At CQ Politics, Craig Crawford, formerly with MSNBC, who co-wrote a book with Thomas (and has been vociferous in attacking the leaders of a different religion on occasion) writes, “With Regret:”
I concur with the following response from my agent to Helen Thomas’ lamentable remarks about Israel, and will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects. — Craig Crawford
“It is with a heavy heart that Nine Speakers, Inc. announces its resignation as the agent for Helen Thomas, Dean of the White House Press Corps. 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. 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. Nine Speakers will continue to enthusiastically represent all of our other current and future clients.” — Diane Nine
Meanwhile, Jennifer Rubin writes that “Lanny Davis, Clinton adviser and stalwart Democrat, joins Ari Fleischer in calling for Helen Thomas to be booted.” Davis’s statement notes:
Helen Thomas, who I used to consider a close friend and who I used to respect, has showed herself to be an anti-Semitic bigot. This not about her disagreement about her criticisms of Israel. She has a right to criticize Israel and that is not the same as being an anti-Semite.
However, 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.
If she had asked all Blacks to go back to Africa, what would White House Correspondents Association position be as to whether she deserved White House press room credentials — much less a privileged honorary seat?
Does anyone doubt that my friends Ann Compton, head of the WHCA, and Joe Lockhart, who believe in the First Amendment right of free expression as much as I do, would be as tolerant and protective of Helen’s privileges and honors in the White House press room as they appear to be if she had been asking Blacks to return to Africa? Or Native Americans to Asia and South America, from which they came 8,000 or more years ago? I doubt it.
Of course Helen has the right as a private citizen under the First Amendment to speak her mind, even as an anti-Jewish bigot — but not as a member, much less privileged member with a reserved seat, in the WH press corps.
As Jennifer adds, “See, that wasn’t so hard. Where is the rest of the media, the White House Correspondents Association, and the White House? As to the latter, no response to my inquiry has been forthcoming. Perhaps, the White House is hoping — you know, like with the BP spill — that it can dodge responsibility for this one. But it is their credentials Helen Thomas uses and their briefing room in which she sits. What say you, Mr. President?”
And Jim Treacher wryly observes, “Remember: You’re a Nazi for saying we should enforce our own immigration laws… But not for telling the Jews to beat it.”
(Source: Pajamas Media / YWN-MD-01 / YWN BBRY Group 3)
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18 Responses
no, i dont think she does have the right to speak her mind as a racist antisemitic bigot under the first amendmant, because it leads to murder. no she does not have the right to attempt murder. antisemitism is not a free speech issue, its different because it leads directly to people getting murdered. i think we’ve had enough evidence of it. why is charles manson in jail? he never killed anyone directly, is that free speech? did hitler ever kill anyone directly?/its besides the point. its not free speech to incite murder
She is not inciting murder. She is Lebanese. She is inciting a mass expulsion of the Jews from Israel. Did you have the volume turned down? Did you not read the quote? Does anyone on this site have a half a brain in their head?
She also has been dropped as the commencement speaker this week at a high school in Maryland.
#2 Frummy, Helen Thomas is a natural-born US citizen; her parents were Lebanese (Christian) immigrants.
good… they should continue treating her like she deserves. i am glad ppl are taking action. to stay a statement like that publicly is pretty horrible even if thats the way someone feels inside.
did anyone tell her jews were in Israel before they ended up in Europe?
#2 Wakeup!!! – She is saying what most of the other Arabs and antisemities are saying.
Jews don’t have a right to live in Eretz Yisroel and should have been slaughtered with the other Jews in Germany and Poland.
Helen Thomas should be placed with the rest of the addled brained, Alzheimer ridden Anti-Semites go where ever that may be.
It’s OK let the president be silent, it is another “minus” on his resume. If everything continues this way, the in November we’ll have a overhaul, and in 2 years a new President.
we are left to believe that obama would agree with her unless we see him do something about this old witch. rip up her white house credentials obama! dare you?!!
She has a right to say what she wants – in private. Certainly in her position as the “dean of WH correspondents” she is supposed to keep her racist thoughts to herself or suffer the consequences.
To aaym
While I am hopeful, we still have 2 years to go before this anti-semite is voted out. That’s assuming, of course, that he hasn’t managed to change the Constitution by then so he is, like Idi Amin, President for Life.
1. You should be wary of using the word “hag” since the refers to supernatural powers, and expressing belief that a human can be such implies a belief in what is clearly either avodah zarah or witchcraft. You should check dictionaries before using fancy words.
2. The woman in question (she is mere woman, not a demon of any sort) is not known for her journalistic skills, and works for a minor chain (albeit one that was important early in the last century).
One may think that Jews vote Republican, after all the only high-profile condemnations came from the GOP. We heard from Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin but Charles Schumer and Diane Feinstein seem to be in agreement with Thomas. It seems that the ‘We-Love-The-Jews’ party doesn’t really care about them at all. We now see why the liberal and left media is so biased and anti-Israel. With anti-Semites like Thomas being their sources what do you expect?
Ari Fleischer was George W Bush’s press secretary – where are you finding these articles ?????
Question for everyone. Why did the arabs want gaza if they need “humanitarian aid” just to get by. why not go back to the 26 arab countries they belong in?
#2, this has nothing at all to do with israeli jews, or sending jews to poland/germany. shes trying to put jews worldwide in danger and get people hurt. shes been waiting for the world opionion to shift against israel so she can promote murder.
#16, keep repeating that point and the fact that 700,000 jews fled for their lives in 1947 from those arab countries while leaving everything behind while at the same time there was only 700,000 arabs in israel. they all stayed and sat in “refugee camps” intentionally.