In Honor of Rachel Corrie

I was just reminded of the three year anniversary of Rachel's death by an article on the postponement of last night's scheduled American Premier of the play based on her diaries and emails. For more information about the postponment see the Democracy Now broadcast of March 23, 2006.

To me, Corrie represents all that is good about the "American" Spirit. I have a short publication of her letters that I will gladly email to you as a PDF file. Contact me at aspringwind@yahoo.com.


On the 16th of March, 2003, 23-year-old American
human rights worker Rachel Corrie was crushed to
death by an Israeli military bulldozer. She was trying to
prevent the Israeli army from destroying the home of a
physician and his family in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
In a remarkable series of emails to her family, she
explained why she was risking her life.
Rachel Corrie
1979-2003

From a letter to Rachel’s mother dated February 27th, 2003:

“Love you. Really miss you. I have bad nightmares about tanks and
bulldozers outside our house and you and me inside. Sometimes the
adrenaline acts as an anesthetic for weeks and then in the evening or
at night it just hits me again - a little bit of the reality of the situation.
I am really scared for the people here.
“Yesterday, I watched a father lead his two tiny children, holding his
hands, out into the sight of tanks and a sniper tower and bulldozers
and Jeeps because he thought his house was going to be exploded...I
was terrified to think that this man felt it was less of a risk to walk
out in view of the tanks with his kids than to stay in his house. I
was really scared that they were all going to be shot and I tried to
stand between them and the tank. This happens every day, but just
this father walking out with his two little kids just looking very sad,
just happened to get my attention more at this particular moment...
“When I come back from Palestine, I probably will have nightmares
and constantly feel guilty for not being here, but I can channel that
into more work. Coming here is one of the better things I've ever
done. So when I sound crazy, or if the Israeli military should break
with their racist tendency not to injure white people, please pin the
reason squarely on the fact that I am in the midst of a genocide
which I am also indirectly supporting, and for which my government
is largely responsible.
“I love you and Dad...”



- Rachel’s last email

“Let me know if you have any ideas about
what I should do with the rest of my life.”