Statement of Support and Thanks from Leila Buck
First, I must admit that when the Corrie play controversy started I was one of the voices in our email circle least upset, or at least most in the vein of “let’s hear what they have to say before we send out the lynching party.” I engaged in dialogue but not nearly as passionately as some of my peers, feeling like while the larger issues raised were ones I wholeheartedly agree with, that people were jumping to conclusions based on past and politics, not on this case. Tonight made me see and remember a whole host of other sides to this story. Somehow you managed to put together people who spoke to the context, the personal, the political, the intersection of the two, the larger controversy yet never leaning to diatribes or political posturing. I was SO impressed with the quality of writing and speaking, with the moving turnout, and with the smooth organization and orchestration of the whole event. It was amazing to see what you pulled together so professionally in such a short time.
This is really its own gift – this ability to take the anger and pain surrounding Rachel’s death and the play’s cancellation, and make tonight, as you said in the program, a date to remember with beauty and courage. I certainly will associate this night with inspiration, passion, solidarity, laughter, and being moved in every sense of the word. I was struck by how many of Rachel’s emails ended with love – not just the trite traditional sign of, but much love, love to Poppy, love to Olympia and Sarah and friends and home…This love being freely given so simply was what I felt tonight as well. It is very moving as an Arab-American to see not only tonight but with Al-Rowwad and other THAW events how a group of dedicated non-Arab activists can make so many things happen with issues that I often feel only “we” care about. I cannot express how much it moved me and always does to be surrounded by such a mix of activists, artists and human beings of every background – Holocaust survivors, Israeli soldiers and American Jews standing with us and making this happen was such a reminder of the kind of solidarity this night was about. I truly felt from everyone involved that, to use Rachel’s words, they are us and we are them. You can all certainly know that as every person in that amazing space left thinking about what they are doing and what they can do, you need not think so much – you are already doing it.
Alf shukran – a thousand thank you’s,
Leila Buck
