Behind the Silencing of Helen Thomas

[redwinter]

Here's an article by Alan Goodman, "Behind the Silencing of Helen Thomas: Covering Up and Carrying Out Great Crimes," just posted on revcom.us about the government/media silencing of long-time White House press corps journalist Helen Thomas:
http://www.revcom.us/a/203/Helen_Thomas-en.html

I guess for those who haven't seen the clip of her now-"infamous" interview with a Zionist rabbi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQcQdWBqt14

I caught both the Daily Show and Colbert Report last night which both were downright shameful. Both have compared her comments to endorsing ethnic cleansing. Colbert had the fucking Israeli ambassador to the US on his show to defend the murders with some half-assed "questioning" and about fifteen reassurances that he was the "world's greatest friend of Israel." And these are supposed to be the heralded leftist voices on the airwaves, right? Not to be outdone by the liberal media, Bill O'Reilly had Dennis Miller on his show so they could cackle over sexist jokes about Thomas.

Maybe in this thread we could make a list of shame with all the supposed progressives condemning Helen Thomas that people find out there...

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

This isn't about Helen Thomas, but on a related note, the "progressive" democrats are moving to prosecute Americans who participated in the flotilla for terrorism.

http://www.fpif.org/blog/will_the_flotilla_attack_be_our_kent_state_moment



Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee’s subcommittee on terrorism, nonproliferation and trade, has called upon (http://www.fpif.org/blog/redir.aspx?C=d0fb07294f634cf186cd781741cbfe67&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmondoweiss.net%2f2010%2f06%2frep-sherman-prosecute-u-s-citizens-involved-with-gaza-flotilla.html) U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to prosecute U.S. citizens who were involved or on board the flotilla.

...Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), insists that these groups are “pro-Hamas people.” Rep. Elliot Engel (D-NY) claims that the organizers of the flotilla have “links to Hamas and reportedly played a role in the attempted Millennium bombing in Los Angeles.” Rep. Ron Klein D-FL) insists that the real agenda of these peace and human rights organizations is “to bolster the terrorist Hamas government in Gaza.” Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) argues that Israel’s attack on the unarmed flotilla laden with humanitarian supplies part of an effort to “defend herself against terrorism.”
...Because keeping Palestinians in a state of destitution keeps us safe!

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Wait a minute... Are you saying liberals are pro capitalist-imperialism? No way!

The shock! The horror!

Now who we will invite to our popular front protests?!?

[Barry Lyndon]

Here's an article by Alan Goodman, "Behind the Silencing of Helen Thomas: Covering Up and Carrying Out Great Crimes," just posted on revcom.us about the government/media silencing of long-time White House press corps journalist Helen Thomas:
http://www.revcom.us/a/203/Helen_Thomas-en.html

I guess for those who haven't seen the clip of her now-"infamous" interview with a Zionist rabbi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQcQdWBqt14

I caught both the Daily Show and Colbert Report last night which both were downright shameful. Both have compared her comments to endorsing ethnic cleansing. Colbert had the fucking Israeli ambassador to the US on his show to defend the murders with some half-assed "questioning" and about fifteen reassurances that he was the "world's greatest friend of Israel." And these are supposed to be the heralded leftist voices on the airwaves, right? Not to be outdone by the liberal media, Bill O'Reilly had Dennis Miller on his show so they could cackle over sexist jokes about Thomas.

Maybe in this thread we could make a list of shame with all the supposed progressives condemning Helen Thomas that people find out there...

Good article-except for the seemingly knee-jerk plugging for Bob Avakian at the end of it. There are plenty of far better analyses of the US relationship with Israel.

[Barry Lyndon]

I should add that this issue is one of the main things that made me reject liberalism and become a socialist. It is very revealing how so many liberals become screaming reactionaries when it comes to Israel/Palestine. Their so eager to shed crocodile tears for the Tibetans or Darfuris or Kurds, but when it comes to the Palestinians they have no time for them or even worse actively justify their oppression.

[The Red Next Door]

good article-except for the seemingly knee-jerk plugging for bob avakian at the end of it. There are plenty of far better analyses of the us relationship with israel.

stop

[praxis1966]

This isn't about Helen Thomas, but on a related note, the "progressive" democrats are moving to prosecute Americans who participated in the flotilla for terrorism.

http://www.fpif.org/blog/will_the_flotilla_attack_be_our_kent_state_moment

...Because keeping Palestinians in a state of destitution keeps us safe!

Brilliant. One of the two Americans being held by the Israelis is loosely affiliated with my org. He works with a group called ISM (International Solidarity Movement), and his office is in the same building as ours. I wonder how in the hell the American government can claim jurisdiction for something that happened in Israeli waters.

