Radio, TV & Film - My name is Rachel Corrie

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My name is Rachel Corrie

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Topic: My name is Rachel Corrie

Posted By: Suleyman
Subject: My name is Rachel Corrie
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 6:35am

Gaza activist's life becomes play

By Kate McGeown
BBC News

Megan Dodds as Rachel Corrie image courtesy of the Royal Court theatre

Megan Dodds conveys Corrie's passion for justice

What would induce a young woman to leave her small American town to fight for the rights of a group of people she hardly knew?

In My Name is Rachel Corrie - the story of the life, and death, of a 23-year-old peace activist in Gaza - we find out.

On 16 March 2003, Corrie's life came to an abrupt end when she was crushed by an Israeli Army bulldozer while trying to stop the demolition of a Palestinian building in the Rafah refugee camp.

She left behind a series of diaries, written from when she was 12, as well as emails from her time in Gaza.

It is these that form the basis of the play, which is directed by Alan Rickman and currently being staged at London's Royal Court theatre.

From the opening of the play - with Corrie lying on her bed, looking back at the roots of her desire to help the world's less fortunate - to her experiences of conflict-ridden Gaza, we see the real person behind the activist.

We hear of her attempts to win back an old boyfriend, her contrasting feelings of love and frustration towards her parents, her messiness and incessant list-making and even the irony of watching the film Pet Sematary in a house which had bullet holes in the walls.

Profile: Rachel Corrie

She also gives an insight into the ordinary lives of Palestinians who are constantly fearful that their homes will be destroyed by Israeli tanks.

Her diary records the endless wait at Israeli checkpoints and the bravery of those who insisted on improving their bullet-ridden surroundings, as well as the little things - a local woman's concern when she became ill with flu and the glow-in-the-dark stickers in a teenager's bedroom.

The play revolves around one person and therefore only needs one voice, that of Corrie herself, played magnificently by Megan Dodds.

She manages to convey both the youthful exuberance and the outrage at the world's injustices that characterised Corrie's life.

The set, designed by Hildegard Bechtler, seamlessly switches from a bedroom in Olympia, Washington, to a bullet-ridden Palestinian home, via an internet caf�.

But what stands out above everything is Corrie's character - her hopes and fears, her insecurities at being in such a dangerous place and her unquenchable conviction that there was something she could do to help.

'Exceptionally brave'

This play does not attempt to turn Corrie into a saint. Indeed in her early years, she sometimes comes across as being quite big-headed - even downright arrogant at times - a fact she freely admitted in later life.

But it does leave you feeling that this was an exceptionally brave young woman. Many people want to make the world a better place, but few struggle so single-mindedly to achieve it.

My Name is Rachel Corrie is undoubtedly controversial, as is almost any form of art based on the politics of the Middle East.

Don't expect an unbiased view of the conflict - this is one young woman's view of the situation, and what she saw was intense suffering and tragedy among the Palestinian community in southern Gaza.

But what the play does give is a uniquely personal account of the short life of someone who felt driven to help the oppressed - a quest that took her to a land far from home, into a dispute she knew little about.

Rachel Corrie may have died more that two years ago, but this play looks set to keep her legacy alive for many years to come.

My Name is Rachel Corrie is at London's Royal Court theatre until 30 April.

Replies:

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 6:37am

Activist who died for conviction

Rachel Corrie: Her father Craig says he is proud of her

Rachel Corrie, the American killed by an Israeli army bulldozer, was a committed peace activist even before her arrival in the Gaza Strip a few months ago.

She was a student at Evergreen State College in her local town of Olympia in Washington State, which is known for its liberal sensibilities.

The 23-year-old arranged peace events there before joining, through local group Olympians for Peace and Solidarity, a Palestinian-led organisation that uses non-violent means to challenge Israeli army tactics in the West Bank and Gaza.

Her parents have paid tribute to her concern for human rights and dignity, remembering how she was "dedicated to everybody".

