Located in East Africa and known as the Land of a Thousand Hills‚ Rwanda has a rich history in the plane of human existence. However‚ as a political entity‚ it has a short and troubled existence‚ forever remembered in the global consciousness as the site of a devastating genocide. In 1994‚ two long-standing Rwandan ethnic groups‚ the Hutu and the Tutsi‚ went to war against one another. Resulting in up to one million deaths by some accounts‚ this conflict tore the country apart and left indelible impacts on its future.   1. Outside Influence Contributed to the Tensions The Belgian Flag‚ via AZ Animals   During the colonial era‚ Rwanda was an area of debate between the Germans‚ Belgians‚ and England‚ with all three countries wanting it in their possession. The Germans would gain control in the early twentieth century‚ only to lose it to the Belgians after World War I. As the Belgians increased their influence in Rwanda‚ tension grew as well.   The colonizers attempted to alter the traditional governmental structures that had existed in the area between the Hutu and the Tutsi. The Belgians also issued citizens identity cards‚ clearly distinguishing between ethnic groups and highlighting their differences. As changes such as alterations to the political process and socioeconomic resources took effect over the years‚ Rwandans found themselves with a problem: the Belgians had granted increasing political and economic power to the Tutsi‚ who were at the time the minority group‚ angering the majority Hutu.   Instability rose until the Belgians came to realize that the country was on the brink of warfare. In 1959‚ a state of emergency was declared‚ and troops were brought in to try and bring the country to stability. After a few years of tenuous work between the Belgians‚ Rwandans‚ the United Nations‚ and other related parties‚ Rwanda was granted independence in 1962.   2. A Plane Crash Started the Massacre–And No One Knows Who Caused  Juvenal Habyarimana‚ via France 24   In April of 1994‚ an event that‚ to many‚ signals the beginning of the Rwandan genocide occurred. An airplane carrying the president of Rwanda‚ Juvenal Habyarimana‚ a Hutu‚ along with the president of neighboring Burundi‚ was shot down near the Kigali Airport. Both men‚ along with everyone else on board the plane‚ were killed. Who shot down the plane remains a mystery.   Of course‚ the Rwandan Patriotic Front‚ or RPF‚ was the first to be blamed. However‚ some Tutsi blamed the Hutu extremists‚ believing they were responsible for removing Habyarimana in order to make the RPF look bad or in retaliation for Habyarimana’s recent participation in efforts for a more united Rwanda.   The Hotel de Mille Collines‚ site of the famous movie adaptation Hotel Rwanda‚ where hundreds of refugees sheltered from the militia. It is still open to tourists today. Image via Go2Africa   The night of the plane crash‚ Rwandan armed forces and civilian military groups started going from house to house‚ killing ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutu sympathizers. The Prime Minister of Rwanda‚ Agathe Uwilingiyimana‚ was murdered in her home the next day‚ along with ten Belgian peacekeepers assigned to protect her. With the president’s death‚ responsibility for the country had fallen into the lap of Madame Uwilingiyimana‚ a moderate Hutu‚ and she refused to leave her home and go into hiding. When she was located‚ she willingly went with the military officers‚ hoping to protect her five children‚ who were also in the home. She was shot‚ and her body was sexually assaulted. Her children did manage to escape‚ though her husband did not and was also killed.   3. Radio Played a Major Role in Generating Hate A Rwandan man carries a machete in May 1994‚ via Vox   Compounding existing problems‚ in July 1993‚ a major radio station in Rwanda began broadcasting propaganda and hate speech targeting Tutsis‚ moderate Hutu‚ Belgians‚ and members of the United Nations. This station was listened to by the public widely across Rwanda and is considered to have played a massive role in creating the atmosphere of racial hate that led to what came the following spring.   4. There Are More Than Two Ethnic Groups in Rwanda The Twa people were often perceived to be sympathetic to the Tutsi‚ resulting in some of them becoming victims of the genocide. Image via Mongabay   Like many other countries in Eastern Africa‚ often called the “cradle of humankind‚” Rwanda has a long history of human habitation. Three ethnic groups have long populated Rwanda‚ though one‚ the Twa‚ make up less than 1% of the population and traditionally lived deep in the forested areas. Only a generation ago‚ they were subsistence hunters. The two main ethnicities‚ the Hutu and the Tutsi‚ make up the majority of Rwanda’s population and are the center of the conflict in question. However‚ about 10‚000 people‚ or a third of the Twa community at the time‚ were killed in the genocide. Another third became refugees. The Twa people consider themselves the forgotten victims of the Hutu/Tutsi clash‚ as no public memorials or recognition commemorates their massive loss.   5. The World Turned Its Back The Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial in Kigali‚ where 10 Belgian peacekeepers died defending the Prime Minister‚ via Great Adventures Uganda   After the death of the Belgian peacekeepers who were defending the Prime Minister‚ Belgium began reducing its physical influence in the country‚ as did several other countries. It seemed as if the world was turning its back on Rwanda. