Fire on Us from the Sky

Topic 1: War and Survival Question 1. Why did war come to Benson, Alepho and Benjamin's homeland? Who was fighting and why? How did the government and the rebel forces use propaganda (manipulating facts and media to achieve their goals) to further their position in the war? Why did war come to Benson, Alepho and Benjamin's homeland? In 1959, violence between the Tutsi and Hutu erupted. Hutus overthrew Tutsi rule, declared an independent republic and elected the first Hutu president, Greg wa Kayabanda. Mass killings of Tutsis occurred during the transition to Hutu rule.Who was fighting and why? The British colonists created a strict system of racial classification, the Tutsi were a superior group because they were more â€Å"white looking† The colonists believed that the Tutsi were natural rulers, so they put only Tutsis into positions of authority and discriminated against Hutus and Twa. The How did the government and the rebel forces use propaganda (manipulating facts and med ia to achieve their goals) to further their position in the war? They distributed lists of people who were to be targeted and killed.Messages of hate were broadcast over the radio, encouraging the killing of Tutsi and opponents to the Hutu regime. The messages portrayed Tutsis as evil cockroaches and rats. Question 2. What hardships did Benson, Alepho and Benjamin endure because of the war? What does the African proverb When two elephant’s fight, it is the grass that gets trampled mean to you? What hardships did Benson,Alepho, and Benjamin endure because of the War? Loosing their families, watching women get raped, their friends get killed, and just the overall affect that it causes to the brain.What does the African proverb When two elephant’s fight, it is the grass that gets trampled mean to you? It means to me that when two elephants or two powerful leaders fight, it injures the grass, or the middle and low class citizens. Question 3. What hardships did Benson, Alep ho and Benjamin want to keep going despite their horrible suffering, what coping techniques, personal attitudes, or strengths allowed each boy to survive? Which boy did you identify with most? why? Do you think you could have survived such ordeals The willingness to just survive and live, Maybe just get out of Africa maybe get a Visa to get to the United States.They tried to stick together as much as they could although they have been split up for a few years. They most likely figured that â€Å"hey i’ve made it this far, why quit† kind of attitude. I think I can relate to all of them because they are all related, I always know how my family thinks and acts in a certain situation. I do not think i would be able to survive because I do not know the land very well. And the fact that your best friend could be the one that ends up killing you. Question 1. What role did outside countries and organizations play in the war in Sudan?Should the U. S. or other countries have int ervened more or less? During the years leading up to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, international human rights groups documented and reported numerous human rights violations in Rwanda to the United Nations. Although the international community knew about the extremely brutal attacks taking place, they chose not to intervene. Indeed, the UN withdrew most of its troops and officially limited the actions of the tiny force of 450 soldiers who stayed behind, The should have intervened way more, possibly saving thousands of lives.Question 2. How were the lost boys treated by the communities and individuals they encountered on their journey? Why did people behave the way they did? How would you have treated the lost boys? They were treated like outcasts. They acted the way they did because they didn't know what the difference between right and wrong at they time they did what they thought was right in their tradition and culture. I would have treated them as my own family knowing what I kno w know about what happened in Sudan. Question 3.What role did outside countries and organizations play in the lives of Benson, Alepho and Benjamin and other refugees? What was life like in the refugee camps? Is there an international responsibility to help refugees? They played a big role in their lives, especially when it comes to giving them a place to stay. Life was hard in the camps they had little responsibility. Question 4. How did Benson, Alepho and Benjamin come to the United States? How did the elders left in the refugee camp react? Do the boys have any special responsibility ince they gained asylum? Should the U. S have given them asylum? Should we give more people asylum? They got to the United States by plane. The elders acted very plain to them The had a responsibility of taking care of each other I think the U. S. should have given them a temporary 3 month asylum. The U. S. should offer more people asylums because many of these people have no family and have no place t hey can really go. Question 1. Despite their hardships, the Lost Boys were still very much children. How do you see them grow up through the book?Can you relate to any of their experiences growing up? Any of the games they play? How do they view and interact with the opposite sex? How do their attitudes about education relate to your own? They grow up by making more adult decisions I can relate to loosing a family member for a very long time. The view the women as regular woman. Like them, I take my education very seriously, but even though it is a privilege and not a right to go to school they most likely view it as a once in a lifetime opportunity.