REVIEWING THE NEWS: The furor from legitimate political and media voices over the White House Press Corps reporter's Middle East blatherings is as shocking as her comments. Thomas retires after furor...or it that fuhrer?
By Kenny Herzog
Jews have faced way scarier-looking enemies than this.
As a close relative neared retirement several years ago, he explained to me that working into his elder age wasn't all that bad, because at least he'd become an unofficial member of the "KMA," or "Kiss My Ass" club. In other words, he'd achieved a particular tenure that transcended mere job stability, but entitled him to ostensibly do and say what he wanted (within reason and respectful protocol, of course).
Helen Thomas, the 89-year-old bag of bones and daughter of Lebanese immigrants who remains an active political columnist and White House Press Corps, apparently deems herself a senior KMA board member, but in actuality, she deserves a swift kick in her senile tuchus.
Thomas was being interviewed outside the White House House Jewish Heritage Celebration (and again, remember the circumstance under which she was in attendance) by Rabbi David Nesenoff for his website, RabbiLive.com. When asked about Israel, she muttered several marginally coherent remarks about how the Jews should leave Palestine and "go home," which, in Thomas' view, meant "Poland, Germany and America and everywhere else."
While one can argue in defense of what Thomas intended to say—that, in her opinion, Jews are unfairly commanding occupancy of a land that doesn't historically belong to them, and post-WWII, there are several nations with Judaic roots that they could settle and prosper in—it's impossible to justify comments that were spitefully unfiltered, situationally inappropriate and deeply uninformed brain farts from a woman whose own occupation of a front-row White House seat demands more decorum and should be immediately vacated.
And apparenty, we're not the only ones who feel this way. In an unusual demonstration of non-radical outrage, Washington luminaries from both legitimate media and inside the Beltway have led the charge for Thomas' ostracizing, leading one to surmise that she's been shriveling into a cranky, irrelevant placeholder for some time (an inference confirmed in Time writer Joe Klein's reaction below). Here are a handful of her most prominent vocal opponents, along with an assesment of how damning their outspokenness is to Thomas' reputation.
ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER GEORGE W. BUSH PRESS SECRETARY
"She should lose her job over this. As someone who is Jewish, and as someone who worked with her and used to like her, I find this appalling."
THOMAS SMACKDOWN RATING: We agree, Ari, but we're also not exactly too applauding of your former colleagues: 7/10
LANNY DAVIS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON FOR BILL CLINTON
"Her statement that Jews in Israel should leave Israel and go back to Poland or Germany is an ancient and well-known anti-Semitic stereotype of the Alien Jew not belonging in the 'land of Israel' — one that began 2,600 years with the first tragic and violent diaspora of the Jews at the hands of the Romans."
THOMAS SMACKDOWN RATING: Yeah, what he said: 10/10
DIANE NINE, PRESIDENT OF THE NINE SPEAKERS AGENCY, WHO REPRESENTED THOMAS
"Ms. Thomas has had an esteemed career as a journalist, and she has been a trailblazer for women, helping others in her profession, and beyond," Nine said. "However, in light of recent events, Nine Speakers is no longer able to represent Ms. Thomas, nor can we condone her comments on the Middle East."
THOMAS SMACKDOWN RATING: An admirable attempt to acknowledge Thomas' groundbreaking work as a female journalist, but somehow all the more damning for it: 8/10
JOE KLEIN, TIME WRITER AND AUTHOR OF PRIMARY COLORS
"The front row [of the White House Press Corps] should be occupied by working reporters, not columnists. The WHCA should sanction Thomas by sending her back to the cheap seats. This would accurately reflect her current status as a journalist while preserving her First Amendment right to be as obnoxious as she wants."
THOMAS SMACKDOWN RATING: Cuttingly direct, but maybe didn't go far enough. Forget the cheap seats, Joe. Send her to the rocking chair: 8/10
CRAIG CRAWFORD, FORMER THOMAS CO-AUTHOR
"I concur with the following response from my agent [Diane Nine] to Helen Thomas' lamentable remarks about Israel, and will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects."