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda‚ or UNAMIR‚ which had been formed in 1993 to aid in peacekeeping between the RPF and the Rwandan government‚ remained but was reduced to only 270 personnel. Later‚ when countries began coming around and offering more help‚ controversy and scandal ensued. For example‚ French troops were accused of playing soccer while people were massacred‚ supporting Hutu militia‚ and even participating in the killing of Tutsi.   6. Methods of Murder Were Brutal Skeletal remains of people who sought refuge at a church that now serves as the Ntarama Genocide Memorial in Ntarama‚ Rwanda‚ via Encyclopedia Britannica   The genocide raged throughout the summer of 1994. Neighbors killed neighbors; no one was safe. Men‚ women‚ children‚ and even babies of all ages were susceptible to murder by the roving gangs of military and civilian militia forces. It is estimated that about 200‚000 people participated in the genocide‚ though some of these participants were likely unwilling.   Bodies were piled so high inside the Ntarama Catholic Church that it was impossible to open the doors after the massacre. Remains and personal possessions were left to rot. Photograph via Pieter Hugo Official Website   The methods of killing were often quite brutal‚ using whatever tools were handy. Machetes were commonly used to hack people to death. Civilian militias would set up roadblocks‚ traverse neighborhoods‚ and even attack churches in pursuit of victims. Rape was another common occurrence‚ and it is estimated that up to 250‚000 women were raped during the course of the genocide. HIV-positive men were even sought out to deliberately infect victims with the virus and impose suffering on them long after the genocide ended.   7. Sexual Violence Became Recognized As a War Crime A wanted poster from the genocide‚ via the Council of Foreign Relations   Rwanda had years of reconciliation and repair ahead as it attempted to move forward. Not only was the country a mess with the loss of thousands of citizens‚ it was trying to repair itself politically and had been destroyed economically during the course of the genocide.   However‚ many felt it was essential to hold those responsible for the massacres accountable. The United Nations helped create the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda‚ or ICTR‚ which held proceedings in nearby Tanzania. Though the court did not have the power to assign capital punishment‚ it focused on the leaders of the events and prosecuted their actions as war crimes. It was also the first international body to recognize sexual violence as a war crime. Offenders below the leadership level were prosecuted at the local level.   8. There’s a Museum With Preserved Bodies The Murambi Memorial site in southern Rwanda is known for its graphic display of human remains. Twenty-seven thousand were killed here‚ with many of the bodies preserved with lime to become part of the memorial. Photograph via Peter Hugo Official Website   Although many genocide memorials populate Rwanda‚ none are quite like the Murambi Memorial site. The memorial is certainly shocking and was created so deliberately in order to quash genocide deniers and remind the world of the horror that occurred there not so long ago.   At this former school‚ thousands of Tutsis gathered‚ hoping to find safety in numbers. Instead‚ they were met with death as soldiers surrounded the complex and mowed them down. Very few survived‚ and the dead were buried in mass graves with help from the French. Later‚ hundreds of these bodies were disinterred‚ preserved with lime‚ and in May 2011‚ were presented to the public just as they had died. Some have looks of shock and horror on their faces‚ some clutch rosary beads in prayer‚ and others cradle babies or cover their faces. The bodies are laid out in rows on wooden platforms and are a stark‚ indelible reminder of the carnage that Rwandans faced in 1994.   9. Thousands of Offenders Have Gone Free Mourners at the 20th-anniversary commemoration of the genocide‚ via ThoughtCo   Prosecutions of genocide perpetrators would take place well into the twenty-first century. Though justice was seen as served in many cases‚ prisons became congested with the sheer volume of genocide participants. In March 2004 and February 2007‚ mass releases of thousands of men convicted of genocide-related crimes were orchestrated in the name of amnesty. It was said that these men perpetrated lesser crimes that they freely confessed to and asked for forgiveness.   