Rachel Corrie's death led to community conversation

[Resistance]

Les Purces | The Olympian

"Education is a kind of continuing dialogue, and a dialogue assumes, in the nature of the case, different points of view." -- Robert Hutchins, President of the University of Chicago (1929-1951)

A year ago, our community was rocked by the death of a student in the Middle East. Rachel Corrie was killed as she protested the demolition of homes in Gaza.

We were shocked. Many of us had known Rachel from the time she was a small girl growing up in Olympia.

We mourned her loss. And we were not prepared for what happened next.

Suddenly, the anger and emotion of the Arab/Israeli conflict visited our campus. A student newspaper in Maryland printed a cartoon that said Rachel was a naive and foolish dupe of terrorists. Palestinian supporters accused the Israeli army of "murder" and called for an investigation.

[Resistance]

1. well I am glad Olympia hosted those discussions

but for the rest of the country, Rachel ended up as another victim of a vicious right-wing smear campaign that I don't think many people beyond clear-thinking progressive activists were ever able to see through.

You DUers know what I'm sayin?

[Djinn]

2. The "Ghandi" call

I'm so over seeing people call for the Palestinians to be more GHandi-like and then when they or their supporters DO undertake actions of NON violent resistance they get killed and called terrorists anyway.

I'm not to sure what people think Ghandi did anyway - that movement used similar tactics like non violent obstruction - it's not like they simply went around handing out flyers asking nicely if the Brit' could leave them alone.

Just a shame that the only time these non violent actions are even noticed in the western media is when it's carried out by a westerner (particularly a young pretty one like Rachel) the dead Palestinian peaceful protestors are just another anonymous death in the OT

[Herschel]

3. Fascinating

You lead me to wonder why Rachel Corrie is so often the subject of threads on this board while Palestinian so called peace activists rate no such attention.

[bluesoul]

4. Maybe because he cares

about human lives of peace activists, as opposed to you...

[Herschel]

5. Begging your pardon

I asked why so called Palestinian peace activists do not have a comparable number of articles posted.

[thebigidea]

6. interesting that you don't see a need to refute that point, though

[Herschel]

7. Mr. bluesole's comment

is unwarranted, as is your implication.

I will again ask why Ms. Corrie rates so much more attention than so called Palestinian peace activists. It appears there is no answer.

[thebigidea]

8. so you don't dispute the statement... on a related subject:

I've asked you twice and have yet to recieve a response: have you ever condemned a single incident of a Palestinian child being murdered? Is there a SINGLE case that might arouse a shred of sympathy, concern, etc?

A single incident of a Palestinian child being murdered that has made you mildly uncomfortable, even?

On the Corrie subject, I'm guessing you would consider ANY attention unwarranted, yes? We should just move on and "be glad."

[Herschel]

9. Oh, my

Surely I would condemn the murder of any child. However, it is often claimed Palestinian children were murdered when in fact they were combatants or collateral damage.

[thebigidea]

10. You have not answered... can you name a specific incident? Just one.

Oh my!

Is the IDF even capable of "murdering" a child in your eyes? Its just some sanitized technical term to you instead, yes?

Would you have us believe that not a single child in this conflict has been killed without good reason? That every single death can be explained away with a wave of a hand and an investigation that never goes anywhere?

[Herschel]

11. I suppose it would be more appropriate

to ask you to produce these cases of so called murder of Palestinian children. As for children killed with no good reason, the homicide bombings quickly come to mind.

[thebigidea]

12. I suppose it would be more appropriate for you to stop dodging

Breathtakingly cold, Herschel. Can you imagine if the other "side" here said that about Israeli innocents? They would be condemned and rightly so.

But apparently in your alternate universe, it is impossible for a Palestinian to be killed without good reason.

It seems the mental gymnastics that allow you to advocate the use of torture have prepared you to make that leap.

[Herschel]

13. Here are some so called murdered Palestinian youths

"Zionist Undercover Assassins Murder Four Palestinian Youths In Jenin

Undercover Israeli occupation soldiers on Wednesday assassinated four Palestinian youths in downtown Jenin in the northern part of the West Bank.

Palestinian witnesses said undercover assassins disguised as Palestinian laborers shot and killed four Palestinian men in their early 20s in Jenin.

The Israeli occupation army said the four men were armed and affiliated with Fatah military wing, the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades."

cut

http://www.jihadunspun.com/index-side_internal.php?article=96594&list=/home.php&

Armed members of the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in their 20s are murdered Palestinian youths! This is why you need to exercise caution with the claims you see.

[thebigidea]

14. um, yeah. "youth" isn't a stretch.

it didn't say children or toddlers.

I didn't say "youth" either. I said child.

And apparently, it seems that it is impossible for a child to be murdered without good reason.

I suggest a new catch phrase for you to use: be sad.

Because you've sure had that effect on me. Enjoy the rest of your day - I won't continue derailing this thread.

Apologies to all for doing so.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[thebigidea]

17. I guess the PA needs to hire Donald Rumsfeld to do PR

[Herschel]

18. How dare you

When civilians are targeted, this is not collateral damage.

[Evil_Dewers]

19. Isn't every Israeli required to serve in their military?

The have no adult civilians, only active duty and veterans.

If the freedom fighters (heh) were only targeting those Israelis under 18, you might have a point.

[BowlingForPalestine]

25. Not all are "required"

The orthodox and many Arabs are not required to serve.

[Djinn]

23. re-read the post - BTW I don't post everyday

There is an "answer" just because you don't get one when you demand it doesn't mean it's not there - Personally I think it's pretty obvious why there are less articles posted here about Palestinian peace workers than of say Rachel Corrie but to make it simple:

there are bugger all articles about the Palestinians in western sources because the west writes about the west and westerners, and have vested interests and relationships with the US and Israeli governemnts to think of. Unfortunately I do not speak Arabic so I'm reading, generally western, articles. There is also the fact that many active Palestinians are harrased by Israeli police/military and many flee their countries and go into exile, which is why many Palestinian peace groups are based outside of Palestine.

However there atre MANY Palestinian peace groups (inside and outside Palestine) of which the following are a mere selection:

The Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights, Bassem Eid & Dr. Haidar Abdel-Shafi of the PHRMG, Ittijah, MIFTAH.

This is without even going into the many many Israeli/Palestinian joint peace efforts and groups.

For someone who is a regular poster on this board Herschel you seem very selective about your knowledge.

[BowlingForPalestine]

24. I hear ya knockin' and I think you're comin' in.

[Herschel]

15. Returning to my question

Why is Rachel Corrie the subject of so many threads while so called Palestinian peace activists are not?

[Evil_Dewers]

20. Because Corrie was an American killed by the IDF

You cannot dispute that.

[Herschel]

21. Indeed

Yet no stories on the so called Palestinian peace activists?

[Evil_Dewers]

22. Yet no stories on the so called Palestinian peace activists?

Where are all the stories about Israeli peace activists being murdered by the Palestinians?