Our valley is fortunate to draw cultural events that would be the envy of much larger cities. Visiting artists, chefs, musicians and lecturers travel to our isolated valley because they know the sophisticated tastes that hide out here. They know they will be appreciated.
But sometimes our outsized sensibilities give some locals an equally outsized sense of righteousness.
Take last week's reading of the one-woman play "My Name is Rachel Corrie," which recounts the e-mails and journal entries of a young American activist killed in Gaza by an Israeli bulldozer. The play, which portrays the young woman's sympathy with the Palestinian cause, has stirred controversy wherever it is staged. Ketchum was fortunate to have this challenging one-woman act read here, but also to have Craig and Cindy Corrie, Rachel's parents, attend the play and conduct a question-and-answer session following the reading.
Sadly, and inexcusably, what the Corries encountered last Tuesday night was not an audience interested in asking thoughtful or probing questions, but several individuals whose coarse and disrespectful conduct reflected poorly not merely on themselves, but on our community as well.
Nearly every "question" posed by audience members weren't really questions at all, but vitriolic lecturing points aimed at the dead woman's bereaved parents.
"I know you want to think your daughter didn't die in vain, but ..." said one woman during her lengthy defense of Israeli policy.
After the embarrassing session, which the Corries endured with heroic patience, the scene turned uglier. A group of audience members rushed the stage, yelling "Shame, shame on you!" at the Corries and any person who was deemed a Palestinian-sympathizer or responsible for bringing this play to Ketchum.
How did we get to this point, where it's acceptable to viciously berate others in public for their opinions? Our society has coarsened. And we can blame cable news or reality television or violent video games or whatever. But the individuals who tainted last week's event should know that when they decide to spit and spew venom at a dead girl's parents, there are no cameras rolling. No one is impressed by that sort of conviction.
Regardless of political opinions, and never mind the complex and emotional conflict that rages in Israel today, the destructive behavior on display at the nexStage Theatre last Tuesday has no place in Ketchum, or anywhere really. As a valley resident, I was ashamed not by the play's assertions, but by these poor representatives of our community.
Michael Ames
Ketchum