Looted clothing of genocide victims‚ via CNN   These people were released to live and work right alongside the fellow citizens they had been charged with attacking just years before‚ something that didn’t sit well with many people. Some believed that criminals were simply using this opportunity as a chance to get out of prison and hadn’t paid for their actions. Some citizens are forced to live alongside people who had killed members of their family and community just a few years before as if nothing had happened.   10. Recovery Has Been A Struggle Emmanuel Mugangira‚ caretaker of the Murambi Memorial Site. His wife‚ five children‚ and eight siblings were killed here. Photograph via Pieter Hugo Official Website   In the meantime‚ the government and economy of Rwanda are slowly recovering‚ still decades later. Rwanda’s economy is overwhelmingly agricultural. Tourism has been a growing sector‚ especially in relation to the area’s rare mountain gorillas. Despite progressing growth and a decreasing poverty rate‚ the country still shows negative trade balances almost thirty years after the genocide.   Life in Rwanda over the past thirty years has been anything but easy. Rwandans continue to work through their legacy of pain and reconstruct their national identity while healing the wounds of the past and memorializing those who were lost during one hundred days of slaughter.

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This year‚ 2024‚ marks the 60th anniversary of the signing into law of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. Soon we observe the national day set aside to note and honor the leader of the movement that led to that act becoming law: the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We must ask how‚ after 60 years‚ with vast changes in the world‚ with developments in technology unimaginable 60 years ago‚ that we remain obsessed with race. How is it that claims of racism‚ injustice‚ and unfairness persist like nothing happened? Indeed‚ data suggest that black Americans‚ on average‚ still lag economically. The Federal Reserve recently published its Survey of Consumer Finances showing that average black family income is 43% that of white families. In 1989‚ it was 42%. Average black household net worth now is 15.6% that of white households. In 1989‚ it was 17.8%. The deterioration of traditional religious values in the country has taken a toll on all American families‚ but proportionally more on black families. Per the Department of Justice‚ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention‚ in 2022‚ 43% of black children lived in a two-parent home—down 26.5% from 1970. Among white children‚ 75.6% lived in a two-parent home‚ down 15.5% from 1970. America today is a far different country than the one where King led the civil rights movement. The language that King used to lead and animate his movement was the language of the Bible. He spoke as a pastor. But in 1965‚ according to Gallup‚ 70% of Americans said religion is “very important” in their life. In 2023‚ 45% of Americans say religion is “very important” in their life. In the last speech of his life‚ in Memphis‚ Tennessee‚ King in 1968 spoke about “injustice‚” that “we are God’s children.” King spoke about not being afraid of death‚ saying‚ “I just want to do God’s will.” He then spoke those famous words that he’d been “to the mountain top” and that he’d seen “the promised land.” “I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Can anyone imagine a leader of a major political or social movement today speaking this way? Over these 60 years since the Civil Rights Act became law‚ courts took the Bible and prayer out of public schools‚ legalized abortion‚ and changed our legal understanding of what defines marriage. The godless socialism of DEI—diversity‚ equity‚ inclusion—has replaced good and evil as our perspective on social justice. As we have purged religion and replaced it with politics‚ we have lost the core of a religious world view. There is good and evil‚ and the Creator gave free choice and personal responsibility to choose to each individual. Without this‚ the freedom we allegedly care so much about has little meaning. Government has become our new religion. In 1964‚ federal spending took 17.3% of our gross demestic product. Today‚ it takes 24.4%. In 1964‚ gross federal debt equaled 46.2% of our GDP. Today it equals 119.8%. It is an unfortunate quirk of history that the civil rights movement‚ led by a black Christian pastor‚ reached its peak at the moment when Americans decided to start banishing the Bible from our culture. A movement informed by good and evil and personal responsibility has been replaced by politics‚ interest groups‚ and victimhood. The community most hurt by the purge of personal responsibility that defines individual freedom is the one that started out the weakest and the greatest victim of our moral failures. Without a new birth of faith‚ we for sure will not have a new birth of freedom in America. The whole nation and our future are in danger. And the weakest‚ those whom the socialists claim to care the most about‚ will suffer the most. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post A Nation Dr. King Wouldn’t Recognize appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Sen. John Kennedy‚ R-La.‚ is upset because Sen. Rand Paul wants to limit federal flood insurance. But Paul‚ R-Ky.