Annotated Bibliography

Beckerman, Gal.  “Top Genocide Scholars Battle Over How To Characterize Israel’s Actions.” The Jewish Daily Forward. N.p., 16 Feb. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

Article gives a brief overview of Holocaust and Genocide studies, and the definition of what genocide is. The journal features history, literature, economics, and political science.  This article is just the introduction to the actual journal, although it does give good information as to how genocide connects to the world today, and how many different occupations can use the history of genocide to shape events happening today.

“Holocaust and Genocide Studies.” Holocaust and Genocide Studies. Oxford, N.D. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

The Journal of Genocide looks into the background of genocide and focuses on teaching people, to try to ensure that genocides don’t repeat.  The journal welcomes a large number of people, with many different beliefs, from philosophers to political scientists. It explores the given problems that come along with genocide, and what decisions should be made by policy makers to try to predict and prevent any future genocides.

“Journal of Genocide Research J Genocide Res.” Genamics JournalSeek. Taylor and Francid Group, N.D. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

This article discusses the debate over the term Genocide, it began with a professor in Israeli who believes that the Jews did not commit genocide in 1948.  Many people don’t believe this was genocide although they do agree that some sort of “ethnic cleansing” occurred.

Lacy, Mard. “10 Years Later in Rwada, The Dead Are Ever Present.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 Feb. 2004. Web. 01 Apr. 2013

This article revisits Rwanda 10 years after the genocide, where they are  making memorials to honor those who passed in the genocide. The government has gotten rid of diversity cards and has made it illegal to do anything that could be perceived as trying to “divide” the people of Rwanda.  They have begun prosecuting those who killed during the genocide.

Susman, Tina. “Jury Deadlocks in Case of Rwandan Immigrant Accused of Genocide.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2013

In New Hampshire a Rwandan woman was charged but not convicted of lying on citizen ship papers.  In order for a person to obtain citizen ship they had to prove that they had no part in the genocide.  According to witnesses Muyenyezi was a Hutu extremist who helped kill Tutsis in 1994.  The jury didn’t have enough evidence to charge Muyenyezi with a crime so the judge declared a mistrial.

Worse Than War. Dir. Mike DeWitt. Perf. Daniel Goldhagen. PBS, 2009. Documentary.

           

            This documentary showed different genocides and how they can vary from each other.  Although they involve the same general motives they do differ from place to place. 

Picture video

This video is a collection of images from the Rwandan genocide.  I chose these pictures because I feel like they portray a good story and an overall summary of what the genocide entailed. 

Collection of Quotes

"It is the failure to see the humanity in others, which makes it possible to commit these crimes." Daniel Goldhagen

"In genocide these are the questions to be asked: why do neighbors turn against neighbors, why do killers kill?" Daniel Goldhagen

"People need to understand that nothing about genocide is inevitable, it boils down to a series of choices." Daniel Goldhagen

“Yes they lived here, they were neighbors, friends.  The one who killed my father was a good friend of his….I really don’t understand how things changed.”  Rwandan genocide survivor

“The rotten bones of the world tremble, fearing the big war.  We have broken the peace.  It was a great victory for us.  We will continue to march even if everything is destroyed to pieces.  Since today Germany belongs to us, and tomorrow the whole world!”  Holocaust survivor

“The killers didn’t think of the victims as humans or they wouldn’t have killed them.” Rwandan genocide survivor

“They were saying that Tutsis are dangerous, that they are snakes that should be exterminated.  They said that they had to exterminate all the Tutsis, even the unborn, so the world would never see another Tutsi.”  Rwandan genocide survivor Veronica Mukasinafi

Letter to the Government

Dear President Kagame,

            I would like to know if the government of Rwanda is doing anything to prevent a future genocide.  The media has said that there is still conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis.  I would like to know what you are doing to keep that conflict at peace, if there is anything being done.  

            During my research on the Rwandan genocide I have come across a lot of things that I have questions about.  Such as why the United Nations didn't step in sooner, or why a Hutu president was elected in the first place.  In my opinion I don’t believe that a Hutu president should have been elected when the Hutu’s and Tutsis already had existing tension.  A president who was more Tutsi probably would have been better as president, because the Tutsis were never violent against the Hutus, and were outnumbered by the Hutus already. 

            I also don’t understand why the United Nations didn't step in to help the Tutsis sooner.  They were aware of what was going on within and around Rwanda, why didn't they didn't do anything to help until the very end.  I believe that if the United Nations could have done something sooner than lives could have been spared, and time could have not been wasted.

            The Rwandan genocide could have been avoided from my point of view.  I would like to know why more wasn't done to spare the lives of innocent people, children who had nothing to do with the feud between their parents, they should have been spared.

Fictional Film

   For the second part of checkpoint number 5 I chose to make a clothing item for the fictional film I watched.  Let me give you a brief summary of the film Munyurangabo: This film is about two friends, one Hutu and one Tutsi during the time of the Rwandan genocide.  The boys set out to try to get payback for Munyurangabo's father’s death.  The tension between the boys grows throughout the movie and Munyurangabo becomes jealous that his friend Sangwa still has his family to turn to. Below is the t-shirt I designed from this movie.

The Rwandan genocide lasted 100 days. The quote used is held to heart by many people involved or affected by the genocide "Never Again".  The colors used are the colors of the Rwandan flag.

Meme Posters

I found this meme interesting because it shows some of the ways that the USA has taken over other races, to become the superior country.  By seeing the USA do this in the past, and to see where we are now, other countries may think its okay, and give them the "right" to do it themselves.  

To me this meme seems like its somewhat "justifying" genocide.  Natural selection is "the process in nature, that only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and pass on their genetic characteristics, while those less adapted tend to be eliminated". Genocide is something that can easily be prevented, and to me no where near fits the definition of natural selection.

In a way this meme is making fun of genocide, but it is also bringing across a valid point.  Many places that say you are donating to genocide, aren't actually giving the money to those victims. Many organizations exploit these victims, and don't take it as seriously as they should.

This is one of the few memes I found not making fun of genocide.  This points out how wrong genocide is, and how it truly does set back evolution, to a time when killing was how we would solve problems.  Genocide isn't something that should be going on in modern times when people should be solving problems not killing.

This is another meme not making fun of genocide.  This points out how governments aren't willing to negotiate and instead would rather put there people through more trying times than give up something or negotiate with other countries.

Checkpoint 5

For this checkpoint I chose to watch an episode of 30 rock, where Jenna made her own website called "Jenna's Side".  Liz Lemon points out how the name sounds a bit like Genocide when said to fast, or slurred.  The reason behind watching this episode was to compare it to my project, and to realize that Genocide is no laughing matter.  Below is my poster for this checkpoint, bringing across the point that Genocide is a very serious topic and not something that should be made into a joke.