Tough-Talking Journalist Took on Zionist Power
July 24,
2013 AFP
• Helen Thomas a rarity among reporters: she was
actually honest
By Michael Collins Piper
There is
only one topic considered “untouchable” today, and the bizarre story of what
happened to veteran journalist Helen
Thomas—who died at age 92 on July 20—puts it in perspective.
For some
50 years Thomas was hailed as one of the most aggressive no-nonsense reporters
in the Washington press corps. Hard-nosed and straight-forward—as a
correspondent (and ultimately White House bureau chief) for United Press International,
and, later a columnist for Hearst Newspapers—Thomas (unlike many in the
media) was never afraid to publicly challenge presidents and power-brokers she
thought were being disingenuous.
Feminists
characterized Thomas—first female president of the National Press Club—as a role model for women.
Thomas herself said she asked tough questions of politicians she thought were the
questions a Des Moines housewife would want her to ask.
Thomas
was also perhaps the most accessible of the big-name journalists. It was common
knowledge if you wanted to chat with Helen you could find her dining
practically every night at a small family-style Middle Eastern restaurant, the Calvert Café.
Despite
her remarkable record of no-holds-barred journalism that brought widespread
acclaim and international respect, Thomas was forced into retirement in 2010.
Although she had won her reputation for her honesty, it was her candor on one
issue—that of the United States-Israeli “special relationship”—that brought
about an abrupt end to her distinguished career.
Here’s
what happened:
On May
27, 2010—while Thomas was outside the White House (where Jewish Heritage Day
was being celebrated) a video-camera-toting Jewish rabbi, David
Nesenoff, confronted Thomas and asked for her comments on Israel. Thomas
said: “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine. Remember, these
people are occupied and it’s their land. It’s not Germany, it’s not Poland.”
Waving
the camera in the elderly woman’s face, the rabbi asked where the Jews should
go, and Thomas responded, “They should go home.” When the rabbi demanded to
know where home was, Thomas said, “Poland, Germany and America and everywhere
else.”
The rabbi
ran to the media with the story and the until-then respected journalist was
promptly accused of being anti-Jewish even though she had told the truth about
the foreign origins of many of the Jews who had settled in Palestine,
displacing native Christian Arabs and Muslim Arabs.
Critics
were quick to point out that Thomas was the daughter of Christian Arab
immigrants from what is now Lebanon and that, over the years, she had been
suspected of a bias against Israel. The implicit point was that Thomas’s
heritage denied her the right to comment on the Middle East (despite the fact
Jewish journalists constantly spout pro-Israel opinions in the media).
Meanwhile,
Thomas’s booking agency dropped her as a client (though she was popular on the
lecture circuit). A writing colleague announced she would no longer work on any
books with Thomas (author of six books). A Washington, D.C.-area high school
dropped Thomas as its commencement speaker. And the Society of Professional
Journalists announced that it was no longer awarding its award for lifetime
achievement named in Thomas’s honor.
Naturally
fed up, the 90-year old Thomas turned in her resignation to Hearst Newspapers.
But in a speech several months later, Thomas said: I paid a price, but it’s
worth it to speak the truth,” adding that “Congress, the White House, Hollywood
and Wall Street are owned by Zionists. No question in my opinion.” When
challenged on her remarks, Thomas said, “I just think that people should be
enlightened as to who is in charge of opinion in this country.”
The
Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
announced that Thomas “clearly, unequivocally revealed herself as a vulgar
anti-Semite,” but Thomas—not surprisingly—got in the last word. When asked to
respond to the ADL’s charges, she said, “I’d say I’m a Semite. What are you
talking about?”
Michael Collins Piper is an author, journalist,
lecturer and radio show host. He has spoken in Russia, Malaysia, Iran, Abu
Dhabi, Japan, Canada and the U.
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