jeffreyab: (Default)
Jeff Beeler ([personal profile] jeffreyab) wrote2005-04-04 11:22 am

Hotel Rwanda - "The truth, we can't handle the truth."

It is eons beyond The Aviator as a movie and I am sure should have beaten out Million Dollar Baby for some Oscars.
I'll have to see the latter to confirm this though.

Its one of those "You can't handle the truth" movies that is too shocking for many people.
A Schindlers List where we are the indifferent people overseas.

In dealing with the why it helped having read Jared Diamond's rational economically based reasons for the genocide.
Too many people on too little land is the basic reason.
In one district with no Tutsi's there was still a mass killing of local land owners and rich people.

I find it ironic that the Tutsi rebels were the ones to bring stability to the region.
Maybe as a ruling miniority they are more conscious of being somewhat even handed with the people they rule.
The Hutu militia is still in the Congo as we speak.

The movie did put the Canadian Armed Forces in a positive albeit outgunned light.
I can see why Senator Dallaire had a breakdown after it was over.
The film shows the character based on him trying to something with very little an example being taking on a mob or armed troops with handguns.

The International Red Cross also comes across in a good light constantly laying their life on the line in a country not their own.

In the end the message is that you have to try and save yourself and take responsibility rather than wait for help.

Re: Whoa...

[identity profile] jeffreyab.livejournal.com 2005-04-11 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I think if this had depicted a older event it mght have gotten more recognition.

As it was Rwanda was an event in their lifetime they did nothing about.

It was nice seeing Canadians and UN as badasses esp when the Legion comes in and then goes away.

As a Canadian I would have had no problems at the time with us sending the Airbourne Regiment however at the time the AR was under a cloud due to the Arone case in Somalia and no one in out gov't. was going to allow our troops to shoot at Africans.