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Brian Young
at 13:03, 7 Apr 2006
Posts: 28
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Rachel Corrie
I can remember about three years ago when the young smiling face of Rachel Corrie was shown on national television, after she had been crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer. She was part of a group called the International Solidarity Movement. They were acting as human shields, trying to protect Palestinians from Israeli aggression. She was 23 years old.
Letters and emails from Rachel formed the basis of a play called "My Name Is Rachel Corrie". This play was staged twice in London, and was scheduled to open at the New York Theatre Workshop on March 22. That theatre caved in to political pressure, and postponed the play indefinitely, another word for cancelling it out of fear.
I hope some theatre in this so called "free" country will have the courage to stage this play. It has even been impossible to get a copy of the play, though Barnes & Noble say it will be available on April 15th. I have an order in for it.
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/?p=47
Rachel's parents have set up this website for the play, and to tell Rachel's story. This should be of interest to anyone reading this website.
It is all too easy to let things glide into the past. The world is confronted with a new round of injustices and lies on a daily basis. The old ones get left behind, and eventually become part of history.
The perpetrators get away with murder, and sometimes history even puts a halo on their heads. The following poem by Robinson Jeffers describes this perfectly.
Brian Young
*Skunks
The corruptions of war and peace, the public and whole-
sale crimes that make war, the greed and lies of the
peace
And victor's vengeance: how at a distance
They soften into romance—blue mountains and blos-
somed marshes in the long landscape of history¬—
Caligula
Becomes an amusing clown, and Genghiz
A mere genius, a great author of tragedies. Our own time's chiefs of massacre—Stalin died yesterday—Watch how soon blood will bleach, and gross horror Become words in a book. .
We have little animals here,
slow-stepping cousins of stoat and weasel,
Striped skunks, that can spit from under their tails
an odor so vile and stifling that neither wolf nor wild-
cat dares to come near them; they walk in confi-
dence,
Solely armed with this loathsome poison-gas.
But smelled far off—have you noticed?—it is surpris-
ingly pleasant.
It is like the breath of ferns and wet
earth
Deep in a wooded glen in the evening,
Cool water glides quietly over the moss-grown stones,
quick trout dimple the pool.— Distance makes clean.
Robinson Jeffers
Selected Poems
Vintage Books, 1963
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Brian Young
at 16:36, 7 Apr 2006
Posts: 28
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My Name Is Rachel Corrie
I have just learned that the Seattle Repertory Theatre will be the first theatre in the US to stage this play, March 15- April 22 of 2007. Apparently they are already feeling some heat. I hope a lot of people in this area call in to support this performance.
Brian Young
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Brian Young
at 08:01, 11 May 2006
Posts: 28
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The Book
I finally got my copy of "My name Is Rachel Corrie". This is a very powerful piece, and the last three pages, written shortly before she was murdered (What else can you call it when someone drives over you with a bulldozer, and you are in full view the whole time?)are extremely powerful and heart wrenching. This should be read by anyone interested in the subjects discussed on this website.
Brian Young
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