THOMAS SMACKDOWN RATING: Probably a good idea to let his agency speak for him, but this was fairly polite: 6/10
HELEN THOMAS
"I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon."
THOMAS' SELF-INFLICTED SMACKDOWN RATING: A shockingly patronizing and manipulative re-phrasing of her original sentiments: 0/10
IN OTHER WORDS: My own point of view on the Middle East crisis is, like most individuals, complicated. But given her position at the White House, Thomas' wildly generalized, ignorant summing up of the Jewish experience and inflammatory, oversimplified solution for the situation in Palestine is not just irresponsible, but dangerous. Whether she's going to live long enough to give a damn about the consequences of her opinions or not.
THOMAS SHOULD LEAVE THE WHITE HOUSE AND GO TO A RETIREMENT HOME RATING: 10/10
SWIFT RESPONSE OF INFLUENTIAL CRITICAL AND POLITICAL VOICES RATING: 9/10
REPREHENSIBILITY COMPARED TO "EAT DA POO POO" RATING: 6/10
**UPDATE: THOMAS ANNOUNCES HER RETIREMENT RATING: 20 overdue years/10
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Comments
Helen Thomas is 100% correct. It is about time that someone says the truth. God bless her.
I agree 100% with Mrs. Hellen Thomas.
Helen is a hateful git, but the idea that Jews shouldn't live in Judah/Palestine is just asinine. How hateful does that shrew have to become before people will accept that Jews have a place in the middle east and that idiots that rail against Israel are merely proving the point of how necessary Israel is? Send Jews' back to their homes in Germany and Poland? The 'home' that murdered 5,000,000 of them in less than a decade? Is that what Helen wants to see happen again?
Baba Yaga isn't in it, Helen is a witch of epic proportions.
She's right - wake up Israel - your days of oppression are nearing an end - then you will have to make more difficult concessions than you could make now to achieve the same result.
""Her statement that Jews in Israel should leave Israel and go back to Poland or Germany is an ancient and well-known anti-Semitic stereotype of the Alien Jew not belonging in the 'land of Israel' — one that began 2,600 years with the first tragic and violent diaspora of the Jews at the hands of the Romans."
Romans in 600 BCE? You've got to be kidding! And you are agreeing with this 10/10? You are as stupid as the author of that quote.
What?
Jewish Settlers should get out of Occupied Palestine - if you listen to the full unedited clip that makes it clear. The Jews in Occupied Palestine are illegal, they are ethnic-cleansers that Israel likes to call 'settlers' but in fact they are ethnically cleansing Palestine. UN Sec Council 242 also demands Jewish Settlers leave Palestine - their presence there is illegal under the Geneva Convention and all International Law Where these illegal Settlers go once they are kicked out of Palestine is up to them - back to Israel, Russia, Brooklyn, or wherever - who cares as long as they have been prevented from ethnically cleansing Palestine Everyone knows this is the truth so I'm having a hard time understanding your logic
Does Mr. Herzog also believe that all descendents of the underground railroad in America should return to the deep South to be embraced by the Klan? After all, the civil war is long over. He must think they should stop occupying the North.
I KNEW that woman was just as horrible as the words coming out of her mouth! Where are the protests? She is a VILE person and I hope I NEVER have to SEE nor HEAR her ever again! She makes me SICK to my stomach!
What is so wrong with what she said? They are occupiers and should stop trying to take this land from those people. For once we should dismiss the misinformation being propagated and stand up for what is right. I'm glad she spoke up!
She should know the Jewish people are highly intelligent race. They did not intercept the 'flotilla' without irrefutable intelligent report there were other "cargoes" other than the humanitarian load. Why would it have "activist" waiting on these boats then?... they were there to guard the "other load" they wear hiding!! These activist clearly provoked the incident! SO, Ms. Thomas, this war between the Palestinian and Israelis will probably never end. But, it had seemed, so many times in the past, the Palestinian have been the instigator of all the madness that has been going on in this world...
