Her Name was Marla Ruzicka

[WilliamPitt]

http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/news/ruzicka.php

Medea Benjamin remembers the day a smiling 17-year-old woman named Marla Ruzicka walked into the offices of Global Exchange in San Francisco looking to join their work. Benjamin, the director of Global Exchange, recalls Ruzicka as being a "vivacious young woman who wanted to learn about the world. She lived with our families, and worked with Global Exchange on issues ranging from the AIDS crisis in Africa to travel restrictions against Cuba."

In November of 2001, Benjamin and Ruzicka traveled to Afghanistan to observe the bombing campaign as it was happening. "We saw what happens when smart bombs drop and kill innocent people," recalls Benjamin. "We saw what collateral damage means. We saw the agony of war."

When the 'Shock and Awe' bombing campaign in Iraq unfolded, Ruzicka was there with several activists from a variety of organizations. Many of these activists returned to America in order to report on what they had seen, but Ruzicka stayed in Iraq and embarked upon a project of singular importance, one that began during her time in Afghanistan.

She set out, simply, to count the dead.

"In a news conference at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in March 2002," wrote Ruzicka in an editorial printed by USA Today, "Gen. Tommy Franks said, 'We don't do body counts.' In my two years in Iraq, the one question I am asked the most is: 'How many Iraqi civilians have been killed by American forces?' The American public has a right to know how many Iraqis have lost their lives since the start of the war and as hostilities continue."

Ruzicka founded an organization called Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC), and went door to door across Iraq to speak to ordinary people and try to determine how many civilians had been killed. It was a daunting task given the size of the country, the many areas where fighting has taken place, and the extreme dangers involved.

In December of 2003, the San Francisco Chronicle published a report on Ruzicka's work in Iraq. "Our goal was never to get every name," said Ruzicka in the report, "but to draw attention to the dire need there. Now, we would like to transition into providing services, getting help for people who need it." The writer of the story posed a final question: Would she ever consider doing something a little safer? "To have a job where you can make things better for people? That's a blessing," she replied. "Why would I do anything else?"

On Saturday, April 16th, Marla Ruzicka was killed in Iraq by a car bomb. Two others died with her in the blast. She was 28 years old.

...more...

[WilliamPitt]

1. Not a pope thread

Alas...

[SmokingJacket]

4. More like...

no controversy. It's just plain tragic.

I'm sitting here trying to think of some wise comment, but I don't have one.

Too many good people dying young.

[LibraLiz1973]

2. So upsetting.

It's so completely f*cking senseless.
She did more for the planet in her 28 years than Bush will ever do.

[yvr girl]

3. Thanks for sharing Marla's story

The American deaths in Iraq are terrible, and America should hear more about them but they really need to know the price the Iraqis are paying for 'freedom.'

[bhunt70]

5. I saw this story yesterday on PBS. Very sad...a true hero.

[cajones_II]

6. Her place in heaven

for her work is hopefully a lesson to the warmongers.

[stellanoir]

7. and as the media wastes all it's bloody time

prattling on over Shiavo and the Pope-a-palooza. . .

a complete and total angel of peace, compassion, empathy, and reason is lost with nary a peep.

She was by all accounts beautiful both inside and out.

May she RIP

May we all be more inspired by her most nobel efforts.

Such an exacting loss.

[Catamount]

15. Beautifully put, stellanoir! The world has lost a pure soul!

[WilliamPitt]

8. .

[riverwalker]

9. Her work

was give a voice to those who had none, that died nameless and faceless without the world knowing or caring. Don't let it happen to her.
The organization she founded:
www.civicworldwide.org

Marla should get a Nobel for her work and bravery. Or at least, in a just world, the cover of Time.

[kohodog]

10. An email from a friend who met marla

"just wanted to send this on, because i don't know what else to do. i
knew marla from when she was at global exchange in SF - she worked on
some AIDS issues with us, among all of the other things she did. she
was an unforgettable person - incredibly warm, incredibly vital,
unendingly committed - and now dead at the age of 27, killed by the
same senseless, brutal idiocy that she worked against.

here are some other articles about marla's work:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24737-2004Aug22.html
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1230-08.htm
http://www.civicworldwide.org/

what do we do? what do we do about this, and everything that goes along
with it? it sounds like a rhetorical question, but i mean it -- what do
we do?"

