Remembrance: Rachel Corrie 1979-2003

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press

Thursday March 17, 2005 05:58

by Mary La Rosa

http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article3689.shtml

Remembrance: Rachel Corrie 1979-2003

I would never call it final a resting place
the spot where she was crushed and smashed
into the landscape of a brutal Occupation

I would call it the restless spot

the place where a soul's liberation rises above
the one act that could best depict
the oppression she stood so firm against

Though crushed and smashed
oppression did not smash her spirit
and leaving traces of herself
beyond the mortal bruises
her unholy sacrifice
reclaims the spirit of non violent resistance

We pick up bits and pieces
We scoop up Rachel
and carry her along

We sing her spirit's song

What else do we do ?
Do we drive over other young women?
Do we blow ourselves up?
Do we tear down all of the homes in an entire town?
to build more walls and ghettoes?

In a restless place
there is Soul
that rises above hatred
and hovers in righteousness
and has no vengeance
only longing longing longing
for a peaceful
resting place.

In remembrance, Rachel Corrie 1979-2003

Mary La Rosa
March 16 2005

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Comments (7 of 7)

ISM's responsibility for Rachel Corrie's death

by Fred the Redbeard

Sat Jan 07, 2006 05:18

Like the poem's author, I too am sorry that Rachel Corrie's life was cut unfairly short. Unlike her so-called friends in the International Solidarity Movement, I also would have pulled her out of the slowly-moving bulldozer's path instead of taking pictures while it crushed her. I guess-- as suggested by the two comments below-- she was more useful to her "friends" dead than alive.
* http://www.standwithus.com/news_post.asp?NPI=85 "Recently, the Director of the Solidarity Movement, George Rishmawi, explained to the San Francisco Chronicle that the recruitment of American student volunteers is useful to the Palestinian Movement because "if some of these foreign volunteers get shot or even killed, then the international media will sit up and take notice.""

# A Hamas terrorist said openly that Rachel was worth more dead than alive. "'Her death serves me more than it served her,' said one activist at a Hamas funeral yesterday. '...Her death will bring more attention than the other 2,000 martyrs.'" Making of a Martyr by Sandra Jordan, Guardian Newspapers
# The ISM posted photomanipulated fake photos in conjunction with Rachel Corrie's death.
# Although several of Rachel's "friends" in the ISM testified vigorously about their eyewitness accounts of her death, but not one of them lifted a finger to pull her out of the slowly-moving bulldozer's path. This suggests at best a callous disregard for the young woman's life, and perhaps something even worse.

more zionist lies.

by whoukiddin?

Sat Jan 07, 2006 06:59

Firstly stand with us is a pro israeli support group, so naturally the link you give will give the ususl zionist propoganda line.

secondly, it was the war criminals of the idf that murdered rachel, while they bulldozed palestinian homes in the illegally occupied territories.

I suspect that had you been there redbeard, you would more likely have been driving the dozer rather than saving lives.

I sippose it wasnt the idf that shot caoimhe butterly?

parent captured

by gay geori

Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:04

Her patens have been kidnapped by Palestianias according to Reuters:

"GAZA, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Palestinian gunmen briefly seized the parents of slain U.S. activist Rachel Corrie as they visited the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, but relented after being confronted by a member of the security forces, witnesses said."

Responsibility for Rachel Corrie's Death: Plenty to go around:

by map

Thu Mar 09, 2006 01:41

One does not have to approve of Israel's longstanding occupation of West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem to realilze that there are a number of factors beside the Israeli Army that contributed to the loss of Ms. Corrie's life.

The fact that (a.) the Israeli government's policies of occupation of the above-mentioned territories created the circumstances that led to her death, and (b.) that the United States, and by extension, the European Community abetted it by not exerting more pressure on Israel to withdraw from the Occupied Territories and allow the Palestinians to create their own, independent sovereign nation-state in the Territories, cannot be disputed. Israel should pull out of those territories NOW.

Unfortunately, however, the International Solidarity also bears some responsibility for Rachel Corrie's death. Here's why: Several ISM members, including Ms. Corrie herself had encountered narrow escapes while attempting to block bulldozers from demolishing Palestinians' homes. One woman managed to get out of the way at the last minute when the bulldozer she was attempting to block began piling earth around and underneath her ffeet. A young man barely escaped death/serious injury by impalement from barbed wire when the bulldozer he was blocking stopped at the VERY last possible moment. Rachel Corrie herself had at least one or two close calls: one when she was standing in front of a house and took refuge inside, when things seemed to be getting out of control--the bulldozer demolished one side of the house with everybody inside, including the family living in the house. Another time when Ms. Corrie was blocking a bulldozer to protect a house from demolition, the bulldozer she was attempting to block shoved her into the side of the house. Rachel Corrie predicted that she would probably NOT be so lucky the next time around, a prediction that very tragically came to pass shortly thereafter. All of the above having been said, blocking t he bulldozer(s) as a GROUP, rather than singularly, probably would've made the advent of death/serioius injury from bulldozers far less likely.

It's also true, however, that, tragically, Rachel Corrie herself did not exercise the best judgement, which, along with the above-mentioned factors AND the criminally reckless and irresponsible actions/behaviours of the Israeli soldiers driving the buldozer that fatally ran Ms. Corrie down, also contributed to the loss of her life.

An afterthought:

Thu Mar 09, 2006 01:47

I might also add that the narrow escapes that several members of the International Solidarity Movement, including Ms. Corrie herself encountered should've been a wake-up call for the ISM to immediately alter their strategies. Having said this, however, this DOES NOT ABSOLVE the Israeli Govt. and the IDF from blame and responsibility for Rachel Corrie's death.

Relative's account of Rachel's life, death and legacy.

by Linker

Thu Mar 09, 2006 03:24

indymedia.ie link below.

Canadians Celebrate Corrie's Death

by Alois Brunner - ISM Vancouver

Thu Mar 09, 2006 20:38

With a pancake breakfast no less.

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Remembrance: Rachel Corrie 1979-2003

Comments (7 of 7)