*HELEN* *THOMAS DESERVES PRAISE *by Paul Findley 6-7-10
Fearless, decent seeker-of-truth Helen Thomas, 89, the preeminent
challenger of political power for a half-century as dean of White House
correspondents, has resigned her position with Hearts Newspapers. She
acted in the wake of controversy that erupted when she told reporters
"Jews should get the hell out of Palestine." While speaking plainly on
behalf of the rule of law in Occupied Palestine, her message was
submerged when reporters gave it an anti-Semitic twist by quoting words
out of context.
It is a sad finale to an unprecedented career in aggressive,
constructive journalism. In her departure from the White House newsroom,
America is the loser. The Washington press corps contains few with
Thomas' talent in challenging power close-up.
The fiasco start when Thomas made an extemporaneous burst of passion at
a White House briefing in late May. She declared, "Jews should get the
hell out of Palestine." When asked where they should go, Thomas said
they should "go home to Poland, Germany, America and everywhere else."
Her intent was unmistakable: Jews are unlawfully residing in Occupied
Palestine and should leave. She made no reference to Jews in pre-1967
Israel, where all Jews can lawfully reside.
Out-of-context reports on her comments stirred angry controversy.
Several commentators failed to report the words "America and everywhere
else." This left Thomas' quoted words suggesting only Poland and German,
countries identified with extermination camps for Jews in World War II,
as the only destinations for those Thom would expel. The warped reports
led Diane Nine, her longtime literary agent and friend, to cut ties. She
was uninvited after agreeing to be commencement speaker at a Washington,
D.C. high school, and was falsely smeared as a bigot and anti-Semite by
leaders of Jewish organizations. /Time /columnist Joe Klein wanted her
moved from her traditional front row seat to the back at future White
House news briefings. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer,
who served President George W. Bush, told reporters she should be fired
by employer Hearst Newspapers or at least lose her White House credentials.
Attempts to link Thomas' outburst to Nazi crematories are contemptible.
In denouncing Thomas, Klein and others mention only Poland and Germany
as places Thomas wants Jews now in Palestine to go. If they included
"America and everywhere else," as Thomas actually stated, the attempted
linkage of past Holocaust crematories would be blurred if not lost.
True to her reputation, Thomas spoke up for human rights, the
fundamental property rights of Palestinians that are violated at an
ever-rising pace in Occupied Palestine by the government of Israel, with
no serious opposition from the United States, Israel's main benefactor.
Thanks to an intimidated U.S. media, most Americans are unaware of the
plight of Palestinians, who are all Arab and mostly Muslim. Almost all
Jews who live in what is left of Palestine are euphemistically called
"settlers" by U.S. media, not as unlawful occupiers. By residing in
Palestine, they violate international law, Geneva Accords, and clear
stipulations of the UN Charter. The rare exceptions are a handful of
Jews who belong to a peaceful, independent sect.
This dark, undeserved cloud over the reputation of an unrelenting grand
champion of human rights will have a silver lining if it awakens the
American people to their own quiet, complicit role in Israel's sustained
violation of Palestinian rights.
I offer unique credentials in defending Thomas. Although a lifelong
admirer, I first met her in October 2009 at a dinner in Washington. When
I greeted her, she addressed me as /They/ /Dare/ /to/ /Speak/ /Out/
Findley, using the title of my bestseller book published in 1985. At my
invitation she spoke this past April to a capacity, enthusiastic crowd
at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois. While hosting her at dinner
the previous evening, I found her a delightful, warm, compassionate
human being dedicated to equal justice for all.
For her edifying outburst, Helen Thomas should be congratulated, not
condemned. It could prove to be one of her finest contributions in our
nation's often-faltering quest for justice.
Paul Findley resides in Jacksonville, Illinois. He served 22 as a U.S.
representative from Illinois. He is the author of a highly praised
biography, /A. Liincoln: The Crucible of Congress /and four books on the
Arab-Israeli conflict, the latest being a memoir tentatively titled,
/Taking the High Road: Confronting Bias, Bigotry, War. /It/ is
/scheduled for publication next spring by Lawrence Hill Books.