‚ is right. In my new video‚ Paul says it “shouldn’t be for rich people.” That should be obvious. Actually‚ federal flood insurance shouldn’t be for anyone. Government has no business offering it. That’s a job for … the insurance business. Of course‚ when actual insurance businesses‚ with their own money on the line‚ checked out what some people wanted them to insure‚ they said‚ “Heck‚ no! If you build in a dangerous place‚ risk your own money!” Politically connected homeowners who own property on the edges of rivers and oceans didn’t like that. They whined to congressmen‚ crying‚ “We can’t get insurance! Do something!” Craven politicians obliged. Bureaucrats at the Federal Emergency Management Agency even claim they have to issue government insurance because‚ they say‚ “There weren’t many affordable options for private flood insurance‚ especially for people living in high-risk places.” But that’s the point. A valuable function of private insurance is to warn people away from high-risk places. Yet instead of heeding that warning‚ politicians said‚ “Don’t worry. Since private companies won’t insure you‚ we will.” Of course‚ the politicians claimed they’d price the insurance properly so they wouldn’t lose taxpayer money. “We must [do] everything we can to protect taxpayer dollars‚” said then-Sen. Wayne Allard‚ R-Colo. But‚ as Paul points out‚ “Like most things in government‚ they continue to lose money.” So far‚ the government has lost $36 billion of your money. Yet they still insure people who can’t get private insurance. Kennedy thinks that’s fine. “The first role of government is to protect people and property‚” he shouts from the Senate floor. “I thought this is what libertarians believe.” No‚ Senator‚ we believe government should protect our right to life‚ liberty‚ and the pursuit of happiness‚ and then leave us mostly alone. By insuring risky property‚ Paul points out‚ “You’re actually doing the opposite of what you would think government would want to do; you’re promoting bad behavior.” Exactly. Years ago‚ federal flood insurance encouraged my bad behavior. I wanted to build a house on a beach. When I asked my father to help with the mortgage‚ he said‚ “No! Are you crazy? It’s on the edge of an ocean!” Dad was right. It was a dumb place to build. But I built anyway‚ because federal flood insurance‚ idiotically‚ guaranteed that I wouldn’t lose money. I enjoyed my house for 10 years‚ but then‚ as predicted‚ it washed away. It was an upsetting loss‚ but thanks to Uncle Sam‚ I didn’t lose a penny. I’m grateful. But it’s wrong that you were forced to pay for my beach house. Paul is right to say that people with second homes “should not get insurance through the government.” Actually‚ no one should get flood insurance through the government‚ but Paul fears that his irresponsible colleagues won’t approve killing the handout altogether. Instead‚ he just proposes limiting the handout to primary residences. It would be a start. But even this slight reform is too much for Kennedy‚ who says‚ “If you earn enough to buy a second home‚ we shouldn’t discourage that.” No‚ we shouldn’t. But we shouldn’t subsidize it with taxpayer money. Doesn’t he get the difference? Federal flood insurance is like buying drunk drivers new cars. Adding to the idiocy‚ there is no limit on how many times the government will give away your money. “One home in Virginia‚” says Paul‚ “they’ve rebuilt the house 41 times!” I took your money once. I apologize for taking it‚ but when my government offers me a handout‚ I feel stupid not taking it. Let’s get rid of federal flood insurance and all subsidies that encourage people to do foolish things. COPYRIGHT 2024 BY JFS PRODUCTIONS INC. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation.  Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Flooded With Good Intentions appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In October 2023‚ renowned gymnast and Olympic Gold Medalist Mary Lou Retton nearly died. In fact‚ at one point‚ her daughters stood over her at the hospital praying as they said their goodbyes. Now‚ Mary Lou is sharing the details of her miraculous survival. And you can see God at work in so many places! RELATED: Daughter Credits Jesus &; Prayers As Mary Lou Retton Heads Home After Fighting for Her Life Many likely remember Mary Lou Retton from the 1984 Summer Olympics. It’s there she became a star‚ winning a gold‚ two silvers‚ and two bronzes‚ including the individual all-around title. Mary Lou was the first American woman to win the all-around title. Though those days were far behind the 55-year-old former athlete‚ Mary Lou remained healthy and strong through most of her life. However‚ all of that took an unexpected turn in 2023. Former Gymnast Mary Lou Retton Nearly Died The first sign of trouble came while Mary Lou Retton was out getting her nails done with her oldest daughter‚ Shayla Schrepfer. She was unexplainably out of breath and felt very tired. “I just can’t keep my eyes open. I am so tired‚” she said during the nail appointment. Set to turn 56 in a few months‚ Mary Lou chalked it up to her