Helen Thomas, you are too old for apologies.
When I turn 89, I’m going to tell everyone to kiss my ass. By then I would have done my share of sucking up and can finally either ask for it in return or just simply say “fuck off”. Whatever comes out of my mouth will certainly not be followed by an apology. Which is why it is beyond me why Helen Thomas, who clearly has a strong, developed viewpoint would go back on such rich commentary. Why in the world where everyone from Obama to Starbucks is on Israel’s dick would an old white lady like Helen Thomas renege? In my view, she should have made the point and stood her ground! But she apologized and so the world is left with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Gee, thanks Helen. Two people would have been better than one.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQcQdWBqt14
When Helen Thomas told Rabbi David Nesenoff that Jews should go back to Poland and Germany and anywhere else, her comments were called everything from anti-Semitic to ignorant. The makers of the video, Rabbi Nesenoff, also an amateur blogger ended the short video clip of Helen Thomas’ comments with “Six million Jews were killed at home in Germany and Poland. Doesn’t Helen know that Jews lived in Israel long before the Holocaust?” Two things. 1. Just because she believes Jews should leave Israel does not make her an anti-Semite. 2. Having an opinion does not mean she cannot report in an “unbiased” manner.
Beyond Helen and Jews, the “motherland” defense has always bothered me. Yes, I’m talking about Marcus Garvey. I guess one could understand the desire to leave America as one can understand the desire for Jews to never return to Germany. But, what if Negroes back in the day had actually boarded a boat for Africa? What would they have done if they were met with skepticism or violence from the current inhabitants? Would they fight and build walls and block resources? Quite possibly. Ultimately I don’t know enough about Israel or Zionism to make any grand pronouncements about Gaza, but I do know that Helen Thomas who has been a Journalist and a member of the White House FOREVER has just endured the most undemocratic dismissal. And if anyone is looking for the measure of power that Jews have in America and across the world, you only need to look to her fall. That’s some serious bounce-back from World War II.
I agree that as an old woman she should say what she wants, but then I know this idea of freedom of speech can cause racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. people to feel they can say publicly what they feel with out penalty. And honestly, language like physical violence has power to oppress and marginalize.
There must be a way of talking about free speech in a way that deals with social justice and accountability. There must be a nuanced way.
good post.
I agree that as an old woman she should say what she wants, but then I know this idea of freedom of speech can cause racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. people to feel they can say publicly what they feel with out penalty. And honestly, language like physical violence has power to oppress and marginalize.
There must be a way of talking about free speech in a way that deals with social justice and accountability. There must be a nuanced way.
good post.
Thanks for your comments! Hmmm. I agree that there is hateful speech, but then there is something called difference of opinion. The line is not that thin. There is a huge difference between Helen Thomas saying how she feels about Israel and some random podunk white supremacist walking around in black-face. They aren’t comparable.
Here we have a woman who is going against the party-line and who for all intents and purposes is pretty fucking educated. A trailblazer. She did not get on camera and say fuck the Jews as the vehement response would prompt you to believe. This is not hate speech. It is an educated opinion.
Thanks for your comments! Hmmm. I agree that there is hateful speech, but then there is something called difference of opinion. The line is not that thin. There is a huge difference between Helen Thomas saying how she feels about Israel and some random podunk white supremacist walking around in black-face. They aren’t comparable.
Here we have a woman who is going against the party-line and who for all intents and purposes is pretty fucking educated. A trailblazer. She did not get on camera and say fuck the Jews as the vehement response would prompt you to believe. This is not hate speech. It is an educated opinion.
Alex,
I did not say Helen’s comment was hate speech. I said this idea of freedom of speech (not Helen’s comment) without critical engagement of power dynamics/structures can cause some to think it is okay to say what they wish without impunity.
Alex,
I did not say Helen’s comment was hate speech. I said this idea of freedom of speech (not Helen’s comment) without critical engagement of power dynamics/structures can cause some to think it is okay to say what they wish without impunity.
Hey Fallon. I understood that you weren’t calling her comments hate speech. I just used your comment to tease out a few more arguments and to clarify some loosely addressed points. I also think a lot of comments that dissent from the supposedly pro-Israel world get labeled anti-Semitic when they are actually very grounded questions about land, sovereignty, occupation, and basic human rights.
Hey Fallon. I understood that you weren’t calling her comments hate speech. I just used your comment to tease out a few more arguments and to clarify some loosely addressed points. I also think a lot of comments that dissent from the supposedly pro-Israel world get labeled anti-Semitic when they are actually very grounded questions about land, sovereignty, occupation, and basic human rights.
Honestly, the most beautiful thing about what Helen said was that she found a way to say exactly what should be said about Palestine in a minute long conversation. I could go on for days about what is empirically WRONG with Israel but something tells me I would quickly find myself with a bag over my head being carried off to what I can only assume would be a slow and painful encounter involving Krav Maga.
There is this idea that saying something, anything, about Israel that could be seen as at all sympathetic to Palestinians is being anti-Semitic and the person saying it is some unstable, holocaust-denying, Mel Gibson-loving neo-Nazi. Israel commits human rights violation after human rights violation and almost everyone looks the other way. Shit, if only colored folk got that kind of pass for slavery and damn near everything following. Maybe I should take a page from Israel’s book and go roll up on some white folks living in my old apartment in Forte Greene with the “it was mine before it was yours defense. You think that would land me on the Human Rights Watch?
Rabbilive.com can spin Helen’s comments any way they like, the truth is that the very idea of Israel is just absurd. How in hell are you gonna “offer” people the use and rights to their own shit?! Helen, it’s a shame that for being more honest than your friends and colleagues you get flipped on by pretty much everyone including your friends and colleagues.
Honestly, the most beautiful thing about what Helen said was that she found a way to say exactly what should be said about Palestine in a minute long conversation. I could go on for days about what is empirically WRONG with Israel but something tells me I would quickly find myself with a bag over my head being carried off to what I can only assume would be a slow and painful encounter involving Krav Maga.
There is this idea that saying something, anything, about Israel that could be seen as at all sympathetic to Palestinians is being anti-Semitic and the person saying it is some unstable, holocaust-denying, Mel Gibson-loving neo-Nazi. Israel commits human rights violation after human rights violation and almost everyone looks the other way. Shit, if only colored folk got that kind of pass for slavery and damn near everything following. Maybe I should take a page from Israel’s book and go roll up on some white folks living in my old apartment in Forte Greene with the “it was mine before it was yours defense. You think that would land me on the Human Rights Watch?
Rabbilive.com can spin Helen’s comments any way they like, the truth is that the very idea of Israel is just absurd. How in hell are you gonna “offer” people the use and rights to their own shit?! Helen, it’s a shame that for being more honest than your friends and colleagues you get flipped on by pretty much everyone including your friends and colleagues.
I definitely adore Mel Gibson for acting so great in “We Were Soldiers”!
I definitely adore Mel Gibson for acting so great in “We Were Soldiers”!