Unit 2: Lesson 2

Blog Prompt:

Describe your response to Hotel Rwanda. How as this film affected your view of Africa and its people?


I had avoided seeing this movie for a couple of years because I'm not inclined to relive true stories of epic tragedy and suffering. I remember seeing the news the night that the presidents were killed and I remember the news coverage of the widespread killings and roads lined with refugees.

Not my idea of entertainment.

Don Cheadle was riveting as Paul Rusesabagina. So riveting that I am willing to forgive him for having appeared in Mission to Mars.

I can't say that the movie has affected my view of Africa and Africans and I don't feel that the Terry George (director) had that objective in mind. What the movie did do was to personalize almost unimaginable horror and tragedy and pose the question to the viewer: "What would you do if the world fell apart?"

George places a lot of the blame for the killings on the world community - particularly Europe, North America and the United Nations. What he does not do is say how any outside government or authority could intervene in such a situation. Outside authority was not recognized and the U.N. aid workers and peace keepers were targeted, as well.

What George presents as apathy on the part of the West, I see as more like paralysis. But, whatever the reason, the world community cannot always be counted on for assistance during times of manmade or natural disaster.

And, so, it is our one-on-one relationships that we must turn to, during such times. Each one of us has the power to do more than we might ever dream that we can do. Each one of us can make a world of difference.

Even when the World cannot.