[Red Commissar]

This isn't about Helen Thomas, but on a related note, the "progressive" democrats are moving to prosecute Americans who participated in the flotilla for terrorism.

http://www.fpif.org/blog/will_the_flotilla_attack_be_our_kent_state_moment

...Because keeping Palestinians in a state of destitution keeps us safe!

AIPAC hard at work ;)

[Barry Lyndon]

Brilliant. One of the two Americans being held by the Israelis is loosely affiliated with my org. He works with a group called ISM (International Solidarity Movement), and his office is in the same building as ours. I wonder how in the hell the American government can claim jurisdiction for something that happened in Israeli waters.

Actually it was international waters.

[praxis1966]

Actually it was international waters.

Well, wouldn't that make what the Israelis did illegal under international maritime law?

[Barry Lyndon]

Well, wouldn't that make what the Israelis did illegal under international maritime law?

Yes.

[Andy Bowden]

What Helen Thomas said about Jews going back to Germany and Poland was mental, despite her comments on the flotilla attack. Most Israeli Jews were born in Israel, and should be allowed to live there - what should be removed is the military domination of the Palestinians and the privilege the Jewish population has over Arabs in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories.

[praxis1966]

Well, from the interviews I've seen with Helen Thomas, I can tell you she's kind of a wiseass. She knew the guy was a rabbi, so it's my suspicion that she was just winding his clock.

[Red Commissar]

Well, from the interviews I've seen with Helen Thomas, I can tell you she's kind of a wiseass. She knew the guy was a rabbi, so it's my suspicion that she was just winding his clock.

She probably was "trolling" him so to speak, but unfortunately considering her family background and the third rail of all things Israel, it was suicide on her part.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I agree that she was probably just trying to be provocative but we should not be defending her comments at all; blaming populations of people rather than the political organization and oppressive systems of capitalism imperialism and Zionism doesn't promote leftist politics or liberation for Palestinians. The comment was totally reactionary.

I think what this example is good for is illustrating the double standard if you say things against US ruling class interests. Mel Gibson all but grew a Hitler stash and yet is allowed to star in movies and attempt to rehabilitate his career; Glenn Beck has (in prime time) repeatedly advocated nuclear war against people who worship ISLAM and said that Muslims only understand violence! But these guys are doing things that help support US power and Imperial interests, so they get a free pass even if they do let some racism and sociopathy slip out now and then.

Not to mention the fact that Israel took commandos out to international waters and shot 9 non or nearly-armed activists (including a US citizen) in the heads multiple times and the US reaction was (Mr. Biden) "no big deal". One off comment with antisemitic undertones though... you get the full wrath of the US establishment (unless you are an Australian right-winger and then you get to make more movies about Jesus)!

[Red Commissar]

Oh of course. It's a fine line to walk here regarding Israel. It is certainly a third rail in American discourse and like you said we should be careful to at least emphasize our issue is the hypocrisy dealing with this, not so much the words she said which was pretty bad (Might as well insert any other ethnic or religious group in place of Jews in her comment).

[The Intransigent Faction]

Here's an article by Alan Goodman, "Behind the Silencing of Helen Thomas: Covering Up and Carrying Out Great Crimes," just posted on revcom.us about the government/media silencing of long-time White House press corps journalist Helen Thomas:
http://www.revcom.us/a/203/Helen_Thomas-en.html

I guess for those who haven't seen the clip of her now-"infamous" interview with a Zionist rabbi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQcQdWBqt14

I caught both the Daily Show and Colbert Report last night which both were downright shameful. Both have compared her comments to endorsing ethnic cleansing. Colbert had the fucking Israeli ambassador to the US on his show to defend the murders with some half-assed "questioning" and about fifteen reassurances that he was the "world's greatest friend of Israel." And these are supposed to be the heralded leftist voices on the airwaves, right? Not to be outdone by the liberal media, Bill O'Reilly had Dennis Miller on his show so they could cackle over sexist jokes about Thomas.

Maybe in this thread we could make a list of shame with all the supposed progressives condemning Helen Thomas that people find out there...

Didn't see The Daily Show, but I saw that. I couldn't believe what I was hearing...if not the predictable comments like "Gaza is a hostile entity" or "We don't feel particularly obliged to provide them with food", then the ridiculous applause he got.

[durhamleft]

I should add that this issue is one of the main things that made me reject liberalism and become a socialist. It is very revealing how so many liberals become screaming reactionaries when it comes to Israel/Palestine. Their so eager to shed crocodile tears for the Tibetans or Darfuris or Kurds, but when it comes to the Palestinians they have no time for them or even worse actively justify their oppression.

In fairness, I'm something of a 'liberal' and am as anti-Israel as you get.

[Guerrilla22]

People made entirely too much out of this. She basically just said the Jews in Israel should go back to Europe. If she had said all Latinos should go back to Mexico people in the US would have applauded it.