They spoke hours after Ms Corrie died in hospital on Sunday from injuries suffered when she was hit by an armoured Israeli army bulldozer in the southern Gaza Strip.

Troops attacked

She was with other activists from the International Solidarity Movement trying to stop the demolition of a Palestinian building in the Rafah refugee camp.

The Israelis say such tactics are necessary because Palestinian gunmen use the structures as cover to shoot at their troops patrolling in the area.

For Palestinians... this is not a nightmare but a continuous reality from which international privilege cannot protect them

Rachel Corrie

Ms Corrie - who was wearing an orange fluorescent jacket to alert the bulldozer drivers to her presence in pictures taken by her colleagues on Sunday - had previously described the hazards of her work.

An email despatch details a confrontation on 14 February between another bulldozer and her own group, which she refers to as the "internationals".

"The internationals stood in the path of the bulldozer and were physically pushed with the shovel backwards, taking shelter in a house.

"The bulldozer then proceeded on its course, demolishing one side of the house with the internationals inside," she wrote in the email distributed by the International Solidarity Movement.

Ms Corrie was active in the peace movement at home

Her father Craig Corrie, speaking to the AP news agency from his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, said: "We've tried to bring up our children to have a sense of community, a sense of community that everybody in the world belonged to.

"Rachel believed that - with her life, now."

He said that he and his wife were still trying to find out the details of what happened.

"Rachel was proud, and we are proud of Rachel that she was able to live with her convictions.

"Rachel was filled with a love and sense of duty to our fellow man, wherever they lived, and she gave her life trying to protect those that could not protect themselves."

Death vigil

Ms Corrie's mother Cindy said her daughter had spent nights sleeping at wells to protect them from bulldozers.

"She lived with families whose houses were threatened with demolition and today as we understand it, she stood for three hours trying to protect a house."

The grief at her death amongst the community in Olympia was shown on Sunday when several hundred people turned out for a previously scheduled peace vigil that turned into an impromptu memorial.

Mourners held candles and photocopied pictures of her with the word "Peacemaker", as well as banners urging the United States to stop aid to Israel and avoid war with Iraq.

The Vice President of Student Affairs at Evergreen State College, Art Costantino says on his online notive of her death that she was a "shining star, a wonderful student and a brave person of deep convictions".

Larry Mosqueda, one of Ms Corrie's Evergreen professors and a fellow activist said: "She was concerned about human rights and dignity. That's why she was there."

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Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 6:50am

Very good.

Posted By: ummziba
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 8:16am

Rachel Corrie was a beautiful example of a human being who didn't just wish the world was different, she actually tried to do something about it. This world needs more like her. Thanks for the posts Suleyman!

Peace, ummziba.

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Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words...they break my soul ~

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 8:21am

ummziba wrote:

Peace, ummziba.

Agreed,

Jazak Allah Khair,may Allah bless her soul...Wa Salaam...

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 10:26am

Regarding Rachel
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dworsky2

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 11:01am

[QUOTE=Daniel Dworsky] Regarding Rachel
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dworsky2/QUOTE - http://cdbaby.com/cd/dworsky2[/QUOTE ]

From Rachel Tuesday March 18, 2003

February 8 2003
I got a number of very thoughtful responses to the email I sent out last night, most of which I don't have time to respond to right now. Thanks everyone for the encouragement, questions, criticism. Daniel's response was particularly inspiring to me and deserves to be shared. The resistance of Israeli Jewish people to the occupation and the enormous risk taken by those refusing to serve in the Israeli military offers an example, especially for those of us living in the United States, of how to behave when you discover that atrocities are being commited in your name. Thank you.

Subhan'Allah,Daniel Dworsky is the man Rachel was talking about...Daniel will u keep on amazing us?,i apologize but i can't trust my heart...Best Regards!

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 11:06am

Brother,i have to confess that i am the fan of you;especially on Tiny Hands,wonderful!!!...

Daniel,do you know Ziggy Marley who is the son of Bob Marley...i am the member of his chat board,would you like to meet with him?...i know some of the users has an connection with the destiny music co.;Rebel Music...

