Helen Thomas

[Dinger]

[Patsy Stone]

1. Yay!

K&R

Thanks, helderheid! That was a wonderful thing to do.

[Egnever]

2. +1

an unfortunate ending to a remarkable career.

[CTyankee]

4. I love her for her anti war stand BUT her words about sending Jews in israel back to Germany

were not just "unfortunate" they were very, very bad and should be condemned.

This is a very big blind spot on DU and it is unfortunate. I hope and pray it is not due to anti-Semitism...

[AnnieBW]

8. She's a cranky old Lebanese lady

I have a Lebanese co-worker, and he loathes anything having to do with Israel because of what they did to his cousins back in the '70's. He doesn't hate Jewish people. He just hates the right-wingers in Israel who killed the Lebanese in Sabra.

Helen in 89 years old. Old people say incredibly blunt things. Get over it.

[Bumblebee]

9. Get over it? You must be kidding.

[tmyers09]

11. Or he must be telling the truth.

[AnnieBW]

13. It's one comment by one person

Look, I'm not anti-Semitic, and I certainly think that what she said was wrong. I'm half-German and I'm offended by it. But people need to stop taking everything personally. If she said, "all Witches should be burned at the stake" I'd probably just shrug it off as someone's cultural bias, too.

[Imajika]

17. Would you really shrug it off..

...if some right winger said the same thing, or would you be demanding their immediate firing/resignation?

That is the problem. Let's say the next "Dean of the White House Press Corps" was a right wing guy from Fox and said all Arab Americans should just go back home. I really think there would be universal condemnation here and everyone would demand he/she be fired immediately.

There is no escaping the fact that what Helen Thomas said was, at minimum, extremely politically incorrect - at worst, incredibly offensive to a lot of people.

[JuniperLea]

40. Right wingers say all sorts of horrid stuff all the time...

I haven't seen a call for their termination/retirement, outside of the usual mention... we all know how futile it is to even consider that our outrage would matter in that regard... but somehow, that outrage mattered for Helen... I think that both sucks and blows. I've yet to hear Pat Buchanan apologize for any of his disgusting statements.

So, yes, I for one would shrug it off... beats the hell out of banging one's head against the wall. Shrugging things off saves a headache and plaster repair bills.

[jacksprat]

42. Offensive?

only to those who wish to intimidate any anti-Israel statements.

[JuniperLea]

38. HOW DARE YOU!

Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches of all kinds spit through parted fingers at you!

Sorry... had to be done... I totally agree with you.

[CTyankee]

26. Well, one way to "get over it" will be a conversation with my Jewish grandchildren

about whether this was an old lady's off her rocker moment or anti-semitism or appalling ignorance. This will be a "teachable moment" for my granddaughters, one of whom is now studying for her bas mitzva. These kids are part of the next generation of American Jews and getting their fresh take on this will be interesting.

I think I'll report back on this to DU. I think this board would benefit from hearing what Jewish kids have to say...

[JuniperLea]

39. I'd be interested in seeing that myself...

I'd be willing to swap my young co-workers take. We touched on this as he told me of his upcoming Israeli Birthright trip.

[liberation]

45. Indeed...

... let's also hear what Palestinian and Lebanese (Thomas's ancestry) kids have to say too.

You know, to get the whole picture in the spirit of learning and understanding.

[proteus_lives]

47. "Helen in 89 years old. Old people are allowed to racist. Get over it."

:eyes:

[hlthe2b]

18. No, I think it is because we do not judge the entirety of her career

by a singe very unfortunate incident no matter how reprehensible. To do so with someone nearly 90 years of age and after nearly 7 decades of service as a member of the media would be incredibly unfair IMO. Whether or not you accept her apology I can not judge her or anyone for that matter by a single solitary incident.

[laughingliberal]

30. +1000 nt

[JuniperLea]

41. Well said!

:applause:

[liberation]

48. Thank you.

She is an old lady, and she is of lebanese ancestry. There is this weird sentiment by some members of this board than only those of Jewish ancestry are allowed to feel passionately about this issue.

She apologized and she did so in a sincere manner, not one of those "I am sorry you were offended" bullshit apologies. She owned to her apology, and her career ended. What else do some of you want, a public burning at the stake?


What I find it utterly hypocritical is the faux indignation over a 90 yr old lady putting her foot in her mouth. I would think putting a bullet in the head of a 19 yr old American kid in international waters would be a much bigger issue to be angry about.

[snake in the grass]

37. Unfortunate is...

...your false attribution to the quote. She said nothing about 'sending' them anywhere. What we see in Israel is nothing more than the results of modern colonialism, when one peels away the religious insanity.

[Senator]

3. +1

[Individualist]

5. +1

[tmyers09]

6. +1

[inna]

7. K&R; Love you Helen!

[kgnu_fan]

10. Love Helen

[malaise]

12. I'll never forget that day

:D

[Individualist]

21. nor will I

One of DU's finest moments.

[Carolina]

14. K&R

Love her still!

[LizFacts]

15. She said something stupid but no one will allow time enough for people to forgive

She basically has tire tracks on her back right now. She got completely run over.

