Meeting Paul Rusesabagina

I had the privilege of meeting Paul Rusesabagina today when he made a speech for my college. As an added bonus I was asked to say a few words to thank him for coming and for this I was given a seat beside him before he went on stage so that I could ask him a few questions. Afterwards, a few students and myself got to have lunch with him. The whole occasion was an amazing experience.

I wanted to post the few words I said in my thanks. So here they are:

"On behalf of the students here, as well as Humber College, we would like to thank you very much for joining us today and sharing your story Mr. Rusesabagina. Despite the title of your autobiography you are more than an ‘ordinary man’. You may be uncomfortable with being labeled a hero but what you did was beyond heroic.

In your autobiography you discuss the power of words and their role in the genocide. You say, “words are the most effective weapons of death in man’s arsenal. But they can also be powerful tools of life.” You used your words to save 1,268 people, but maybe just as importantly your sharing your words here today, and the many other speeches you do, will continue to impact the way we live our lives. Your words do have power and I am very honored that you shared them with us here today. Maybe WE can begin to reclaim those two words, “Never” , and, “Again”.

Paul, we here at Humber thank you once again, and might I add that there will always be a metaphorical banana beer here for you if and when you choose to return."

When I get a copy of the question and answer transcripts from the lunch I will post that as well. He was a very interesting man with a story that needs to be heard. "We have not yet learned from our past," he said, "and because of this we can not hope to change our future." It is on us, the people who wish to see a better future, to learn from the mistakes that have been made and do our best to rectify them for the sake of our collective future. Too much is at stake.