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 12:04pm

CD 2 "Like Air" has to do with Rachel. I gave the Publishing rights to Greg
and Cindy and We're all cool with that. Tiny Hands on the other hand is
off CD1 "Ghosts in the well" and mentioning it here is a PLUG. Which I
deeply appreciate but it's against the rules I think.
Just beyond the double glass wall in front of me is the other "Sulieman"
doing the same vocal now for the 16th time... Regarding Ziggy.
Is he an activist? Would he like to visit Palestine. See the wall? Both of
them. (Walls) I can see it now the wailing wall and the wailers at the
aparthied wall...
Does he now about Rachel? let's iron this out in private messages. If I
could get him here that would be something

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 01 May 2005 at 12:10pm

Daniel Dworsky wrote:

CD 2 "Like Air" has to do with Rachel. I gave the Publishing rights to Greg
and Cindy and We're all cool with that. Tiny Hands on the other hand is
off CD1 "Ghosts in the well" and mentioning it here is a PLUG. Which I
deeply appreciate but it's against the rules I think.
Just beyond the double glass wall in front of me is the other "Sulieman"
doing the same vocal now for the 16th time... Regarding Ziggy.
Is he an activist? Would he like to visit Palestine. See the wall? Both of
them. (Walls) I can see it now the wailing wall and the wailers at the
aparthied wall...
Does he now about Rachel? let's iron this out in private messages. If I
could get him here that would be something

hmm...I should ask to them,i don't know their reactions;but all i know about Ziggy is he is an good person....when i have matured the issue with him i 'll turn to you back...

Posted By: kenski70
Date Posted: 25 November 2005 at 10:04am

"Rachel was filled with a love and sense of duty to our fellow man, wherever they lived, and she gave her life trying to protect those that could not protect themselves."

what a load of pure BS !!!!!! why was the house being demolished???because standard operation for Israel is to bulldoze the houses of suicide bombers.if these people didn't want their house flattened maybe they should have stopped their son from putting on a bomb vest and setting it off on a bus full of kids! where was Rachel's love and sense of duty to her fellow man when the bomb killed those kids?

-------------
Sorry about that turn signal,I must have fallen asleep.

Posted By: ummziba
Date Posted: 25 November 2005 at 10:37am

Really kenski, if you had a brother (or son) who murdered someone, or raped someone, or robbed someone....... would you really feel justice in taking punishment for it yourself?

That is not justice, that is pure terrorism. Do you really feel all parents/siblings can control everything their sons/brothers do? Punishment by association is just plain wrong - just as someone commiting a crime against innocents is just plain wrong. Now two wrongs don't make a right.

Isreal's policy of bulldozing houses of the family of sucide bombers is just as evil as blowing up civilians. Imagine a policy like this in the west? Let's start bulldozing the houses of the family of all convicted murders........think about that.

-------------
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words...they break my soul ~

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 25 November 2005 at 2:53pm

Rachel was good person and she was helping Israelis as much as
Palestinians by trying to stand in the way of injustice. What happened to
her broke our hearts. She did nothing to deserve that, Neither did
Tommy or the Palestinian children that "find their deaths" everyday while
our children are "murdered".

What gives any of you the right to judge her in the united states. You
know little and you talk big.
Come see for your self what is happening in Bilin right now this moment
Come check out the "security" wall that separates villagers from their own
fresh water and crops.
Also make up your mind which spin story you want to use to justify
Rachels death. The parents of suicide bombers. The Parlour with a tunnel
into Egypt or that this family harboured genetically engineered Iranians
that could kill goats with telekinetic powers.
The house was owned by a hard working married couple a Medical Doctor
and a Pharmacist. The Wall is bullsh*t as are the borders any smuggler or
mildly resourceful person can get in and out of Palestine undetected. It is
those who obey the law that are punished while waiting for medical
procedures that request endless bureaucracy and delays

