[Marxism] Rachel's Words Initiative

[Andrew Pollack <acpollack2@xxxxxxxxx>]

When the story Walter refers to came out in the NY Times groups started
   discussing a response. Below is what seems to be the one consensus has
   developed on. For those who haven't heard about all this before, the key is
  that the director of the theater workshop solicited the opinion of NY Zionists
  as to whether it was OK to do the play, and cancelled it when they told him
  no it wasn't OK.

  Hi Everyone:    We've been working all day on this, and getting  feedback and
  permissions from many people. We're still  developing it, but want to be 
inclusive,
   and realize  that if we wait for all the details to be worked out  it'll be 
too late, so
   we're sending it out now,  however imperfect. We'd like to engage everyone 
in the
   dialogue. We see the issue of censoring Rachel's play  as a huge mobilizing
   opportunity, and through Rachel's  words we hope to break through the media
   silence we've  all been struggling against. We in no way want to  override 
other
   people's initiatives, but we'd like to  attempt a unified and therefore 
hugely visible
   event.  Please forward this any groups you think will be  interested.
    WHY ARE  PEOPLE AFRAID OF RACHEL CORRIE?S WORDS?
  And how can we work  together to ensure they are heard  even more widely?
  THE BACKGROUND:  The  play "My Name is Rachel Corrie" was scheduled to
   open in New York on March  22nd. It has been  "postponed" indefinitely.    
In the
   New York Times article on  February 28, James C.  Nicola, the artistic 
director of
   the New York Theatre
   Workshop (NYTW) which was hosting the play, said he  decided to postpone the
   show after polling local  Jewish religious and community leaders as to their
   feelings about the work.     In the Guardian, the play's director Alan 
Rickman
   denounced the decision as "censorship", stating  "Rachel Corrie lived in 
nobody's
   pocket but her own.  Whether one is sympathetic with her or not, her voice  
is like
   a clarion in the fog and should be heard."    James Nicola stated "I don't 
think we
   were worried  about the audience, I think we were more worried that  those 
who
   had never encountered her writing, never  encountered the piece, would be 
using
   this as an  opportunity to position their arguments."    Strange that he 
should be
   worried about people who  have never encountered her writing, and so removes
   the  opportunity to let people encounter her writing and  decide for 
themselves.
   Rachel's mother Cindy wonders,  ?Why are people so afraid of Rachel's words??
   We ask  the same question and are determined to give people  the opportunity 
to
   hear those words.
  THE COALITION:  We are coordinating a broad-based coalition
   of peace  and justice groups, human rights groups, theatre  groups, civil 
rights
   groups, and others to respond to  this censorship of Rachel?s words with a 
strong
   and  unified approach. March 16, the third anniversary of  Rachel?s death, 
is a
   compelling date on which to do  this. We are looking at a multi-pronged
   approach,  encompassing both AN EVENT and A WORLD-WIDE ACTION.
  THE
   EVENT:  A staged theatrical reading in New York City on March  16 of ?My Name
   is Rachel Corrie?. We are inviting  Megan Dodds and Alan Rickman, the actor
   and director  of the Royal Court production to do the reading, but  because 
they
   are mounting the show now at a theatre in  London, it is unlikely that they 
will be
   able to come.  In that case, we are working on finding high-profile  actors 
in New
   York to do a reading of the play. If  rights are not granted for the play 
itself, a
   highly  publicized staged theatrical reading of Rachel?s  e-mails and 
writings can
   still take place. The NYTW  claimed, among other reasons, that they didn?t 
have
   enough time to put on the show. Let?s prove them  wrong. We are doing 
outreach
   so this event can be  staged in multiple cities nationally and world-wide if 
 the
   correct permissions are granted.
  THE WORLD-WIDE ACTION:  Over a 24-hour
   period throughout March 16, activists  in cities world-wide in a public space
   reading (with  or without a loud-speaker or microphone) Rachel?s  e-mails and
   journal entries. Fliers can be distributed  to passers-by encouraging them 
to ask
   the question for  themselves: Why are people so frightened of Rachel  
Corrie?s
   words?
  WHAT WE ARE ASKING:  Please endorse this initiative, and join this
   coalition. It?s not meant to replace any plans that  groups may already have 
for
   March 16th or individual  responses to the cancellation of the play 
(expressing
   feelings to the NYTW, writing op-eds, etc.) but to  support them. In fact, 
we are
   hoping that a unified  action, world-wide, and with press coverage will  
ensure that
   Rachel?s words are heard more widely than  ever and, through her words, her
   message of human  rights and justice will be heard as well. If you  already 
have an
   event planned for March 16, perhaps  reading from Rachel?s e-mails can be
   incorporated into  or before/after your event.
  WHAT HAS BEEN DONE:  ? We are
   in direct contact with Cindy and Craig Corrie  (Rachel?s parents) and are
   proceeding with their  support and permission on all aspects of this  
event/action.
   ? We have sent a proposal to the Royal Court Theatre  in London about the 
rights
   to the show. We will update  you when we receive their response.  ? We are
   approaching progressive theatre groups like  THAW (Theaters Against War), 
with
   the hopes of  developing contacts in the New York theatre community  who can
   help pull this off.  ? We have spoken to people from multiple groups and  
media
   outlets to get an initial feel about this  action/event. People are 
enthused.     We are
   all outraged by what has happened. But we have  the opportunity to harness 
our
   energy toward a very  positive end. We are setting up a ?Rachel?s Words?
   listserve and website to help facilitate joint  communication. We will send 
regular
   updates as to  which groups and individuals are signing onto this  joint 
coalition
   and progress in the action/event.  Please let us know if you want to be a 
part of
   this  coordinated response.     Looking forward to working together in 
solidarity,  Ann
   Petter and Jen Marlowe  Please contact us at: rachels_words@xxxxxxxxx


                        
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