Helen Thomas to Retire

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/06/07/2010-06-07_helen_thomas_veteran_white_house_journalist_retires_after_controversial_israel_c.html

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Interestingly, FOX News came to her defense:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/06/07/ellen-ratner-helen-thomas-racial-ethnic-sexual-minority-ninety-brain-filters/

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[Bo]

Good. Her actions are inexcusable. She just repeated Ahmadinejad's views. Besides, she's almost 90--it would be good for her and her health to retire at this point.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Interestingly, FOX News came to her defense:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/06/07/ellen-ratner-helen-thomas-racial-ethnic-sexual-minority-ninety-brain-filters/

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She didn't say it in private, did she?

[Landslide Lyndon]

What Thomas said was stupid and offensive, especially considering that she comes from a family of immigrants.

OTOH, I would like to see the same kind of indignation and condemnation when your run-of-the-mill neocon/conservative commentator characterizes all the Arabs and Muslims as "terrorists" and "uncivilized".

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

not surprised by her comments

[The Mikado]

Her comment was idiotic.

I'm sad to see her go, though.  She's a fine old woman, and the White House Press Corps won't be the same without her.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Good. Her actions are inexcusable. She just repeated Ahmadinejad's views. Besides, she's almost 90--it would be good for her and her health to retire at this point.

Please learn the difference between anti-semitism and opposition to existence of Israel.

Frt, I disagree with her.

And I concurr px75 reminds about neocon/conservative commentators.

[Badger]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/06/07/2010-06-07_helen_thomas_veteran_white_house_journalist_retires_after_controversial_israel_c.html

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Interestingly, FOX News came to her defense:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/06/07/ellen-ratner-helen-thomas-racial-ethnic-sexual-minority-ninety-brain-filters/

You must be logged in to read this quote.

A sad end to an otherwise impressive journalistic career. I really wish they'd publically accept her apology and let the old girl retire quietly several months from now to save face. It's not right that such a long and celebrated career will now always be linked to probably the stupidest damn thing she's said in her nearly 5 decades on the job.  

[Bo]

Good. Her actions are inexcusable. She just repeated Ahmadinejad's views. Besides, she's almost 90--it would be good for her and her health to retire at this point.

Please learn the difference between anti-semitism and opposition to existence of Israel.

Frt, I disagree with her.

And I concurr px75 reminds about neocon/conservative commentators.

Ahmadinejad also said he doesn't oppose the concept of a Jewish state--he just opposes one being created in Palestine.

[Earth]

The fake outrage is funny.

"Antisemitic" remarks, right.

[Eraserhead]

I'm getting tired of these freaks who are getting off on bashing an 89-year-old woman. I hate them all.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Good. Her actions are inexcusable. She just repeated Ahmadinejad's views. Besides, she's almost 90--it would be good for her and her health to retire at this point.

Please learn the difference between anti-semitism and opposition to existence of Israel.

Frt, I disagree with her.

And I concurr px75 reminds about neocon/conservative commentators.

Ahmadinejad also said he doesn't oppose the concept of a Jewish state--he just opposes one being created in Palestine.

Right... we started with Helen Thomas, now we're with Ahmadinejad. Who next? David Duke of Hitler?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Interestingly, FOX News came to her defense:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/06/07/ellen-ratner-helen-thomas-racial-ethnic-sexual-minority-ninety-brain-filters/

You must be logged in to read this quote.

She didn't say it in private, did she?

No - it was to some guy with a camera, but it's not like it was in the White House press room.

I think what she said was offensive, but I'd give her a break.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

'89 year old says something racist' doesn't strike me as especially newsworthy. Of course, most Israeli families did not move to Israel from Poland or Germany.

[fezzyfestoon]

I honestly didn't think what she said was that bad.  Stupid and ill-informed, but it certainly didn't strike me as "racist".

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Where I'm from, 'send the buggers back' is pretty much the definition of 'racist'.

[fezzyfestoon]

Where I'm from, 'send the buggers back' is pretty much the definition of 'racist'.

That's not how I interpreted it nor do I think that's inherently racist.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

"Get the Hell out of Palestine" didn't exactly sound the nices either, though.

[Earth]

People need to read a dictionary. Seems like the definition of both 'racist', and 'antisemite' has been forgotten.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

People need to read a dictionary. Seems like the definition of both 'racist', and 'antisemite' has been forgotten.

Agreed - like many of the people who call people opposed to President Obama's agendas "racist" simply for opposing a black president.

[You kip if you want to...]

It was hardly worth her retiring over. It's not like she attacked an unarmed aid ship, killing atleast 9, or anything...

[Brittain33]

It was hardly worth her retiring over.

I am sure the calculus would have been different were she not nearly 90.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Where I'm from, 'send the buggers back' is pretty much the definition of 'racist'.

I was just reading the thread about O'Reilly and at first thought that said "send the burgers back".

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Old people lose their social filters......trust me we're dealing with it.   It was time she left before this anyway.

[Vepres]

Where I'm from, 'send the buggers back' is pretty much the definition of 'racist'.

Except there is a legitimate argument that the Israelis have no right to be there at all.