age. But things were about to take a serious turn. The very next day‚ Mary Lou was supposed to meet two of her daughters at a football game two hours from her home. But she never showed up. Instead‚ she lay helpless on her bedroom floor struggling to breathe‚ unable to get up or call for help. “I didn't know what was wrong with me‚” she recalled. Mary Lou Retton could have easily died had no one found her in time. But thankfully‚ God already had an angel on their way to help! A neighbor happened to notice the door of Mary Lou’s car hanging open. And the concerned woman made her way over to Mary Lou’s house to tell her. Instead‚ she found something shocking. “She came in the house‚” Mary Lou recalled. “She knows my code and saw me and found me. And Magda pretty much saved my life.” A Miraculous Change After her panicked neighbor called for help‚ paramedics rushed Mary Lou Retton to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia but then sent her home after just a few days. Soon after‚ Shayla found her mother nearly unresponsive. RELATED: Prayer Surrounds Mom During Fight for Life and She Credits God for Beating Stage 4 Colon Cancer This time‚ they went to a different hospital. There‚ doctors could not determine the source of the pneumonia. Mary Lou tested negative for Covid-19‚ the flu and RSV. But her condition was so serious‚ the doctors doubted she’d survive the night. Shayla and her sister‚ McKenna‚ placed hands on their mother and began praying. They truly believed their mom was dying and consoled her‚ telling her it was ok to leave for Heaven. But the Lord determined it wasn’t her time yet! Doctors came up with one more idea to try. They decided to pump high-flow oxygen through her nose. And that’s when something miraculous happened! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shayla Kelley Schrepfer (@shaylaschrepfer) Mary Lou Retton could have died‚ but she didn’t. Not only did she survive the night but she kept surviving. And she started recovering. But now she and her family faced a new challenge. Mary Lou Retton No Health Insurance As a former Olympian and household name‚ many would never imagine Mary Lou Retton as having no health insurance. But that was exactly the case. RELATED: Anne Graham Lotz Begs ‘Please Pray' After Her Daughter Suffers Two Heart Attacks “How is that possible?” many people wondered. Competing in the Olympics as a professional athlete takes its toll on a person’s body. Before her pneumonia battle‚ Mary Lou Retton has had more than 30 orthopedic surgeries over the years. The former athlete explained that between her preexisting medical procedures and divorce‚ she just couldn’t afford it. “That’s the bottom line — I couldn’t afford it‚” she said. As she fought for her life in the ICU‚ Mary Lou Retton’s daughters turned to social media to ask for prayers. They also set up a GoFundMe to help their mom. RELATED: Judge Frank Caprio Tearfully Pleads For Prayers Amidst Serious Health Battle “We were just thinking‚ ‘If she pulls through‚ the last thing we want her to have to think about is paying off these bills‚” the gymnast’s daughter‚ Shayla‚ explained. The wave of support that poured in is still amazing them and their mother today! A New Perspective On Life As prayers poured in‚ Mary Lou Retton kept getting stronger. And her oxygen numbers kept getting better. Finally‚ she was ready to go home‚ where she was able to enjoy the Christmas season and end of 2023 with her family. Mary Lou still relies on an oxygen tank to help her breathe. And she’s still got more recovering to do. But she’s alive — something that didn’t seem possible during the darkest moments of her health battle with a rare‚ life-threatening form of pneumonia. “It's going to be a really long road. I don't know how long I'll indefinitely need the oxygen. But you have no idea how blessed and how grateful I was for this holiday season‚” she said. And it’s not just her second chance at life that humbled Mary Lou. It’s the incredible wave of love and prayers that washed over her in her time of need. “I just thought I was a washed-up‚ old athlete‚” she explained. “But the love‚ it just… it touched me.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mary Lou Retton (@marylouretton) Now‚ Mary Lou Retton is determined to make the most of each day. And even though she has no idea what the future holds‚ she charges forward with optimism and gratitude. “I mean‚ when you face death in the eyes… I have so much to look forward to‚” she said‚ her voice filled with emotion. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: David Soul‚ Actor Who Played Hutch from Starsky and Hutch‚ Found Faith Again Before Death “Take heart and be strong; have no fear and do not be troubled; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9 WATCH: Mary Lou Retton Talks About How She Almost Died  LISTEN: Shannen Doherty Gives Heartbreaking Cancer Update | Family Needs Prayers After 5 Kids Die in House Fire h/t &; Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Today The post Mary Lou Retton Nearly Died And Now She’s Opening up about ‘Facing Death in the Eyes’ appeared first on GodUpdates.