Yukiko: here is a little snippet that came to me after watching a documentary/expose about the rwandan genocide. it was a piece by frontline (called the Ghosts of Rwanda).

so basically the things in italics belong to them.

please enjoy.

"America the Beautiful, America the Brave"-

These words cut into me like a knife.

I do not feel very beautiful, or brave. I feel hollow.

The hero is supposed to be heroic, supposed to help those in need, to save.

But I did nothing, have always done nothing. I did not help her when I should have when she cried to me in pain and anger.

What is beautiful or brave about that.

"America does not have friends, just interests"-

But that's not true! I want friends, I want people to like me.

I could do so much if you would just let me! Why do you hold me back, why do you not let me help!

You wonder why the world hates us, why they do not wish to help when we are in need.

Don't you see that your inactivity is inhibiting us from expanding our boundaries, our reach!

We've made so many mistakes in the past, please don't make this another one!

"We didn't know what was happening"-

I knew. I know you knew too.

We got the reports.

Canada, Belgium I know you got them too , I know you did! Those were your soldiers after all! Why, why didn't we stop them.

They told us what we could do, how we could help them, and we did nothing. Please, don't lay it all on me.

"There was nothing we could do"-

Yes, yes there was. I talked to her, asked what was needed.

We were told "more troops, medicine, peacekeeping". But you stalled, we all stalled, covering our asses with round about words and empty promises.

With orders to stand down and to not engage the murderers.

"It was too late"-

I'm sorry. I'm sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry.

I couldn't convince them, that I couldn't help.

I'm not a hero. Not to anyone.

Why would someone want me to be their hero, when I can't even do small things for one nation?

Review, please and thank you!

1. The Rwandan genocide happened in 1994

2. an estimated 800,000 (though some records show even as much as 100,000,000) people were killed (Tutsis)

3. The Genocide lasted only about 100 days

4. The U.S. lobbied the U.N. for a total withdrawal of U.N. (UNAMIR) forces in Rwanda in April 1994;

5. Secretary of State Warren Christopher did not authorize officials to use the term "genocide" until May 21, and even then, U.S. officials waited another three weeks before using the term in public.

6. Bureaucratic infighting slowed the U.S. response to the genocide in general;

7. The U.S. refused to jam extremist radio broadcasts inciting the killing (giving addresses of the targets so that their neighbors could hack them to death) , citing costs and that it was "unconstitutional (against freedom of speech);

8. U.S. officials knew exactly who was leading the genocide, and actually spoke with those leaders to urge an end to the violence but did not follow up with concrete action.

9. the main resistance in this genocide was the RPF or Rwandan Patriotic Force

10. A canadian general stayed behind to help, one general Dallaire (for years after he would be an alcoholic and would even try suicide because of what he saw, and what he wasn't allowed to do to help) he save around of about 20,000 people

11. The French Red Cross as well as an american named Carl Wilkins directly helped save thousands of lives during the genocide