One Year Later: "Rachel, my mother"

[Resistance]

Yasmine Abu Libdeh writing from Rafah
Electronic Intifada, March 16, 2004

I am twelve years old and live in Rafah, the southernmost city of the Gaza Strip. Many homes in our refugee camp have been demolished. The doors and windows in my home are smashed because of the shelling and incursions.

Other children around the world have security and stability, but I am denied these rights. Because of the occupation, I am used to hearing the sound of gunfire. Every night I dream of the fire, destruction, shelling and fear. I can't sleep at night anymore because I'm overwhelmed by fear. I sleep and awake to the sounds of airplanes and rumbling of tanks.

One day, I was going to the parliament and I saw some foreigners. A young American woman attracted my attention. Her name was Rachel Corrie. She talked to me about my fears and the problems of security we children and our nation face. I was surprised by the fact that Rachel was trying to comfort me.

As Rachel worked with the parliament, I understood that she wanted us to be able to have our voice heard in the outside world, particularly in America, to show how much we are suffering. She said she loved children and how she feels sad for them when they are killed. And from that time, we became good friends. I invited her to my house to meet my family and she came and had lunch with us. She became my closest friend - almost as close as my mother.

[drdon326]

1. And the Memorial continues...

Yeah...she was a real "motha" alright.

[BowlingForPalestine]

2. Dude...

Are you a doctor in real life?

[kalian]

26. I doubt it....

:eyes:

[Muddleoftheroad]

23. It's taking on the tone

Of the old Saturday Night Live bits about Gen. Franco.

[redqueen]

3. So sad

In all the 'rah rah my side's right' crap, the brutality forced on these children is brushed aside.

Disgusting.

[Gimel]

4. Do you really believe

that a 12 year old Palestinian girl wrote that? Incredible.

[redqueen]

5. Does it even freaking matter?!

Do you deny that children are being terrorized and traumatized and are suffering as a result of this macho-a$$wipe pissing contest?!

[Gimel]

6. Many are, unfortunately

But to use that as propaganda in this way is not something I can consent to.

[redqueen]

9. I don't call it 'propoganda' if it's as real as the nose on your face

n/t

[Gimel]

17. Too real

Because it's what you want to believe, you accept it without question. It could be an ISM worker writing his or her projection of what a Palestinian child MIGHT have thought. It's a big MIGHT.

[Resistance]

7. Who else could have written it?

What do you think EI just makes stuff up? :crazy:

[Muddleoftheroad]

8. Absolutely

EI is a propaganda organ. You can fill in the blank as to which organ it is.

[drdon326]

13. Honestly Resistance...

How many 12 year olds can write:

"Other children around the world have security and stability, but I am denied these rights."

I'm surprised this *12 yo* didnt discuss international law
under the Geneva Convention and its application to
post-Warsaw pact dissolution of eastern europe.

Probably its in her next "letter".

:crazy:

[Offshore Bush]

10. I don't.

The Palestinian's have very limited educational institutions. The only one's they have focus on anti-Israeli propaganda. That's not to say that it's their fault. They don't have a functional government since they're still in a state of occupation and have little resources to use for education.

Even though that letter is probably false, there are children suffering.

[GabysPoppy]

11. In all fairness

I don't think a 12 year old of any nationality wrote that piece.

I wouldn't limit my assessment to just a Palestinian child.

Just my .02

[Offshore Bush]

14. True.

It sounds so blatantly false. I would prefer it if discussions on this forum didn't resort to posting propaganda like that because it discredits the poster. I've read your posts, GabysPoppy, and I can tell you my views are probably closer to the thread starter's than yours; but when I see such obvious propaganda as this I feel ashamed.

[Cassandra]

16. Wasn't the issue of...

substandard Palestinian schools brought up in another thread? This girl seems to be getting a good education in English.

[DuctapeFatwa]

19. Some Palestinian children learn to read and write even before the age of

twelve. Astonishing as it may seem, this phenomenon is quite common throughout the Middle East, and there are even whispers that it is not unknown in Asia.

[GabysPoppy]

21. But you didn't say if you believed this was written by a 12 year old

Any particular reason for that omission?

[DuctapeFatwa]

24. Well, it seemed like it would be rude to point out that the kids who

have malnutrition brain damage from the Policy of Starvation are a lot younger than 12. I figured you would know that. And a 12 year old would also have been able to go to school normally instead of sneaking around to avoid being killed by sharon's US-funded gunmen.

She is suffering in a lot of other ways, though. Why is it such an outrage that one little girl learned to read and write? If it's any consolation, if she has baby brothers or sisters, they probably never will.

[rdfi-defi]

12. exactly right

[drdon326]

15. This is some work of fantasy....

I cant wait for her next installment.

[TahitiNut]

18. That was written by a native English-speaking person.

The use of idiomatic English is clearly not that of someone for whom English is a second language. The use of passive voice and reflexive verbs indicates someone far older than a 12-year-old.

"am used to"?? "we ... face"? "smashed"? "I am denied"? "surprised by the fact"? "have our voice heard"?? "had lunch"??

If that's from a 12-year-old, she sure got LOTS of editorial assistance.

[drdon326]

20. I respectfully .....

must tell you that if this 12 even exists,I dont believe there is
ANY way 12 yo wrote ANY this.

Another "EI Great Moment In Journalism".

[Violet_Crumble]

22. And I respectfully must tell you...

That folk exist called EDITORS. Last time I checked there's not a lower age limit where they're banned from editing someone's writing. As for doubting any 12 year old could write well, my 12 year old's writing sometimes reaches heights I could never reach at that age, and her best friend had something he wrote published at the age of 11. It was a child's perspective of a natural disaster, and despite an editor getting at it, there was no more doubt that it was his perspective than there should be for this Palestinian girl....

If you have any credible evidence (note: conservative sources aren't credible) that supports yr insinuation that this girl doesn't even exist or that she didn't write it, feel free to share it with us all. I won't hold my breath waiting :)

Violet...

[Zhade]

25. Rachel Corrie: a true hero.

Rachel-hating: true ignorance.