Paul Rusesabagina Quotes

“Was God hiding from us during the killing? It used to be that God and I shared many drinks together as friends. We don’t talk much anymore, but I would like to think that we can one day reconcile over an urwagwa and he will explain everything to me” (Rusesabagina 184). Throughout the novel, Paul Rusesabagina is faced with a never-ending avalanche of struggles that would smother a weaker man. However, he maintains a façade of resilience despite his tribulations and fears, doing so through his eloquence and mastery of the art of conniving. The aforementioned quote brings home the impact such a horrific experience brought upon him, while highlighting his innate tendency toward open communication. This tendency was his greatest assest throughout the genocide, which he exemplified when he said “Today I
If you want to call me a coward for this, then I guess that is what I am” (Rusesabagina 71). This sets the tone for how he will carry himself for the rest of the genocide, with words as his only weapon. No matter the violence going on around him, he nearly never considers harming others physically, not in a manner of retribution or even protection. The only moment he wavered was when he came upon his mother-in-law’s murdered family. His stoicism broke and he revealed to us his inner turmoil by saying, “I am not a violent man, but if I had had a gun in that moment, and if somebody had pointed me to a convincing scapegoat, I would have murdered him without hesitation” (Rusesabagina 175). Despite this moment of weakness, Paul demands the respect of all who share in his story because he represented a critical pillar of safety, strength, and dependability as he put all of his faith in the power of his words in a period of