What she said was, without doubt, very offensive. But I do not believe that a lifetime of solid work should be overturned so quickly.
Something stinks in this story- Pat Buchanan has said things 1,000 times more offensive than Helen, yet he is still on MSNBC. Same goes for Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly & Glenn Beck. Helen got railroaded the hell out of town BECAUSE SHE WAS DANGEROUS to power. Helen asked questions & did not take shit.

I disagree, strongly, with what she said. But it breaks my heart that this woman who has had such an amazing career had it all topple within seven days.

It sure seems like it is easier for everyone in power to have Helen go far away. I hope the people that turned on her are happy with themselves.

[csziggy]

16. +100000000000000000000

[dflprincess]

22. x 2

[Imajika]

19. Pat Buchanan...

..is not the Dean of the White House press corps. He doesn't sit front and center at Presidential News conferences. Buchanan is not afforded the kind of honor Helen Thomas had.

"But I do not believe that a lifetime of solid work should be overturned so quickly."

I simply don't believe most of the people saying this would react the same if a right winger had suggested Arab-Americans go back home.

Face it, people are sympathetic to her because they mostly agreed with her politically left of center point of view. The hypocrisy is astounding.

[dflprincess]

23. And I don't believe the people slamming her would be doing that

had she said the Palestinians should all leave and go to Jordan or some other country.

People are sympathetic to her because she has spent her life trying to get the truth out of politicans of all persuasions. The real problem a lot of people here have with her isn't what she said, but that she has not treated Obama and his press secretary any differently than she did Bush and his people.

[howaboutme]

25. Who will ask the tough questions now?

I agree it has become much more about whom she has offended rather than the offense.

Here is an interesting example of how she was equal opportunity with Obama and Gibbs and Bush, etc. She may have been progressive but she never placed her ideology above the need for equal justice.

http://www.examiner.com/x-14881-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Helen-Thomas-caught-acting-like-a-journalist--White-House-scandalized

http://www.agweb.com/DiscussionBoard/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6976

Following a testy exchange during today’s briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control the press.

[LizFacts]

28. What you said DFL!!! totally agree

She didn't look at Obama's presidency as an end to a fairytale. Questions need to be asked. Answers still need to be given. Obama and his administration are far from perfect. This is politics. It's dirty, and it does not necessarily work FOR THE PEOPLE, the way it was intended. Helen was just doing her job, but many seem to feel that the Obama admin is above questioning. The republicans felt that way about George W. Remind me again how THAT turned out for us?

[liberation]

50. It is very easy to make up scenarios to back up assertions when reality does not fit your narrative

Which is what makes your accusations of hypocrisy that more projective.

[laughingliberal]

31. Agree 100%. nt

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jacksprat]

35. What was stupid about it?

[kgnu_fan]

20. Helen stands for justice

Israel Rejects Call for International Probe into Attack on Gaza Flotilla
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/7/israel_rejects_call_for_international_probe


While international condemnation of Israel continues, inside Israel the mood is quite different. An Israeli parliamentary panel recommended today that the Knesset revoke the privileges of Israeli Arab lawmaker Hanin Zoabi for participating in last week’s Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Right-wing demonstrators targeted a peace protest in Tel Aviv Saturday and reportedly attacked veteran Israeli activist, the eighty-six-year-old Uri Avnery. For more on the fallout of the flotilla attack and the reactions inside Israel, I’m joined now from Jaffa by Max Blumenthal.

[me b zola]

24. I have much love and respect for Helen

I feel no need to qualify my sentiment.

[xchrom]

27. you said it well. nt

[hiley]

29. +1

I love Helen Thomas always

[laughingliberal]

33. Great pics! Thanks, Dinger! nt

[Gates9]

34. God Bless Helen Thomas

Meh, we all get a little bitchy now and then. What she said was un-called for, but relevant. Probably should have retired last year.

it makes me sick to see the Republicans gleefully rip her to shreds on this.

[Spheric]

36. Amen. /nt

[FLPanhandle]

43. So she said something extreme & stupid while pissed off.

Who here hasn't?

[KoKo]

44. Exactly....yet the RW can trash people all the time..and are never hurt in their careers..it's only

those who "Speak Out" on the Left who get "cut off at the knees," tossed out and forced to apologize over and over.

They did a HIT JOB to a 90 Year Old Icon of Professional Journalism...who did her job asking difficult questions. Helen was around BEFORE Corporate WHORDOM of MEDIA...so she had to get trashed for an emotional statement.

Yet, every day Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and the other RW Radio and Cable Voices spewe their filth out for a gullible public.

Helen speaks up (like many Dems have in House & Senate) and she is immediately told to Apologize or Lost YOUR JOB.

Senator Joseph McCarthy is LAUGHING AND HOOTING IT UP FROM HIS GRAVE!

McCarthyism WON...in the end...and it was even the Left who HELPED HIM WIN! :-(

Forget Ed Murrow. McCarthy WON!

[skeptical cynic]

46. Before Jews go back to where they were persecuted...

Maybe the Palestinians should go back to...

Where are they from?

[BanTheGOP]

49. they are from...get this...PALESTINE!!

...before it was changed to ISRAEL and the arabs booted out when the republicanist bastards took it over...

[skeptical cynic]

51. That's the correct answer!

Funny how so many who toss the label "terrorist" around so freely forget that simple fact.

[Dinger]

52. Shameless Self-Kick For Helen :)