2009-2010 discussion
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We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed...
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Devonte
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Apr 27, 2010 09:27AM
ok this book is awesome but the event is all messed up.So what if what happened in Rawanda (the genocide) happened here in the U.S? how would you react? how do you think would be to blame? who do you think is to blame for the genocide in rawnada?
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I feel as though this book reads more like a history book than an actual story. Does anyone agree? I think the book would be better if he focused more on peoples' stories and personal accounts, rather than just telling the events of the genocide in chronological order (especially around page 50 and beyond). What do you guys think? Are you finding it as difficult as I am to actually think of this as a book with a plot as opposed to just a telling of a historic event?
Devonte wrote:ok this book is awesome but the event is all messed up.So what if what happened in Rawanda (the genocide) happened here in the U.S? how would you react? how do you think would be to blame? who do you think is to blame for the genocide in rawnada?
I don't think this particular kind of genocide COULD happen to that extent in America. It says in the book several times from pages 50-80 that the difference between the genocide in Rwanda and something that happens in America is media coverage. While all of this was happening, the groups that were in charge of all these massacres somehow managed to maintain a "positive international image". In Rwanda, I really think the Belgians are to blame. They entered Rwanda and took the side of the group that was the most powerful (as many various colonizers did during times of colonization). So the Belgians really escalated the conflict and allowed the group that happened to have a little more power than the other to think that they had much more substantial power and could do worse things.
julie wrote "I feel as though this book reads more like a history book than an actual story. Does anyone agree?" yes it should foucus on one persons life or one small event this book has alot of info to remeber and alot of people to blame as well as alot of groups to pin blame to. this book is the blame game who is with me?
Devonte wrote:this book has alot of info to remeber and alot of people to blame as well as alot of groups to pin blame to. this book is the blame game who is with me?
I don't really think that the the author is placing blame, but I do agree that he is describing the situations from different points of views. This may be why you feel as though there are many groups to blame; he tells the story through the eyes of one side (who blames the other side), and then goes back and re-tells it from the point of view of the "other side" in the previous situation, which would lead to blame of those with the original point of view. So, yes, the way he tells it does illicit blame, but I don't think this was the true purpose of his writing the book.
What do you think was the purpose of his writing? I mean, once you have heard one story of the genocide, you have heard them all, right? Do you agree? From what he is writing, do you think he had an underlying reason for writing (i.e. a bias towards a particular side or view-point)?
Devonte wrote: "So what if what happened in Rawanda (the genocide) happened here in the U.S? how would you react? how do you think would be to blame?"Although I think that the genocide wouldn't happen to america , but if it did I would be absolutely terrified and wouldn't know what to do. I dont know if I would just leave the whole united states but I probably would seek for revenge if I could find enough people that would agree with me.
Darion wrote:Although I think that the genocide wouldn't happen to america , but if it did I would be absolutely terrified and wouldn't know what to do. I dont know if I would just leave the whole united states but I probably would seek for revenge if I could find enough people that would agree with me.
If there was a genocide going on in the ENTIRE United States of America and you wanted to start an uprising, how would you get in contact with people? Wouldn't the planning of a revolt put you in more danger if your enemies found out? Personally, I would lay low and try to hide if at all possible.
On that note, who's to say that you (or I) would be part of the people that are being attacked? Could you imagine yourself as an attacker? Do you think anyone can?
RESPONDING TO JULIE: i WOULD REALLY HAVE TO THINK THIS THREW BUT I THINK I WOULD TRY GET BIG TIME CELEBRATIES TOO SPEAKOUT WITH ME AND I WOULD TALK TOO MY FRIENDS AND TELL THEM TO TELL THERE FAMILY ANDFRIENDS AND DOWN THE ROAD THEIR HAS TOO BE SOMEONE WHO WOULD HAVE A GREAT AFFECT ON THEIR PEERS OR COMMUNITY ,I THINK I WOULD HAVE TO THINK A LITTLE HARDER ONCE AGAIN BUT THAT WHAT I JUST THOUGHT OF.
I found it ironic when I read about the Tutsis being expelled from schools just because of their specific distinctions, because it reminded me of our own civil rights battle that we fought here in America. There was only one difference: by the time the Civil Rights Movement was over in America, Tutsis were just beginning to become segregated publicly from Hutus (the book says this happened around 1973, about five years after the end of the Civil Rights Movement). Did anyone else find the similar time periods but opposite directions ironic? Why do you think the folks over in Rwanda didn't/couldn't learn from the American Civil Rights Movement?
Julie wrote:Why do you think the folks over in Rwanda didn't/couldn't learn from the American Civil Rights Movement? i think they couldn't learn because they didn't know about it and the genocide was way faster then the civil rights movemnet and the Tutsis were a really small percent of the population so they -- more then likely-- wouldn't win if they revolted.
so if you could you were in Gouvervit's shoes who would you interview and why
