The Real News: Helen Thomas on Her Resignation

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 13:48 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M1Qo83CoGU   Posted on YouTube: November 15, 2010 By YouTube Member: TheRealNews Views on YouTube: 136   Posted on DU: November 15, 2010 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 1824

 
TheRealNews | November 15, 2010

Thomas: Israel should get out of Occupied Territories; White House Correspondents Assoc. were out of line.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[Behind the Aegis]

2. Good for her.

She has gone on record and exposed her bigotry and her ignorance.

[Philly219]

3. I agree

I didn't watch the video. When someone is on video that I find offensive, I usually read the blurb or synopsis of what was said. Since there is only a video, I don't know what she said, but I do know what she has said in the recent past and that's enough for me to be aware of her bigotry and ignorance.

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[molly77]

11. dotymed

Good question. Helen Thomas is too honest for this day and time. i.e. shock and awe. That was awesome, right ?

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[Behind the Aegis]

17. Your "truth" is bigotry, as is hers.

There are no "Jewish only roads" and a reporter, such as herself, should know this. Saying the Jews are committing a "Holocaust" against Palestinians is not only grossly inaccurate, it is just one more example of bigotry run amok in a hailstorm of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic propaganda by so-called "pro"-Palestinians. You have Israel in quotes, suggesting it isn't real; one more example of the ridiculous nature of posters like yourself and how you utilize bigotry as a weapon.

If you utilize bigotry, what does that say for your "cause?"

[Meshuga]

7. Paul Jay also disappoints

He is not just some guy online in a message board who has little knowledge but he is someone who should know better to know that the term "anti-semitic" was never meant to be used towards Arabs (who are also semites). The term was created by a German bigot to transform hatred of Jews into a racial issue. But the Nazi bigots did not have Arabs in mind when they created and used that word throughout history.

We can argue that antisemitism is a misnomer since (if read literally) it would include Arabs too but the true context of the word as it has always been used is "hatred of Jews" and this only "changed" recently when Arab anti-semites try to say they are not antisemitic since they are also semitic. I mean, come on!

About Helen Thomas, I have no problems with her having issues with Israel being in the occupied territory (and being a harsh critic) and the treatment of Palestinians by Israel. However, her opinions of Jews who pull the strings to get what they want and using the same rhetoric of antisemites who believe that Israel does not have rights to exist is the part that is indefensible. That's my two cents.

[cornermouse]

8. She clearly and unequivocately stated in the

interview that Israel exists and would continue to exist and that she did not dispute that fact. You might want to go back and give it another listen.

On the pulling strings thing. Its an accusation that can be leveled at everyone who dabbles in politics, including Israel. They, like everyone else, are not above pulling whatever strings they think they can.

[Meshuga]

22. She also clearly and unequivocately stated that Jews...

should go back to Poland, Germany, US, etc.

The pulling the string as if Jews have special powers behind close doors goes along with the same old antisemitic canard. Sorry! That is my two cents.

Like I said, Israel is not above criticism for their treatment of Palestinians but what Helen Thomas said is indefensible.

[cornermouse]

23. For those who are interested in the truth...

A transcript has been posted. I'll let Helen's words speak for herself. Its about halfway down the page.

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=5765

Don't pull my leg on the influence thing, Meshuga. I grew up in an pentecostal/fundamentalist church and know for a fact that anyone associated with that church and all others like them always have and still see the Israelis as the chosen people. They really believe America's future depends on unquestioning support for Israel, no matter what Israel does. Certainly those people were in the White House when Bush was in office and as far as I can see, they still are.

[Meshuga]

24. Oh please,

I'm sure she meant that pentecostals/fundamentalists (as opposed to Jews) were in the White House influencing Truman when she brought up the recognition of the State of Israel. :sarcasm:

Don't get me wrong, I watched the video expecting to conclude that the attacks on Helen Thomas were nothing but from hyperbole from the Israel Lobby (a lobby that does include fundamentalist Christians in its coalition and exaggerates in their attacks) but I was rather disappointed.

I think you are using yourself to judge Helen Thomas but just because you don't subscribe to the old "Jews pulling the strings" canard it does not mean she thinks like you. At least the video shows she thinks differently.

[cornermouse]

26. Like I said. For those interested in the truth....

Go to the link above and read what she actually did say and did not say.

[liberalmike27]

13. They've Been Trying to Get Rid of Her for years.

Her problem is she's still cut in the true democratic mold. That fell out of favor in the 1970s at some point, and now democrats are just quiet republicans, it would seem by their actions.

