Catching the Conscience: Lessons Drawn from My Name is Rachel Corrie

Tweet So why are people afraid of Rachel’s words? Because she urges independent critical thinking and she urges people to act – to leave their comfortable lives and bear witness to what is happening in the world and to do something about it. In an email to her mother, Rachel wrote, “I know that from the United States, it all sounds like hyperbole. …I really can’t believe that something like this can happen in the world without a bigger outcry about it. It really hurts me, again, like it has hurt me in the past, to witness how awful we can allow the world to be. I felt after talking to you that maybe you didn’t completely believe me. I think it’s actually good if you don’t, because I do believe pretty much above all else in the importance of independent critical thinking. And I also realize that with you I’m much less careful than usual about trying to source every assertion that I make. A lot of the reason for that is I know that you actually do go and do your own research. But it makes me worry about the job I’m doing.” She goes on to say, “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.” People who see this play will be faced with a choice — now that I’ve seen this, what do I do?

AN EXCELLENT ESSAY BY RACHEL'S WORDS. THEY PUT TOGETHER A READING OF RACHEL'S STUFF AFTER THE PLAY WAS CANCELLED IN NY.

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