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0418/p07s01-woiq.html


So what do we do? Do we sit here and talk about the problems? Or is there some, any action we can take?

[confludemocrat]

25. The civicworldwide link is especially nice

Presented in all her guiless humanity.
Very touching.

[Coexist]

11. that's so sad

Nice tribute Will

[Liberal_Dog]

12. What A Marvelous Young Woman

How many good people are going to die in this damned war?

[livinginphotographs]

13. I've been without news for a few days

(voluntarily) and when I heard about this, I had to pick through the pope articles on CNN until I finally found something about this. Not surprising, though...

She was only in it for simple decency towards other human beings, nothing else. That's rare lately.

[tyedyeto]

14. May she rest in peace......

and may others take her place who will count the forgotten families who have lost loved ones during this unjust war.

[Catamount]

16. Thanks Will!

B. Boxer had me in tears yesterday, with her kind tribute for Marla.
Sadly this was the first time I'd heard of this beautiful person.
Unbelievably sad.

[AnnitaR]

17. Marla's death breaks my heart.

I cannot for the live of me understand why those that bring so much evil into this world are allowed to live and she had to die.

I have shed so many tears over this since I heard about Marla's death.

I feel a sense of hopelessness.

[jbnow]

18. A TRUE hero

What a vibrant life she lived, what a vibrant soul.

When I was watching clips about her after her death I really did feel this was the first time I knew I was seeing a hero. Of course she knew the risk there and her lost life is tragic, but the work she wanted to do was there where that risk was so she did it.

Maria Ruzicka is not resting in peace. She has peace, just don't think she wants to rest. She's still laughing and loving and doing what she can to help.

Thank you Maria. The world was more because you were here and is less because you are gone.

[WilliamPitt]

19. .

[kineneb]

20. And she was originally from Lakeport, CA

She was a neighbor I will never get to know. The paper in Lake Co. had a big write-up on her today. I think I have met her parents. It is a small world.

[Swamp Rat]

21. Marla Ruzick is a saint

... in my book.

:cry:

[WilliamPitt]

22. .

[Pachamama]

23. An Angel....

She was an angel...she is now among them... 08)

I met Marla once at a Global Exchange event...she was a caring individual who wanted to make a difference....she had courage and conviction and she walked the talk...

She put her time and energy and safety on the line to make a difference...she died doing that...

One further comment: Seems like a lot of innoncent people are dieing on that road to the Baghdad airport....Ofcourse, the US Military claims it was a roadside bomb that was from insurgents...we'll never truly know, will we? :eyes:

Rest in Peace Sister Marla... :hug:

[ConsAreLiars]

24. We have too many martyrs.

I never heard of her until she died, even the corporate media must have a few within it who hang their heads in shame for this fact, while the rest of us are reminded about what it means to live a truly honest life.

[WilliamPitt]

26. .

[frictionlessO]

27. Hey Mr. Pitt, thank you...

no words other than just... thank you.

[bunkerbuster1]

28. I got sucked into a horrible LGF thread about this woman

I got as far as copy/pasting some of that "compassionate conservative"/"Culture of life" mindset's commentary into a new post, and decided: No.

Marla Ruzicka wouldn't have wanted anyone to revel in hatred; she was on this earth for a higher purpose.

Good night, sweet princess.

[WilliamPitt]

29. .

[uppityperson]

30. Thanks. bah. onward

[Ellipsis]

31. at a loss.

I have been thinking about this woman for the last few days... read her fathers comments, I just visited her site. Imagine what she was exposed to every day and then go look at her pictures. There is such contentment in her eyes and electricity in her smile. What a night light in our humanity's dark side. The senseless of it all. Why does fate do this to those who deserve it least. I will go back and read her journal, but right now I just can't.

[tyedyeto]

32. May she RIP.........

and may what she worked for become a reality. Why won't the DoD report the numbers when they KNOW how many civilians have died as a result of US military actions?

[DinahMoeHum]

33. Some 9/11 family members had been with her in Afghanistan. . .

back in January 2002

www.peacefultomorrows.org


Photo Gallery:
http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/gallery.php?gal=13

Memories of Marla:
http://pt.radicaldesigns.org/article.php?id=527

O8) O8) O8)