An Ordinary Man: An Autiobiography
by Paul Rusesabagina

I had the privilege of seeing Mr. Rusesabagina speak at USM last Monday. The talk, in commemoration of Armenian Genocide Remembrance, was about genocide and indifference. Mom purchased two copies of his book, and after the lecture we were able to have them signed.

The first half of the book sets the stage for the events of April 1994. We are told about the history of Rwanda, its landscapes, its people, and the history of colonization. Far from being a tedious excercise in back stories, this informations helps to paint a broader picture of the ‘conflict’, and just how Mr. Rusesabagina was able to keep over 1,200 people alive inside his hotel. The terror of being witness to a nation-wide massacre, and the sense of betrayal by the world community, are palpable.

A sad truth of human nature is that it is hard to care for people when they are abstractions, hard to care when it is not you or somebody close to you. Unless the world community can stop finding ways to dither in the face of this monstrous threat to humanity those words Never Again will persist in being one of the most abused phrases in the English language and one of the greatest lies of our time.

more information:

Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation