Film Review - Shooting Dogs

Shooting Dogs is a low budget film taking a look at the Rwandan genocide. Devoid of all the special effects which are the lifeblood of anything considered worthwhile, Shooting Dogs is free of distraction - beside the ugly truth - and tends to make one think. Just as it did with the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 (no oil, diamonds or gold to sweeten the deal) the world, in large part, ignored doomed Rwandans. The Hungarians, in what has been described as the most noble revolution in history, continued to throw stones at Russian tanks while waiting for the Americans to come. To the bitter end, they believed the Americans would come. The U.S. made up for not coming by keeping the American Embassy open, thus providing shelter for the late and great Cardinal Mindszenty who had spent over two decades in prison at the hands of the Nazis and the Communists.

The innocent Rwandans depended on the politics of an obscenity known as the United Nations. All in vain. They were betrayed. Canada's General Romeo Dallaire headed a groups of soldiers which would have marched into Hell for him. All he needed was permission to take out the radio network. Permission was not forthcoming and the General will remain an emotional casualty forever.

No small wonder. Shooting Dogs captures the bloody holocaust in spades - for those of us who can survive a film robbed of the bedroom romp, dogfights between planes travelling at a faster than sound speed and car chases - especially when we can pluck up the courage to note that what we see is what the Rwandans got.

See the film and ask if it's ever right to turn our backs on people who are in mortal danger.

Does anyone care?

There is one problem I'd like to bring into the open. It's the use (or abuse) of the education system by the spin doctors of would be politicians. For instance, recently in my area, taxpayers' money was used to promote a speaking tour for Justin Trudeau. For those of you who don't know Justin Trudeau, he is a son of the late Pierre Trudeau, a former Prime Minister of Canada. The cynics in Canada make utterances to the effect that the Trudeaus want to be Canada's answer to the Kennedys. Justin is starting off by being a Liberal Party candidate in the next Federal election. Maybe Justin is a nice boy but I personally don't see what he has to offer the political or the education system. It seems to me that both of the Trudeau boys - Sacha is the other - were born with a silver foot in their mouths. One big issue is the seizure of an education system and the infliction of a questionable ideology being thrust upon a captive audience of innocents who don't know any better but enjoyed a break from real education. It seems so much worse when one is confronted by the fact that the Catholic School system is rolling out the red carpet for someone who appears to have little to offer beyond the fact that he doesn't stand for too much and appears ready to fall for anything.

Benvenuto!

I am a lapsed blogger. Sorry! I have, however, seen the error of my ways and rejoined the elite, that band of thinkers. I will try to more faithful and dilligent and treat the hapless readers to the benefit of my reactionary thoughts.