To say that historically Jews have suffered would be an understatement, however with that being said that does not give them or any other group of people the right to colonize someone else's land and carry out a genocide against them. And yes I agree with Helen Thomas the majority of Israelis are Jews of European descent, who need to go back to Europe. This is a classic case of European Colonization as seen all over the world.
Did she say that Israelis from Israel proper should go back to Europe, or that the fanatic SETTLERS from West Bank etc, that the Israelis have problems with and the police clashes with, should go back to their places of origin. If the former, she should be strongly condemned. If the latter, it is still close to being wrong, but the emotion due to these trouble makers is justified. After all she did not say to send them to camps. Of course, Poland is still full of anti-semitism, so the idea is not practical.
This just in June 7, 2010: Helen Thomas resigned as WH correspondent. A very historic moment! The day after June 6, celebrating D-Day ... the beginning of the end of WW ll in 1944, 66 years ago, and the imminent surrender/death of Adolf Hitler!
Helen Thomas should cease to pollute this planet with her racist existence and return to the infernal regions from whence she came - and meet her friends Adolf, Heinrich, Josef, and the Volk with whom she can swap anti-Semitic stories.
To "Dee": I think you grossly misunderstood my position in this article.
The Jews of Isreal definately learned their lesson wel from the Nazi on how to occupy a country and demoralize a race. There will never be peace as long as non-Jews live within Isreal's borders.
Bad on Helen, but that doesn't mean the Likud party aren't bigots too.
Never forget the Holocaust and NEVER FORGET THE MILLIONS OF RUSSIANS AND AMERICANS WHO DIED TO END THE HOLOCAUST.
Helen Thomas should have saved airing her opinions on Israel for another time, since she was at a Jewish Heritage Celebration, but what she said is true. Much of the anger directed at the United States by muslim countries in the middle east comes from our support of Israel. The UNITED STATES has TOO MANY PROBLEMS OF ITS OWN to keep backing up Israel. My whole youth I was told that Israel was the "good country" and all the other muslim countires were wrong, but that is B.S.!!! I know the United States wouldn't exist without colonization, but the U.S. came into existence 150 years before Israel!! Since then, the world has learned that Colonization is WRONG. King Leopold II of Belgium and Hitler just to name two. But for some reason we gave the jews a pass with Israel because of the atrocities their people endured during WW2.
Its unfortunate for Helen who had a long distinguished career to go out this way, but thats how the media operates. The sound byte is God and anybody who doesn't realize that is doomed to suffer the consequences. As for Jewish politics, its odd that people are starting to see Israel in a different light, maybe its because of Obama or maybe is because Israel has been caught spying on America several times in the last few years. Are they really our friends or are they just a "dependent", using us for support.
Thanks Kenny for the round-up :)
I lived in Israel. I disliked it. I disagree with many of its policies and strongly believe it should give back lands
However I grew up hearing stories about the progrom's in Russia--the ones my grandparents and their parents fled from as they weren't allowed to be citizens, were allowed to be killed and raped by Cossacks--they could go into the army.
I don't think anybody needs a lesson on the Holocaust.
The reality is that the Allies failed the Jews both during the Holocaust (returned doomed ships for one example) and after liberating them by putting them into DP camps and having very strict quotas.
I read last week this whole incident is very similar to Exodus (really the Star of David). That's very true and very sad.
I take it back. People do need lessons in the Holocaust if they're going to agree with Helen Thomas
Why was the White House so deeply offended by Helen's comments? Its clear to me that their fear of Obama looking "Muslim" is a critical reason they reacted the way they have. I also find it curious that an administration which has played every politically charged issue down the middle, decided to go full throttle on a little old lady. The Obama administration is weak, they were weak on health care when they sold out the "left", they were weak on the oil companies when they decided to open up more off shore drilling, and they were weak on this topic as well, if Helen Thomas has a point of view its her choice, why does this White House use a litmus test for its reporters. She has the right of "FREE" Speech in America this isn't Nazi Germany or Israel.
