Some of the Last Words of Rachel Corrie to Her Mother

NONVIOLENCE, TRANSCEND MEMBERS, ACTIVISM, PALESTINE - ISRAEL, 16 Aug 2010

Submitted by Dr. Zarni – TRANSCEND Media Service

This was sent by a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer who was on one of the Turkish vessels boarded by Israeli commandos off Gaza.

I had not previously seen this extract from her powerful writings, and thought they merit distribution.

“I’m witnessing this chronic, insidious genocide and I’m really scared, and questioning my fundamental belief in the goodness of human nature. This has to stop. I think it is a good idea for us all to drop everything and devote our lives to making this stop. I don’t think it’s an extremist thing to do anymore. I still really want to dance around to Pat Benatar and have boyfriends and make comics for my coworkers. But I also want this to stop. Disbelief and horror is what I feel. Disappointment. I am disappointed that this is the base reality of our world and that we, in fact, participate in it. This is not at all what I asked for when I came into this world. This is not at all what the people here asked for when they came into this world. This is not the world you and Dad wanted me to come into when you decided to have me. This is not what I meant when I looked at Capital Lake and said: “This is the wide world and I’m coming to it.”

“I did not mean that I was coming into a world where I could live a comfortable life and possibly, with no effort at all, exist in complete unawareness of my participation in genocide. More big explosions somewhere in the distance outside. 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.”

Rest in peace, Rachel. You are not forgotten.

____________________

Dr. Zarni is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment.

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This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 16 Aug 2010.

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