Posted By: kenski70
Date Posted: 25 November 2005 at 11:37pm

Really kenski, if you had a brother (or son) who murdered someone, or raped someone, or robbed someone....... would you really feel justice in taking punishment for it yourself?

good point I should clarify myself here.the thing that is really horrible here is that this suicide bomber knew the Israelis would smash his family"s home. I'm sure this has been policy for years.yet he did it anyway.now I'm not condoning by any means what Israel does here.I'm guessing this process is meant to deter future attacks.and its obviously not working either.as they say here in America" the beating will continue until moral improves." in fact holding ones family accountable for a crime is illegal in the US.the point I'm making here is this killer doomed his own family intentionally and not only did it kill the children.it killed this women also and his families home was lost too?everyone lost.if the family was smart they would pack up all their belongings before the bulldozers got there.

-------------
Sorry about that turn signal,I must have fallen asleep.

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 26 November 2005 at 8:32am

Yeah dats it clarify this:
Precisely which suicide bomber was that?
What was his name. Where and when did he blow himself up?
What was the name of the bombers family.
Who's the nail?

Posted By: kenski70
Date Posted: 26 November 2005 at 10:11pm

post edited

-------------
Sorry about that turn signal,I must have fallen asleep.

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 26 November 2005 at 11:41pm

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 27 November 2005 at 12:55am

I apologise for calling you a bag of hammers.
I have edited the comment out. I lost my temper because I get the feeling
sometimes that all all the compassion charity Sakaat what ever, amount to
nothing when we are faced with callousness, ignorance and stupidity.

So where exactly did you serve? Lebanon Vietnam. Denny's what?
From which well springs all this er... knowledge

I served three years after volunteering. I was not drafted. I have an
honourable discharge. I have never deserted. I never objected while in
uniform. I put my life on the line for my country and will continue to do
so till I draw my last breath. I was honoured by the IDF when they asked
me to participate as a security officer For Anwar Sadat when he spoke at
the Kenest Jerusalem and as a civilian I stood with Yasser Arafat in the
Muktah with members of the Keneset and the Israeli press when the
information leaked from nine different sources including your/our state
department that an IDF surgical strike was eminent. The result would
have been total war.I was the least important of about 50 people that
walked across the border into Palestine that day I already had two
children at the time. I new that I might not see them again.

My military ID is 2297771 DN BDRK. These are all facts and they are
verifiable. All I asked you was could you name the terrorist or his target?
Instead you call me a coward and a deserter.

No prison awaits me and I have the back of scores of thousands of
conscientious soldiers who did and do serve. Leave it to us who lived
under and took fire to judge deserters and leftist objectors.

It used to be my job as a reservist to track them down. You have nothing
to defend your position other than your own ignorance and you can't
even keep the paint by the numbers fake picture straight.

What is your point in taking part in this forum if not to learn or share?

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 27 November 2005 at 1:37am

Posted By: kenski70
Date Posted: 27 November 2005 at 7:35am

i too apologize and have stricken my post. information comes from CNN.FOX NEWS.several magazines and newspapers.in answering your question about what war was i in? i am a veteran of gulf war 1 and Somalia

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Sorry about that turn signal,I must have fallen asleep.

Posted By: Suleyman
Date Posted: 27 November 2005 at 7:36am

Ok now we have understood u,Fox News...no problem

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 27 November 2005 at 1:39pm

Fox News presents it's self as the truth and is believed by most Americans
to be an objective source of information. If I hadn't seen all that I've seen
I would have no reason to believe other wise. Even after I witnessed clear
violations of convention and common decency, I couldn't accept for days
that what I was experiencing wasn't my own bad luck even fault at being
in the vicinity of a few isolated bad apples and just some sort of weird
coincidence that these things seemed to happen only when I was around.
I'm not kidding. The dissonance between what I saw and wanted to see
was crazy making.

Posted By: Daniel Dworsky
Date Posted: 27 November 2005 at 1:46pm

This guy isn't a loud mouth he's a boy scout and he's paid his dues.
Thank the one God he returned to his family in one piece.
Huah!

Respect