Yesterday I saw the play My Name is Rachel Corrie, about a 23-year-old Evergreen student who was killed in Rafa, Palestine, while trying to prevent an Israeli bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian home. I was at Evergreen at the same time Corrie was, but until seeing yesterday’s show—which is based entirely on Corrie’s writing—I think I underestimated her. (At Evergreen, either you turn into a raging hippie activist, or you get a little numb to phrases like “international solidarity.”) It’s a flawed show, but worth seeing, less for its politics than its depiction of idealism channeled into action; there’s also a fine performance from local high schooler Madeleine Rogers. You can find ticket info for My Name is Rachel Corrie here.
And somewhat related: About a month ago I wrote a piece about local cartoonist Matt Bors, who traveled to Afghanistan to get firsthand experience of the country he’d been reading so much about. His account of his trip is over at the O, though it requires more clicking than it should in order to see Bors’ actual work.
Trolling based on Rachel Corrie’s death has gotten boring. The only notable thing about her death is that she’s white. Otherwise, the utter mundanity of what transpired leads to a political ennui.
I was in a Women’s Studies program at Evergreen with Rachel. She was a nice young lady.
@Graham: You’re a jerk.
@catandbeard: Lots of nice people are killed by the IDF. What makes Rachel Corrie any more noteworthy than those other nice people killed by the Zionists?
Hmm. Person travels 7,000 miles to be personally engaged with a conflict her own country is deeply involved in, only to be killed by an aggressive action.
If that’s not news in her home community then… wait, of course that’s news. Graham’s a troll!
I sometimes snicker when White People Try to Do Something. But then I realize I’m just flinging White Guilt to deflect my Slacker Guilt.
@Night Moves: So the only difference between Rachel Corrie and John Walker Lindh is that only one of them came home in a bodybag?
Also, you’re correct about the trolling. Rachel Corrie trolling is a nice soothing old-skool thing for me.
@Graham COMMENT OF THE YEAR: “Lots of nice people are killed by the IDF”
@Graham Touche. But I was only saying why Rachel (and yes, ol’ Johnny Boy) are news-relevant. To learn about their differences requires people writing about them.
Dear hippies, If you can’t see my eyes in the Cat Dozer, I can not see you. This advise also counts for hippies in the forrest, contruction site, or mines.