Of course obama always gave her a front row center seat. Her views are in synch with obama's mentor and spiritual leader rev Wright. Oh well, the jewish voters are still clueless as they continue to stand behind obama.
@powerof7 HELEN THOMAS SPOKE TRUTH. PLS STOP TRYING TO GET SO CALLED AFRICAN AMERICANS TO CO SIGN R BULLSHIT!!!!!!!. WHAT LAND HAVE WE OCCUPIED? THE US GOV. ALONG WITH ROTHCHILDS DIVIDED THAT LAND. NOW WE MUST WAIT FOR THE PROMISE OF GOD'S WORD,, THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURE. YA'L KNOW DAM WELL THAT LAND AINT BELONG TO THE GERMANS. GIVE THEM LAND FROM WHENCE THEY CAME! LIES, ALL LIES. AND I'M NOT RESIGNING!
Why was the White House so deeply offended by Helen's comments? Its clear to me that their fear of Obama looking "Muslim" is a critical reason they reacted the way they have. I also find it curious that an administration which has played every politically charged issue down the middle, decided to go full throttle on a little old lady. The Obama administration is weak, they were weak on health care when they sold out the "left", they were weak on the oil companies when they decided to open up more off shore drilling, and they were weak on this topic as well, if Helen Thomas has a point of view its her choice, why does this White House use a litmus test for its reporters. She has the right of "FREE" Speech in America this isn't Nazi Germany or Israel.
AgnosticJew" GERMANY is no longer anti-semitic because of the Billions of blood money that is still flowing into Israel. All that money makes Jews forget certain historical facts. Don't worry about Poland there is plenty of anti-semites in the USA.
Look in the mirror you hypocrite
Helen Thomas has uttered strong language to a Rabbi concerning a solution to Jewish usurpation of Palestinian lands and must exit her enshrined chair, but what punishment awaits the perpetrators of theft to which she alludes? Oh, brave new world.
What’s scarier? Helen’s so-called racist remarks, or the fact that she can lose her job because of them. You tell me.
opinionspeaks.wordpress.com
felipe
AT LAST SOMEONE HAS THE GUTS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH. THE FRENCH SPENT MORE THAN 100 YEARS IN ALGERIES, THE EUROPEANS SPEND MORE THAN 200 YEARS IN JERUSALEM AND EVENTUALLY THEY REALISED THEY ARE INTRUDERS AND THEY DO NOT BELONG THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE TO LEAVE; THE SAME WILL HAPPEN TO OCCUPIER OF PALESTINE
.
The "Israel Problem" has its origins in Biblical fairy tales and mythology. All religions are monstrous frauds and the Bible is the source for two of them. The Bible was written by Jews so we shouldn't be surprised that it includes the myth that God reserved the land of Israel for Jews. Helen Thomas is correct. The UN ,with strong support from the US, stole this land from the Palestinians in 1948 and Jews have illegally occupied it ever since. But in the United States, you are not free to criticize Jews or Israel or you will be labeled "anti-Semitic" and will be punished. So this is another limitation on free speech-not only can you not cry "fire" in a theater that is not on fire. You also can not criticize Jews or Israel. And if you do, the wrath of the Jewish media will come down upon you, just like it did upon Helen Thomas. Another Biblical myth would have ignorant people believe that the Jews are "God's Chosen People". This bull shit allows Jews to do and say just about anything they "Choose". Get it--Got it!!!!
........I do believe that the word antisemite is used to label anyone who dares to be a critic of Israel or speak for the occupied people of now Gaza and West Bank, what is left of historical Palestine for Palestinians, if that still is there . Rightly, who didn't like Jews was an antisemite. Now it seems that anyone Jews don't like is antisemite. For the fear of not being labeled as such one is more hesitant to speak up. .
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