In addition, Rachel had roots in Iowa farm cnuotry. She wrote of her grandmother and
uncle. Both farmers, both lovers of the land: (from the emails of Rachel Corrie) If any of us
had our lives and welfare completely strangled, lived with children in a shrinking place where
we knew, because of previous experience, that soldiers and tanks and bulldozers could come for
us at any moment and destroy all the greenhouses that we had been cultivating for however long,
and did this while some of us were beaten and held captive with 149 other people for several
hours – do you think we might try to use somewhat violent means to protect whatever fragments
remained? I think about this especially when I see orchards and greenhouses and fruit trees
destroyed – just years of care and cultivation. I think about you and how long it takes to make
things grow and what a labour of love it is. I really think, in a similar situation, most
people would defend themselves as best they could. I think Uncle Craig would. I think probably
Grandma would. I think I would.You asked me about non-violent resistance. (Again, thanks to
Taxi for the link to Rachel’s writings.)
