Debate Statement: “Contemporary society has done enough to respond to the legacies of historical globalization.” The criteria on which I based my position were as follows: What does it mean to respond effectively? What legacies of these problems have led to contemporary globalization? What is a legacy? I strongly disagree with my position on this debate. Events that happened in the past still influence society today. Let's take an event like the Rwandan genocide that occurred just under twenty years ago, in which between eight hundred thousand and one million people were killed in one hundred days. The Rwandan genocide began in April, immediately after the plane of the president of Rwanda and Burundi was shot down. The Tutsi, who constituted Rwanda's minority but were the upper class cattle herders, were blamed for shooting down this plane. At that point the Hutus began a genocide that shocked the world. As you saw in the movie Sometime in April, the American government doesn't do everything it's capable of. Romeo Dallaire, appointed force commander for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR), where he witnessed the country descend into chaos. Since retiring, he has written two best-selling books and founded the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, an organization committed to ending the use of child soldiers around the world. He was involved in the genocide and said he could have done so much more to help; but he didn't, and he is still mentally and emotionally scarred. Belgium, the French, the Americans and the United Nations knew of the plans to massacre the Hutus and took no steps to prevent it. They have never done anything to eliminate the promotion of radio broadcasts... middle of paper... from all races of any other color: black, Asian, or whatever. Position: Strongly Disagree. Reasons: People should not be discriminated against because of their race or ethnic origin. The most important event that turned the whole event around was a photo of two people protesting, holding a dying child. This changed apartheid and ultimately broke it. People of different backgrounds who were not white were shunned and it was almost acceptable at the time because black people were not yet accepted in society. Works Cited “The History of Apartheid in South Africa.” The history of apartheid in South Africa. Np, nd Web. 03 December 2013. Np, nd Web. Np, nd Web. "The Rwandan Genocide". History.com. A&E and Web Television Networks. December 02, 2013. “Sometimes in April.” IMDb. IMDb.com and Web. 05 December. 2013.