Protester Rachael Corrie's family sues Catepillar, IDF, and IMI.

[sinecure]

Tue Mar 15, 5:52 PM ET

U.S. National - AP

By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE, Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE - The parents of a 23-year-old activist killed while trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home is suing Caterpillar Inc., the company that made the bulldozer that ran over her.

The federal lawsuit, which lawyers said would be filed here Tuesday, alleges that Caterpillar violated international and state law by providing specially designed bulldozers to Israeli Defense Forces that it knew would be used to demolish homes and endanger people.

Rachel Corrie, a student at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, was standing in front of a home in a refugee camp in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, in March of 2003 when a bulldozer plowed over her.

"The brutal death of my daughter should never have happened," Corrie's mother, Cindy Corrie, said in a statement released by the Center for Constitutional Rights, a law firm handling the case. "We believe Caterpillar and the (Israeli Defense Forces) must be held accountable for their role in the attack."

Caterpillar spokeswoman Linda Fairbanks said the company had no comment on the lawsuit.

However, the company released a general statement Tuesday that said: "Caterpillar shares the world's concern over unrest in the Middle East and we certainly have compassion for all those affected by political strife.

"However, more than 2 million Caterpillar machines and engines are at work in virtually every region of the world each day. We have neither the legal right nor the means to police individual use of that equipment."

The statement did not refer to the lawsuit.

The Corries have filed separate claims in Israel against the state of Israel, the Israeli Defense Ministry and the Israeli Defense Forces.

The Israeli military classified Corrie's death as an accident.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050315/ap_on_re_us/protester_killed_lawsuit_1

I agree with the mother-- "The brutal death of my daughter should never have happened," Corrie's mother, Cindy Corrie, said in a statement released by the Center for Constitutional Rights, a law firm handling the case.

I wonder if her parents ever taught her NOT to stand in front of large, dangerous and moving machines?

Darwinism in action.

[Idnew]

That was my first thought.......what was she doing standing in front of it or did she get in front of it while it was moving. I mean surley whoever was driving it didn't run her over delebratly and I imagine those things aren't that easy to stop once moving. I don't know.

[DustyBottoms]

Thinking back I remember Boris Yeltsin standing in front of a military tank. He ended up alive and president.

She probably figured that she would end up a Palestinian heroin for single-handedly stopping the advance a 20 ton terrorism pay-back machine.

In this life, sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the wind shield. :wink

[ZenziC]

One thing to note about Rachel Corrie was she was standing on a mound (so the bulldozer driver could see her) and wearing a bright orange jacket (the kind roadside workers wear so BULLDOZERS don't run them over!) and in front of a house (which was empty at the time) so she could save the house. People have done standing in front of large, dangerous moving vehicles as a means of protest (Tianenmen Square) to try to stop them. Reckless yes but heroic, maybe.

http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/WORLD/meast/03/16/rafah.death/strip.corrie.killed.ap.jpg

Note there was a vast space on either side of Corrie and the Bulldozer could have simply gone around her. Israel was wrong to call it an "accident" because pictures say otherwise.

Although I'm not sure why the parents are suing caterpillar but I think they should sue Israel for wrongful death. It was wrong of them to do so, Corrie was within her rights to try to stop the bulldozer and even took precautions so she could be noticed (bright orange jacket and megaphone so the bulldozer driver could hear her).

I think the picture makes things a bit clearer.

[Idnew]

The Corries also filed a tort claim today in Israel against the State of Israel, the Israeli Defense Ministry and the IDF for their role in the death of their daughter. They are represented by Advocate Hussein Abu Hussein.


Rachel’s mother, Cindy Corrie, stated, “As we approach the two-year anniversary of Rachel’s killing, my family and I are still searching for justice. The brutal death of my daughter should never have happened. We believe Caterpillar and the IDF must be held accountable for their role in the attack on my daughter Rachel.�

[Idnew]

Rachel was sitting in the path of the bulldozer as it advanced towards her. When the bulldozer refused to stop or turn aside she climbed up onto the mound of dirt and rubble being gathered in front of it wearing a fluorescent jacket to look directly at the driver who kept on advancing. The bulldozer continued to advance so that she was pulled under the pile of dirt and rubble. It's very sad but did she really think she could win against a bulldozer and if she had time to get up then she had time to move out of the way. Although this appears to be a clear case of murder by the driver of the bulldozer. Obviously the guy with her had enough sense to move out of the way.

http://electronicintifada.net/artman/uploads/largerachfront.jpg

[DustyBottoms]

This whole thing reminds me of the Austin Powers movie where Austin Powers ran over the policeman with a steam roller.

