15 seconds ago 2009-11-22T16:42:54-08:00
Nicole Richie shows off her baby bump at the 'What Comes Around Goes Around' Fall 2009 launch in LAWireImageAccess Hollywood
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Nicole Richie has joined the likes of Ben Affleck , Mia Farrow and Emile Hirsch by speaking out about the situation in the African nation of Congo.
The celebutante-turned-celebumom posted a video on her blog, hoping to raise awareness about the sexual crimes being committed in the warring country.
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"I'm about to tell you a true story about a place where babies and grandmothers are being raped on a daily basis and the reason they are being raped is directly connected to the purchases of our cell phones, of our laptops and of our iPods," Nicole said in the clip.
With longtime pal John Prendergast from The Enough Project, and Kimberly Pinkson, from the EcoMom Alliance, the trio explain that minerals that are found in the Congo are used in the making of electronic products regularly purchased by consumers. They go about naming several products and companies that use the minerals, which Prendergast points out do not have to be bought in Congo, but can be mined in other countries not under crisis.
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Nicole goes on to note that rape is being used as a control mechanism, but does not single out the group involved in the crimes.
"The No. 1 weapon out there -- it's not guns, it's not knives, it is rape," she says. "They are raping these women and not only is it -- I mean it's not just rape, these women are being raped in front of their husbands, in front of their children... I mean, this stuff is really inhumane. This is the worst thing that I've ever heard in my life."
Nicole and her pals suggest people avoid buying products that include minerals from countries engaged in conflict.
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"We are not as ignorant as people think we are. We simply don't know. And it's not our fault," she says. "It is so easy to be just completely distracted and I really am optimistic that if I bring it to my peers attention that they are gonna wanna do the right thing."
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FrankieWell, she is trying to help by using her little celebrity status, but somehow it comes off as fake. But it is nice that she tries.report abuseposted April 24, 2009 5:13 AM PDT
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LAOh please.report abuseposted April 22, 2009 1:48 PM PDT
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Jackiehmmm. how nice of her. if only a nice little white woman could have tried to stop the rape of the young african slave girls who were brought over to the land of the free. but oh yeah even we didn't have freedom of speech back thenreport abuseposted April 22, 2009 10:30 AM PDT
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OhioGirlI'm glad to see she's actually trying to do something worth while. I'd rather see her outraged about the terrible things going on in our country though.report abuseposted April 22, 2009 5:19 AM PDT
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hiStuff happens here to and people are doing something to stop that her in America. but around the world like Congo there is no help and it good to hear that some people are stepping up to help out others in need of desperate help! Good for them!!report abuseposted April 21, 2009 5:25 PM PDT
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hicloverleaf1121 what does marriage have to do with anything. you dont have to be married to have kids.report abuseposted April 21, 2009 5:22 PM PDT
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Red EarsPage 3 and doomed by spam. Nobody cares about black people killing other black people. Not here and certainly not half-way around the globe. Nicole, you're a twit, pick something you really care about that's a little closer to home. Shallow new-chasing ho!report abuseposted April 16, 2009 3:11 PM PDT
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Red EarsAlready page 2 and dropping like a rock; replaced by more important 'stuff'. Think I'll go buy a big-screen TV to help the Democratic Republic of The Congo.report abuseposted April 16, 2009 2:30 PM PDT
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Red EarsA woman raped and murdered an 8-year old girl here in the States. Stuffed her body in a suitcase and tossed it into a pond. Where is Nicole's outrage over this? The plight of "these people" takes precedence over your own country's children? What can Richie accomplish in a country half way around the World? Nothing. But it looks like she cares, and stuff, to twitsreport abuseposted April 16, 2009 2:12 PM PDT
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HappyI say we put things in IRAQ on hold and go to CONGO & kick some butt. This is so inhuman. I'm down who's with me?report abuseposted April 16, 2009 2:06 PM PDT
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