In case you are not familiar with her story...check this thread (4+pages)
Here's a particularly poignant quote from Rachel:
"Anyway, I'm rambling. Just want to write to my Mom and tell her that 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."
Another life snuffed out, another irreplaceable person terminated. And for what? For pieces of earth, for fear, hatred, economics - take your pick. If everyone truly valued how sacred each person's life is, then such things would be impossible. Unfortunately, we live in a world where people can easily talk about collateral damage, and acceptable losses, and not remember that for each person dead there is an extended family, and friends, who are devastated. We, as a human race, do not seem to learn any lessons from history, so we just repeat them constantly.
Something caught my attention when I was perusing some of Rachel's writings. A favorite musician of mine. 80s. Pat Benatar. Yes, in an era of REAL music. I care not for much of the crap that's considered "music" today, BTW. But I thought, wait a minute, she's only 23! As I'm 8 yrs. older, I grew up solidly in that generation, but I have widened "back", so to speak, to some earlier tastes as well (don't get me started on my 70's and oldie's collections..). So if I could do that, she did, too, obviously, since Pat's first major works were from 1980-85, when she would have been a toddler...then it turns out that Pat's attracted a whole new generation of fans on her yearly summer vacation tours, something done for well over 20 years!
Who is Pat Benatar? Only a 4-time Grammy-award winning singer! (official website)
With her hard-driving music (quite popular in the UK I hear too!) , it can make a long drive short, if you know what I mean. Then I got to thinking...ok, these songs are good dance music...but here's a gem from a 1985 album which would definitely be in fitting tribute to the work that Rachel did and her group continues to do, and the Israeli/Palestininan struggle, the Iraq conflict, September 11, and a whole host of other situations...incidentally, this was used as a September 11 tribute song at http://www.vetmemorial.com/ Activist activities could be said to be a war, too, albeit of a different sense. And like the song says, with the power of conviction, there's no sacrifice...
On a final note, I make this tribute to all those in their struggles in defending the innocent, and hope this will get audience to counter that thoughtless, heartless, moronic cartoon that slandered Rachel Corrie's good name and the good name of all those who struggle to be free from oppression, no matter what form that may take. And to those who make that similar struggle with their families everyday with the oppressive Watchtower Society, and have their good name slandered in the process of being called "apostates". I salute you all.
Invincible...the song can partially be heard here lyrics below
Pat Benatar Discography
Seven the Hard Way
Date: 1985
AMG ID: R000001676 (album inprint)
Invincible
This bloody road remains a mystery
This sudden darkness fills the air
What are we waiting for?
Won't anybody help us?
What are we waiting for?
We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be Invincible
This shattered dream you cannot justify
We're gonna scream until we're satisified
What are we running for?
We've got the right to be angry
What are we running for?
When there's no where we can run to anymore
We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be Invincible
And with the power of conviction
There is no sacrifice
It's a do or die situation
We will be Invincible
Won't anybody help us?
What are we running for?
When there's no where, no where we can run to anymore
We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be Invincible
And with the power of conviction
There is no sacrifice
It's a do or die situation
We will be Invincible
Written by: Holly Knight & Simon Climie
Time: 4:28
@Copyright - 1985 by Makiki Pub. Co./Arista Music, Inc.