[whataretheysaying] Mary Madigan: Protesting torture

[Email subscription to blog articles]

Posted by Mary Madigan:
Protesting torture
http://whataretheysaying.powerblogs.com/posts/1161275414.shtml


   Kesher Talk describes a well-organized effort to save theatergoers
   from bad philosophy, bad politics and bad art:

     Dear Activists,

     Last night was opening night of MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE and our
     FIRST nite out with THE FACTS.

     We were very successful in GETTING OUT THE FACTS...with roughly 350
     people accepting our invitation to read the facts ( we gave out one
     copy per couple) we believe our success was due to :
     1. being very respectful , older and well dressed
     2. most of us having seen the play lended credibility.
     3. We asked if the information was wanted...did NOT just hand it
     out.
     4. we were very relaxed, calm , smiled and empathetic to Rachel.
     5. The ALL THE RACHELS flyer caught people's initial attention and
     before they became incited in any way, they turned to the FACTS
     which were written in a much less "bold, emotional" way.

     Here are some details:
     It was a well heeled crowd, with roughly 15 - 20% of the
     theatregoers invited by the producer/playwright, including such
     stars as Larua Linney and Sigourney Weaver. Alan Rickman, Katherine
     Viner, Megan Dodds all had photo shots in front of the theater
     before the curtain went up.

     Roughly 90% of the theatregoers accepted the FACT sheet we
     respectfully offered. (theater holds 400 people). [We] were well
     dressed, stood off to the side and asked:"are you going to the
     theater? (wait for an answer) Would you like to understand more
     facts about this play? (wait for an answer) This information is
     well sourced....feel free to google up these sources yourself." XXX
     would often would end with "you do know to google don't
     you?!?!"....this always got a chuckle and a conversation about what
     we did before GOOGLE....since over 75% of the audience was
     50+....this "lite" approach was received very well.

     Roughly 25 people said " I'm glad you are out here". Roughly
     another 25 people told us they respected our polite approach.

     To those who did not want a flyer we politely smiled and said "ok
     enjoy the show".

   Just on a personal note - reading [1]the reviews of this play brings
   back a traumatic childhood memory. When I was a kid, my folks took me
   to see a similar radical lefty play, The [2]Trial of the Catonsville
   9, glorifying the [3]Berrigan Brothers.

   The play was so boring I thought my head was going to explode. For a
   kid who was currrently suffering through holy communion classes,
   that's saying a lot.

   I whined and fidgeted and finally got my mom to drag me out of the
   theater. She was not happy, but frankly, if she'd hung me upside down
   over an open fire, it would have been preferable to sitting in that
   theater.

   A piece that portrays activism-as-heroism usually equals bad art.
   People who admire the 'heroism' of standing in front of a moving
   bulldozer, living unwashed in a tree or smashing a nuke with a hammer
   and dousing it with blood usually have a very serious irony deficit.
   Trying to make drama out of paper-mache puppeteers and their ilk is
   neither interesting or entertaining.

   But, as South Park has demonstrated, it can be funny.

   If this play is anything like Catonsville 9, I'd advise the anyone
   interested in new forms of torture to save the waterboards and go see
   My Name is Rachel Corrie.

References

   1. http://www.jewlicious.com/?p=2769
   2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catonsville_Nine
   3. http://www.answers.com/topic/daniel-berrigan