On January 11, 2011, I posted a blog, “Some Claimed to be Anti-Semitic,” about veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas being hired by the Virginia-based Falls Church News Press as a columnist. In that posting I chronicled month by month the downfall of Thomas, starting with her remark on May 27, 2010 when she said in an interview with Rabbi David Nesenoff, “The Jews should get the hell out of Israel,” until her hiring by the newspaper last month. When announcing his newest employee, owner-editor Nicholas Benton said, “She is progressive, and following my more than eight hours of direct, one-on-one talks with her since the events of last June, I remain firmly convinced that she is neither bigoted, nor racist, nor anti-Semitic." Benton made that statement on January 10, 2011; I wonder if he would still make it today?
On February 16th, Thomas appeared on The Joy Behar Show on HLN and angrily defended what she had originally said about Jews suggesting they “go home” to Germany and Poland and “get the Hell out of Palestine.” She even reiterated the sentiment adding, "They didn't have to go anywhere after World War II. They weren't being persecuted anymore but they were taking other people's land." When Behar asked her if she would take back any of her original comments, Thomas replied, ”Hell no."
Thomas also said there is an environment of hostility to anyone who criticizes Israel. “We have organized lobbyists in favor of Israel. You can’t open your mouth,” Thomas complained. “I can call the President of the United States anything in the book, but you say one thing about Israel, and you’re off limits.”
Her only regret about her original remarks was “everybody misinterpreted it and distorted it…and I should’ve kept my mouth shut probably.”
She had already told reporters back in December 2, 2010, at a diversity workshop in Dearborn, Michigan, that the remarks she made to Rabbi Nesenoff were "the truth” and "I stand by it, I told the truth.” So then why did Behar think that Thomas would say anything different on her show? The wicked witch is still flying on her broom; I just wish she would fall off and die. And, “Hell, no,” I don’t regret I said that.
Sue K writes:
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I came across this blog by accident, but Helen Thomas is not a witch. I don’t know if I would have phrased it exactly like Helen, but she is right about how the Zionists took land in Palestine that did not belong to them, and continue to take even more in the occupied territories as they obstruct peace. Israel is a nation of the earth, with a government and policies that should be fair game for honest criticism. Thomas is right that whenever anyone criticizes these entities, they are labeled as anti-semitic. If I criticize the illegal wars carried out by the United States, does that mean I am anti-American? Of course, because as an American, I have the right (and obligation) to speak out when I think my government is in the wrong. Does Israel live under a different set of rules than the rest of the world? If Israel put bullets through the heads of Palestinian children, should I not say anything for fear of being labelled anti-semitic?
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