The liberal Ms.Thomas remarked to Press Secretary Robert Gibbs that the White House's stated position of "regret" for a flotilla raid by Israeli commandos in recent weeks was less than appropriate. Her words: "Our initial reaction to this flotilla massacre — deliberate massacre, an international crime — was pitiful. What do you mean you 'regret', when something should be so strongly condemned? And if any other nation in the world had done it, we would have been up in arms. What is the sacrosanct, iron-clad relationship where a country [Israel] that deliberately kills people and boycotts -- and we aid and abet the boycott?"
Clearly Ms. Thomas' views are her own. Democratic President Barack Obama told The Today Show that "her comments were out of line; that it was a shame her long and much celebrated career should end in controversy."
Helen Thomas does indeed reflect extreme views, this at a time when many are avoiding extremism, embracing moderation. She later apologized for her remarks. She wrote: "I deeply regret comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heartfelt 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."
Helen Thomas will be well remembered. It may be said she spoke her mind, now at this time of great peril. Freedom of speech may be the issue, but we concede her remarks were not in keeping with the official American point of view.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - roger nowosielski
Let's grant it - she spoke irresponsibly. Still, the Helen Thomas affair reveals the MSM hypocrisy. She's being crucified on the altar of political correctness, especially in light of the recent IDF's acts of military aggression and high-sea piracy. It's a misconception to think that MSM spoke loudly and clearly against the IDF: most of the rebuke and criticism had come from the international press.
The same double standard has been evidenced by the recent Security Council decision to issue sanctions against Iran - under US leadership of course. The same US which didn't go aboard in condemning the Israeli behavior - a sentiment shared by the international community.
It definitely looks as though US is the main culprit in trying to render UN ineffective. But in so doing, it clearly displays its own duplicity: if anything, both Israel and Iran should be condemned.
2 - John Lake
The United Nations is strong in measures signed, signatures affixed; but the only real source of strength for the U.N. is in its members. They must have wisdom, compassion, and patience.
The Bush presidents sought a 'New World Order', in which all the problems of the world would be ended by unity. Their error was in thinking that unity could be accomplished in a decade or two. Such change may be inevitable, but only over many, many generations. We have seen the growth and development of the Eastern World, as in the modern cities in Persia, and Turkey, but the Jews/Palestinians still lag behind in constructive change. Someone on a newscast over the weekend said, "Zionism is Racism." Some of the traits many Jews revere may indeed be faults.
The idea of the Jews being interlopers is extreme but has some grounds. We recall the maps and diagrams we have seen, of the way the early people of the world spread from Africa and came to cover the globe, all this over thousands of years. We recall the movement of the human race even to Australia, and New Zealand. The settlement of the Jewish People may be viewed in that light.
Obama has been moderate, and non-involved, in much the same way he was non-involved in the Iraqi elections; far preferable to the troublesome Brits. And as we speak, Obama is meeting with the Palestinian Officials. He (Obama) should be supported by the American Public and the Republicans. I think the Republicans are realizing that.
3 - Baronius
Thomas wasn't objective enough to serve as a reporter, and she wasn't influential as a commentator. I don't remember her ever being objective or influential. These days every other person in the country has a political blog, and a lot of them break stories or cause mini dust-ups. But I've never heard anyone quote Thomas. I don't think I've ever seen her on a political round-table, and those things will take entertainment reporters or even weathermen. OK, maybe not weathermen, but you know what I mean. In a world where everyone's opinion mattered, Helen Thomas's didn't. Hearst has been wasting its resources on her, which is kind of a noble way of showing respect for the old guard, but they're much better off with her gone.
4 - roger nowosielski
Of course condemning Israel is not anti-Semitism.
5 - roger nowosielski
Just as condemning America is not unAmerican.
6 - El Bicho
yes, Roger, but arguing with Ruvy is unproductive.
7 - John Lake
Arguing with Ruvi? Impossible!
8 - Dr Dreadful
Possible, but exasperating.
9 - Ms Zola
ms. Thomas has a right to speak her mind whether i agree with her or not. America is still a free country and we have the precious freedom to say what we think. She does not speak for the Obama Administration. She speaks for herself. I am amazed that so many people would deny her that privilege.
Most of the land that the Jews live on in Israel was purchased from the previous owners. They bought a desert and turned it into a flourishing country. The did it with blood, sweat, and tears. They should no more be forced off of their land than the inhabitants of America should be forced to give up their home to an American Indian or Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona to the Mexicans.
What's wrong with this world is that religion rules a country....any country. religion should be a separate entity.....a personal thing shared in a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple.
10 - Baronius
She has a right to speak her mind, but no guarantee of a job.
11 - A Geek Girl
Hey hey, Z! My family is Cherokee. It was our land first. Nobody purchased it and worked it with blood sweat and tears, unless you mean slave tears. But yeah. Definitely can't give Arizona to the Mexicans. That would suck.
12 - A Geek Girl
Baronius, that made me snort! heheh
You've summed up the story of my life.
13 - Christine
I don't feel sorry for Helen; nor Mel Gibson who was drunk when he made his Anti-Semitic remarks.
14 - Ruvy
Where did anybody get the idea I wanted to argue with anybody? I only want to see a fan club set up for the respected dean of the White House press corpse, a fine woman unfairly driven from her job by the Jewish lobby that so viciously tricked her into making the intemperate statements she did - like about having to Americanize her Arab parents....
15 - roger nowosielski
"so viciously tricked ... into making the intemperate statements she did . . ."
Sounds like your job description and saving grace.
16 - A Geek Girl
Ruvy, shush.
Nobody's talking to you.
I wanna know why I can't get my native American ancestral lands back.
17 - Ruvy
Geek Girl,
I'm talking to you.
You can't get your ancestral lands back for the same reason we couldn't for 20 centuries. Your people were killed off in a not well organized genocide, and then were driven off of our lands by white thieves, who are the squatters. Getting the damned squatters off is one hell of a job. Especially when they got all the guns, the media, the money....
G-d gave us something of a miracle - but we paid a high price. Not as high as the Native Americans have though. When I lived in Minnesota, the phrase "the only good Injun is a dead Injun", ran like an unspoken meme, a stream of common agreement in a large part of the state.
18 - Ruvy
Geek girl,
That was "driven off of your lands"....
And I was not trying to offend you if I did. I was just being honest.
19 - Mark Saleski
Where did anybody get the idea I wanted to argue with anybody?
i believe it was the 4.7 metric buttloads of comments weighing down the database servers at technorati.
20 - A Geek Girl
Mark! Shame on you! What we have stuck up our butts on technorati is nobody's business but our own.
Ruvy, There were days when the sun was so cruel, that all the tears turned to dust
and I just knew my eyes were drying up forever.
It's hard to believe, but it's all coming back to me now.
You're okay my friend. I just want to make sure they don't give our hallowed burial grounds to Mexicans.
21 - zingzing
ruvy: "When I lived in Minnesota, the phrase "the only good Injun is a dead Injun", ran like an unspoken meme, a stream of common agreement in a large part of the state."
ah, yes... the good old days of the 1870s.
22 - roger nowosielski
Well, he's reliving it right now.
23 - Ruvy
Ah, yes... the good old days of the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's.
There! Fixed for you, zing!
Yer welcome.
24 - A Geek Girl
If Celine Dion doesn't work I always have an arsenal of Abba and Cher. Half breed, that's all I ever heard. Rog... my teepee? Say 'bout 9?
25 - John Lake
I am aware Ms. Thomas is American born, of Lebanese decent. Her harshest critics make that point. I have no knowledge of any influence of Islam in her background.