Fearless, decent seeker-of-truth Helen Thomas, 89, the preeminent
challenger of political power for a half-century as dean of White House
correspondents, has resigned her position with Hearts Newspapers. She
acted in the wake of controversy that erupted when she told reporters
"Jews should get the hell out of Palestine." While speaking plainly on
behalf of the rule of law in Occupied Palestine, her message was
submerged when reporters gave it an anti-Semitic twist by quoting words
out of context.
It is a sad finale to an unprecedented career in aggressive,
constructive journalism. In her departure from the White House newsroom,
America is the loser. The Washington press corps contains few with
Thomas' talent in challenging power close-up.
The fiasco start when Thomas made an extemporaneous burst of passion at
a White House briefing in late May. She declared, "Jews should get the
hell out of Palestine." When asked where they should go, Thomas said
they should "go home to Poland, Germany, America and everywhere else."
Her intent was unmistakable: Jews are unlawfully residing in Occupied
Palestine and should leave. She made no reference to Jews in pre-1967
Israel, where all Jews can lawfully reside.
Out-of-context reports on her comments stirred angry controversy.
Several commentators failed to report the words "America and everywhere
else." This left Thomas' quoted words suggesting only Poland and German,
countries identified with extermination camps for Jews in World War II,
as the only destinations for those Thom would expel. The warped reports
led Diane Nine, her longtime literary agent and friend, to cut ties. She
was uninvited after agreeing to be commencement speaker at a Washington,
D.C. high school, and was falsely smeared as a bigot and anti-Semite by
leaders of Jewish organizations. /Time /columnist Joe Klein wanted her
moved from her traditional front row seat to the back at future White
House news briefings. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer,
who served President George W. Bush, told reporters she should be fired
by employer Hearst Newspapers or at least lose her White House credentials.
Attempts to link Thomas' outburst to Nazi crematories are contemptible.
In denouncing Thomas, Klein and others mention only Poland and Germany
as places Thomas wants Jews now in Palestine to go. If they included
"America and everywhere else," as Thomas actually stated, the attempted
linkage of past Holocaust crematories would be blurred if not lost.
True to her reputation, Thomas spoke up for human rights, the
fundamental property rights of Palestinians that are violated at an
ever-rising pace in Occupied Palestine by the government of Israel, with
no serious opposition from the United States, Israel's main benefactor.
Thanks to an intimidated U.S. media, most Americans are unaware of the
plight of Palestinians, who are all Arab and mostly Muslim. Almost all
Jews who live in what is left of Palestine are euphemistically called
"settlers" by U.S. media, not as unlawful occupiers. By residing in
Palestine, they violate international law, Geneva Accords, and clear
stipulations of the UN Charter. The rare exceptions are a handful of
Jews who belong to a peaceful, independent sect.
This dark, undeserved cloud over the reputation of an unrelenting grand
champion of human rights will have a silver lining if it awakens the
American people to their own quiet, complicit role in Israel's sustained
violation of Palestinian rights.
I offer unique credentials in defending Thomas. Although a lifelong
admirer, I first met her in October 2009 at a dinner in Washington. When
I greeted her, she addressed me as /They/ /Dare/ /to/ /Speak/ /Out/
Findley, using the title of my bestseller book published in 1985. At my
invitation she spoke this past April to a capacity, enthusiastic crowd
at Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois. While hosting her at dinner
the previous evening, I found her a delightful, warm, compassionate
human being dedicated to equal justice for all.
For her edifying outburst, Helen Thomas should be congratulated, not
condemned. It could prove to be one of her finest contributions in our
nation's often-faltering quest for justice.
Paul Findley resides in Jacksonville, Illinois. He served 22 as a U.S.
representative from Illinois. He is the author of a highly praised
biography, /A. Liincoln: The Crucible of Congress /and four books on the
Arab-Israeli conflict, the latest being a memoir tentatively titled,
/Taking the High Road: Confronting Bias, Bigotry, War. /It/ is
/scheduled for publication next spring by Lawrence Hill Books.
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