Rwandan Genocide

As I take a look back at the devastating effect of the Rwandan genocide it is hard to point the finger at one group. After studying and learning so much about my specific group, the RPF, I came to believe that the RPF was the only group doing things right. In all actually though this is true. The RPF was a Tutsi organization that formed in order to gain equal rights in the country they once resided. The RPF were forced to fight in order to protect their people. The group who were at most fault for the genocide, which by definition means systematic killing of a racial or cultural group, was the Interahamwe. The Interahamwe was the group that killed 8,000,000 Tutsi people, the death of innocent Tutsis including, women, children and babies. The Interahamwe butchered people viciously with machetes. There is nothing that can justify the actions that the Interahamwe performed. The Intwerahamwe can say things like it was either killed or be killed or that they were brainwashed but I do not care. Nothing can justify the vicious mass murdering of so many innocent human beings.

My opinion on the debate we had in class was that it was a phenomenal experience. It was a very interesting way to learn a bundle of information. Through the debate style format I learned so much about the Rwandan genocide. I not only learned a ton of information but I also enjoyed the whole atmosphere of the debate. It was a lot of fun arguing for the cause, which we had to represent. Through the whole experience I learned so much about my group of people, the RPF, that I agreed with what they did one hundred percent, even though the RPF may have caused some trouble throughout the genocide. The debate style of learning is such a unique and fun way to learn sometimes boring and confusing information. For this project I every one really had to work hard to learn information about the group or they wouldn’t be able to support themselves throughout the debate. This made everyone strive to understand what he or she was learning. It is a lot of fun to experience learning in other ways besides margin noting and reading sometimes. The debate style format gives us a taste of how official debates like a U.N. meeting is run. All in all this debate was a ton of fun.

The American Scholar

Emerson's argument in "The American Scholar" about America society still holds true today.

One reason Emerson's argument still holds true today is the fact that American's identify each other by the occupation they hold. Many times I seen people introducing themselves like,"Hello my name is John and I am doctor." The common American uses their occupation as a label. Instead of being a human, or a thinker, he is a farmer or a teacher. Emerson mentions,"Man is not a farmer, or a professor, or an engineer but he is all." Emerson speaks of how there are no thinking men in society in the 1800's and in the 2000's they still remain to be seen.

A second reason Emerson's argument still holds true today is the fact that people's goal in life is to get a sucessful job. Today people are always worried about doing good at work in hopes of not loosing their job in fear of loosing their identity. Many people in these harsh times are so worried about loosing their jobs and nothing else. All they care about is doing whatever they can to keep their job. People do not care about anything outside of their job.