• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Mission Statement
  • Commenter Rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Account Access
The Moderate Voice

The Moderate Voice

An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Media
  • Inspiration and Living
  • Economy
  • International
  • Movie Reviews

Sikhs in America: A religious community long misunderstood is mourning deaths in Indianapolis mass shooting

Sikhs in America: A religious community long misunderstood is mourning deaths in Indianapolis mass shooting

Posted on April 18, 2021
Poll: Most Americans want to end lifetime Supreme Court appointments but nix expanded court.

Poll: Most Americans want to end lifetime Supreme Court appointments but nix expanded court.

Posted on April 18, 2021
GOP Struggling To Harm Biden

GOP Struggling To Harm Biden

Posted on April 17, 2021
Vaccination rates break down along party lines

Vaccination rates break down along party lines

Posted on April 17, 2021
Are mass shootings an American epidemic?

Are mass shootings an American epidemic?

Posted on April 16, 2021
Another US mass shooting leaves eight dead in Indianapolis

Another US mass shooting leaves eight dead in Indianapolis

Posted on April 16, 2021
… and the Oscar goes to … Are they kidding?

… and the Oscar goes to … Are they kidding?

Posted on April 16, 2021
Afghanistan: It’s Done. No More. 3.0  (UPDATE)

Afghanistan: It’s Done. No More. 3.0 (UPDATE)

Posted on April 15, 2021
U.S. imposes wide array of sanctions on Russia for ‘malign’ actions

U.S. imposes wide array of sanctions on Russia for ‘malign’ actions

Posted on April 15, 2021
Minnesota officer who shot Black man after traffic stop charged with manslaughter

Minnesota officer who shot Black man after traffic stop charged with manslaughter

Posted on April 14, 2021
‘Time to end the forever war’: Biden to start U.S. Afghanistan pullout on May 1

‘Time to end the forever war’: Biden to start U.S. Afghanistan pullout on May 1

Posted on April 14, 2021
U.S. calls for pause to J&J COVID-19 vaccine over rare blood clots

U.S. calls for pause to J&J COVID-19 vaccine over rare blood clots

Posted on April 13, 2021
Biden walks tightrope with bipartisan talks on $2 trillion infrastructure bill

Biden walks tightrope with bipartisan talks on $2 trillion infrastructure bill

Posted on April 12, 2021
Entitled

Entitled

Posted on April 12, 2021
Thank You, Sir, May I Have Another? (UPDATED)

Thank You, Sir, May I Have Another? (UPDATED)

Posted on April 11, 2021
Will Bunch: If GOP, Mitch McConnell really wants ‘woke’ corporations out of politics, here’s how

Will Bunch: If GOP, Mitch McConnell really wants ‘woke’ corporations out of politics, here’s how

Posted on April 9, 2021
You are here: Home / International / Has Helen Thomas Jumped the Swastika?

Has Helen Thomas Jumped the Swastika?

June 4, 2010 by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief 3 Comments

Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas is coming under enormous fire now for her comments saying that Israel’s Jews should “go home” to Poland, the U.S. and to Germany. Some seem to imply she was saying go home to the old Germany of the Nazis and some feel she has revealed herself to be an anti semite.

But if you GO HERE and can watch the video of her you can see she was answering a question put to her and pressed by the interviewer.

Thomas apparently realized her choice of words were quite poor and possibly could be a career ender since she has apologized on her website:

“I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt 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.”

I need to give my reaction here as someone who was a fulltime journalist for many years, and is old enough to remember the young Helen Thomas asking JFK questions. I’ve defended her at times in recent years. With a name like “Gandelman” I’m clearly Jewish but have never been said to be “militant” (and some years ago came under very angry fire here at TMV from some TMV writers when I would not ban a commenter who many felt was anti-semitic until he virtually worked to get himself to where he had to be banned) nor has anyone ever accused me of being someone who throws around the word “anti-semite” at the drop of a hat.

But with this clip Helen Thomas totally lost me. She loses her credibility. Why? Just saying “Go back to where you come from” is the same as the misguided, empty-headed Americans who shout “Go back to Africa” to blacks or “Go back to Mexico” to American born Latinos when they know they are American born Latinos.

It shows her so hopelessly biased and lacking realistic perspective that stories written by her beg to be skipped over. YES, she can write op-eds or do opinion bits on TV. But on the middle-east story, how can anyone think that when she asks questions she is seeking information to flesh out a story (unless it was a special on airfares so Jews can fly out of Israel)?

This isn’t just showing a preference. Her response suggests reading her in these busy times to find out what’s happening and get serious perspective would be as useful as reading a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli ingredients to find out the latest news about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s very sad since even in her most peppery times she seems like a truly nice lady (and not because of her age), plus she has had a long career asking the toughest questions of politicians of both parties (even though partisans hate her when they ask a question to THEIR side and cheer her when she asks a tough question to the other).

She was a role model for women who dreamed of being hard-nosed reporters long before many women were hard-nosed reporters.

She was.

Once.

A young Helen Thomas questions JFK

Filed Under: International, Media Tagged With: Helen Thomas, Israel, Journalists, Media

Primary Sidebar

Donate to TMV

The TMV Feed

 Subscribe in a reader

Archives

Categories

The Latest

Most Commented Posts (7 or so days)

Copyright 1998 - 2020 The Moderate Voice. Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in