning we received alarming news that Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel, like, totally hate Africans, or something like that. After the New Year's Eve announcement that the two were to enter holy matrimony, one concerned reader called "Mayor Newsom's Communication Office," wondering if the "rock he bought for his fiancee was not a blood diamond."
After talking to an "incompetent" Newsom staff member - kudos to the unfortunate staffer who had to field this call - the blood diamond crusader was told to call Tiffany & Co. to find out more about the possible sanguinary gem adorning the future First Lady of San Francisco's dainty hand. (Funny, Jen and Gav seem like a Zales kind of couple to us.) After being "put on hold for 10 minutes until a recorded announcement said no one could take [her] call," we here at SFist got to the bottom of this international scandal percolating right before our eyes. (Africa isn't in California, right?)
According to CommonDreams.org ("Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community"):
Out of 30 companies that were asked about their policies on conflict diamonds by letter and a follow-up telephone call, only five responded, according to Global Witness. They included Fortunoff, Pampillonia, Tiffany & Co., the Signet Group, and Zale Corporation.Of those five, Global Witness said, Tiffany stood out because it described how it has tried to strengthen its sourcing and auditing policies precisely to ensure that it was not dealing in conflict diamonds.
So...there you have it. We can all sleep at night now. And why Tiffany & Co. didn't just explain the above right away is beyond us. But we suspect the human rights advocate personality on the other end of the conversation might have had something to do with it. (Who we officially love, by the way.) We're just saying.
To read the accusatory email in its entirety, follow the jump.
I'm an old school preschool teacher. This afternoon I naively called Mayor Newsom's Communication Office for clarification. I respectfully explained that I wonder if the Mayor was able to get any type of certification that the rock he bought for his fiance was not a blood diamond. It was my understanding that both he and Jen were authentically concerning about the goings on in Africa.His staff member who answered the phone was incompetent, IMHO. He told me to call Tiffany. and then hung up on me. I called Tiffany and a polite receptionist listen as I explained I was referred by the Mayors office.
I said that given Tiffany was reputable firm, what there any type of certification that the stone purchased recently by the Mayor for his fiancee was not a blood diamond? I was put on hold for 10 minutes until a recorded annoucement said no one could take my call.
Call me old fashioned but I liked the idea Gavin talked to Jen's father first. But if they truly are concerned and care about people why the rude behavior from his communication office.
They could have just said for romantic reasons the Mayor forgot to check about whether this was one of 15% of the diamonds that could be termed blood diamonds.
Why did they have to hang up? and Tiffany's why not just tell me how difficult it is to trace the history of diamonds.
Challenge to Jen, I've been to see the Sistine Chapel and the Last Judgment. If you really are concerned about Africa and like to think of yourself as a girl's girl, I beg you to reflect on what you wear on your left hand, ring finger. Do you really want a "storybook" fantasy?
May the force we with both of you.
[name redacted]