It is so easy to get out of the way....

[sinecure]

A bone-headed, self-proclaimed "immovable object" met a for-real-made-of-steel "irresistible force".

A necessary outcome? Hardly... as the man standing with Rachel in front of the 'dozer seemed to have the ability, time, and common sense to get the hell out of the way.

Predictable results? I think so.

Predictable reaction from her hippie-parents? I think so.

Predictable lawsuit? Unfortunately, I think so.

Idiots.... http://www.kurts-smilies.de/nono2.gif

[RosieWolf]

maybe i've missed the point here.. but why was the house being demolished, why was she the only one protesting and an american to boot.. where was the 'family' that supposedly lived in the house, if the house was abandoned, then who cares that it was being torn down, was it unsafe to live in??..

was it torn down to try and get rid of the palestinians that lived in it and make them move back to their own lands?..

and last.. if ur stupid enough to stand in front of a bulldozer that is probably driven by a drunken isralie who hates americans.. then being buried under it is a given.. how many ways can u spell S-T-U-P-I-D???

[ZenziC]

Now, sinecure, don't you think there's two people who are in this situation. One of them is Rachel Corrie, do you know who the other one is?

The driver.

Rachel Corrie has every right to stand in front of the bulldozer, she may be crazy, she may be nuts. She may have been stupid.

But the driver made the choice to run over her. He could have stopped. He could have gone around her. She was very easily seen (I can even see the driver in the pictures I posted above)

Why did he run her over? Personally, I think it's murder.

Note to Rosie: They were razing Palestinian homes because the Israelis think they have the right to do so and was razing them for the wall they're building. They didn't even offer the Arabs that lived in the house money for a new place to live and they've done the same for other neighbourhoods. Rachel Corrie was protesting that and had hoped to stop the bulldozer but the Israelis (and the Israeli bulldozer driver to boot) don't really give a crap about the Palestinians.

[RosieWolf]

ah ok Z.. sorry.. am i mistaken.. did she think they were in america and in a free country?.. are u suggesting that we impose our values on someone else against their will?..

so they didnt pay for the houses.. boohoo.. did they fight for these rights, did they defend their country and vote for leaders who would write laws to defend their rights?

nope.. they run their country their way.. as it should be. why is it liberals think we should impose our way of government on other governments but do it without soldiers?.. jes throw our money at them.. yeah, that'll get them to change.. sure has worked in the past.. NOT

[Idnew]

Well sis this person agrees with you........BTW this took place in 2003........but the lawsuits are current

Human shields (http://www.!!!!!!!powered.com/human_shields_30.htm)

Memorial Service Disrupted (http://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/israel/corrie4.shtml)

Emails From Rachel to her family if your interested (http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,916299,00.html)

[sinecure]

She obviously was saying to the 'dozer driver, "I'm willing to forfeit my life and limb for my 'cause.' You will have to run me over with that big machine."

The 'dozer driver obviously said... "Mmmm... OK."

:wink :question :question

Like all "human shields"... if you're gonna be that dumb, somebody's gonna be that determined... and you're gonna lose.... Big Time.

I once had a junior female officer in one of my classes who made the statement: "Well, if somebody is willing to actually take my LIFE just in order to avoid arrest, then they'll just have to do it and live with the consequences."
:eek

She was subsequently "convinced" that perhaps law enforcement wasn't for her. :wink

[weldordave]

The Evergreen State Col. is a hippy school with a giant !%!%!%!%!% as a mascot. Really, check it out. (OK, it's actually a Geoduck, but look at it). This stupid person had no more reason to be THERE protesting than a Palestinian has protesting HERE. She was trying to do something very hippy-like to impress her meth friends back at Hippygreen U. The lawsuit by her parents proves the origin of her "stupid gene". For those who have not driven a cat dozer the size in the picture: You cannot see in front of the machine. You drive and doze by sight at an angle off the right and left fronts and sides by a predetermined landmark. You can't see jack$#@& in front of you. The driver should counter-sue her family for mental trauma suffered due to her negligence, stupidity, and total disregard for international construction safety practices. Stupid bi%$#.

[DustyBottoms]

Here is Catapiller's latest model.



http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/dustybottoms/CatBike0251.jpg