But she violated one of the media filters "thou shallt never say anything, whatsoever, bad about Israel." Still, what was the territory called Israel called in 1940? Anybody, anyone?

PALESTINE.

It's one of those annoying facts you just can't get past. It's probably one of the worst things Truman did, support the takeover of Palestine, when they once lived together in peace. It's interesting that Israel is shaped like a thorn, as since then it has been an irritant.

[cornermouse]

4. It sounds like she's doing all right.

That's good. I was worried about the possibility that having work, something she clearly loves so much to have remained in it for so many years, taken away so abruptly and pretty much unjustly that she might go downhill rapidly.

To those who have blinders and ear plugs firmly in place, she doesn't deny the Holocaust. She doesn't deny or object to the existence of Israel. She does state Israel should get out of the occupied territories. And to those who aren't old enough to remember all the killing we saw on tv back when the palestinians were out there literally using rocks against the Israeli military in Palestinian territory and all the buildings reduced to rubble by superior military force on the part of the Israelis, I say the Israelis, of all people, should have known better than to do what they did.

Another thing. I did not realize that Israel was still occupying the Golan Heights. The threat from that direction no longer exists. There is no reason for Israel to stay there. They should withdraw and return the land because that would be the principled and correct thing to do. Helen's right on that one too.

[Plucketeer]

14. I was glad to see this video.

Helen's one of a dying breed. We're all so preoccupied with "being PC" anymore, that folks can't FATHOM asking things, flat out. The Israelis got their "promised land" handed to them after WWII. They've been doing OK for some time now. So WHY are WE backing their terrorist ways now?
Knocking down Palestinian properties and just taking them over - how is that different from how they (the Jews) were treated in Europe, through the first half of the 20th century??? Blockading the Palestinians - making them feel like lower-class life forms - can someone point out the GOOD in that?

I'm still looking for the truth about why I - as a taxpayer - have to sit by why monies of mine are funneled into Israel to this day. Is it ture that our primary interest is that of having them be our "canary in the coal mine" indicator of when the Rapture is at hand??? Friggin' NONsense - the whole religion BS! And this is just one more phony facet of that ridiculum.

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GOP JOBS PLAN DEPICTED BELOW

[NorthCarolina]

15. +1

[xiamiam]

9. she tells the truth..nt

[JJW]

10. I support Helen 100%

She is a real American treasure. Only journalist with the courage to ask real questions of the various Presidents. She was always able to nail Presidents in their blatant lies to the American public.

[molly77]

12. The WH press corpse

Jeff Gannon sat in their midst for 2 years. They never knew about his primary job as a hooker or the fact that he did not have any real press credentials. They don't get much respect from me. Shills.Helen Thomas was too good of a reporter to be in there.

[Jim Sagle]

16. Ppppfffbbbbbtttt!!!!!!

[sabrina 1]

18. Anyone who heard her comments knew what she meant. Those

who rushed to misinterpret her, led by Ari Fleischer, were out to get her.

The interviewer was correct when he said he had seen overwhelming support for her when it happened. I saw it also, and as he said, even the Wapo's own poll asking if she should be given back her job, was about 90% in her favor. Same thing on every other poll I saw and in comments on every article discussing what happened to her.

She is right, and one of the few to have the courage to say what others are afraid to say. It's way past time for the American people to put a stop the censorship of any discussion of Israel's policies. The American people are supporting with their tax dollars, that country and have every right to be able to express their opinions of the policies of the government there.

The only way to stop this censorship is for people to ignore the attempts to censor and the ridiculous claims of anti-semitism every time people express disagreement with them.

As she said, when asked why she thought Hearst caved to the pressure even though they were 'very nice to me', 'it takes courage'. Not much of that around anywhere these days so we keep losing rights because we don't fight for them.

What is really alarming is how little effect the opinions of the American people have. In a real democracy, she would be back in her place at the WH press corps. Another disappointing moment in the Obama presidency also when he too caved to the 'pressure' and said she ought to retire.

The people are starving for want of real leadership.

Glad to hear she 'has a lot to say' and will be returning to writing soon. She always did. Her cowardly colleagues in the WH press corps are not worthy of her presence there. Stenographers, all of them.

[ShamelessHussy]

19. It's the Occupation, Stupid

Thank you Helen :toast:

[CrawlingChaos]

20. I knew she would never back down

The truth is on her side.

She will always be a heroic figure to me and countless others. So glad we'll be hearing more from her!

[Lil Missy]

21. Helen is right. n/t

[JohnyCanuck]

25. In a sane world maybe she would be,

But not in the world of US media and US politics where anyone who fails to offer 100% support for Israel no matter what it does is labeled an anti-Semite.