What We Had For Dinner

I just finished watching Hotel Rwanda.

I'm utterly confused about the state of the world, especially with regards to international diplomacy. I realize that many of the scenes in the movie were sensationalized, but I cannot ignore the fact that it's based on a true story. Real people. Real families. Real children. 1,000,000 of them.

One of the themes that I picked up on centered around the moment of realization of the bystander apathy infecting one's culture. Paul (Cheadle) was a Hutu. At first he attempted to look away as his own people began to slaughter hundreds of Tutsis, his neighbors included; he claimed that his "family is the only thing that matters." But he could not ignore for long.

I am an American, and although I was only six when this conflict took place, it was my country, the leaders that we elected, that supported UN withdrawal from Rwanda. Our leaders dismissed the issue as insignificant and isolated "acts of genocide." We abandoned them...why?

I'll admit that I know very little about this matter, but allow me to venture a guess: "The economy, stupid." What had Rwanda to offer us? Would things have been different if she had oil reserves to power our SUVs or diamonds to perpetuate our long-standing (est. 1948) traditions?

How does a person arrive at a point in his life at which he is capable of assigning greater value to some material good than to human life? Or deciding that the protection of hundreds of thousands of children and their families is not worth our precious time and resources? I am not pointing my finger; for we as citizens of a sickeningly wealthy democracy are just as guilty as the crooked politicians that we elect. We all looked away.

Jack (Phoenix), the American camera-man, recognized the bystander apathy of his country:

Paul Rusesabagina: I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene.
Jack: Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show?
Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?
Jack: I think if people see this footage they'll say, "oh my God that's horrible," and then go on eating their dinners.

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I wonder what my family had for dinner that night.