Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Hotel Rwanda
What were you doing in 1994?
I had just graduated from high school the previous year. That fall after graduation, I attended a Bible college. Barely lasted a semester. I moved back home and found a job that would last for 7 years.
1994, I was 20 years old. I had began coming out of the closet to friends and some close cousins of mine. I was having a great time!
While I was having a great time, some people, across the globe, were being massacred. I wasn't even aware of it. I didn't even know about it until Rwanda was having a 10 year memorial last year.
KT and I finally had the chance to watch Hotel Rwanda, a true story of Paul Rusesabagina and his efforts to keep some Tutsi refugees safe from death by the Hutus. Some have called this film and Paul, a modern day Schindler's List.
If you plan to watch this film, expect to go through a series of emotions. I found myself crying, angry, disgusted and gasping in some parts. I just cannot imagine being in their shoes. Running and hiding for your life, because you have different physical characteristics. Imagine seeing your own people murdered?!? Imagine the kids see that as well?!?
America had the chance to step up and stop this mass murder. Yet, America, along with England, France and Australia, chose to ignore their pleas. All because Rwanda has nothing of interest to offer. You see, America isn't a country, it's a corporation these days. Yeah, I know that argument that America should stop being the world police. However, MILLIONS of Tutsis were being murdered. How many more had to be murdered before we would have said "ok, that's enough"?
One comment really hit me hard. A cameraman approached Paul to apologize for the raw footage of people being mass murdered. Paul said that no apology was necesary because it would be shown around the world and people will react. The cameraman wisely replied that such action would not happen. He said that people will look up from their dinner plates, hear the news, view the footage and then return to their dinner. That's so true! We often read news articles and go *heart touch* and then move on to the next article.
Hotel Rwanda is one powerful film that can make you go through some emotions. However, will it change us to spark some actions or make our voices heard to the goverment to step to stop some atrocities? I hope so.
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