American Morning
Sesno: Thomas' legacy tarnished by Israel comments
(CNN) – She's covered every president since JFK, and given all of them a hard time. But now Helen Thomas is vacating her front-row seat in the White House press room. Her recent remarks about Israel sparked a storm of controversy that forced the venerable reporter to resign.
Former CNN White House correspondent Frank Sesno, now director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, says Thoma's legacy will be tarnished by her comments about Israel. He joined us on Tuesday's American Morning.
Read more: White House correspondent Thomas retires amid controversial comments
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It’s too bad Helen Thomas was forced into early retirement due to her recent comments. A few obvious if inconvenient truths: Israel was created in 1948 in what was at the time Palestine . So it’s understandable Palestinians would want Jews to get the hell out. So it’s possible Ms Thomas’ comments were motivated not by bigotry or anti-Semetism but rather by support for her own people. Yes, it seems Palestinians are people too.
First, What did Ms. Thomas say that was incorrect.??? 2. WHY does Israel have a RIGHT to exist???? Why should the people of Palestine have to pay for what the people in Europe did to an ethnic group???
as an american indian, i would like to ask helen thomas to go home. i also have an occupied homeland.
i am not an alcoholic but embrace their creed.
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
nancy
The reporting press is supposed to be OBJECTIVE in their presentation of facts and issues. Thomas is not a political satirist, not an editorial writer, nor a pundit for an opinion page. Those who liken her comments to someone speaking the truth have confused opinion with truth.
Considering that a Jewish homeland has been referred to in history way before modern politics existed, it is odd to hear anyone recommend that the Jewish people become a nomadic people without a land of their own again, which is inherently what she suggested. "They should go elsewhere" was the gist of her comments. And her recommendations of where were absurd.
Would those of you defending her comments be defending comments like "All those Blacks should go back home to Africa" or "All those Muslims shouldn't be in Europe" or "Send those Cubans back to their Island." I doubt it.
There is a war going on there, people. One most of us cannot relate to or truly understand. What we hear about the region and what happens there is what is being disseminated to us – NOT the same as living it or being there. So go ahead and blog away – it's just so much digital smoke you're all blowing.
Israel is a U.S.-backed terrorist. Plain and simple, and obvious to anyone who even remotely knows anything about the issue. I'm sick and tired of us washing Israel's feet. WHY ARE WE SUPPORTING TERRORISM??? And then we silence someone who says the truth. Terrific. Well, the KARMA will eventually bite us in the....
She spoke the common sense reality. don't crucify her for speaking the truth. I would like to see how we americans will react if Native Americans will start occupying one state after another while building settlements and bulldozing our homes.
Now a word or two about this over-abused term "Anti-Semite": A Semite is one who is a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs. It is one who is a descendant of these people.
These four groups make up the Semitic peoples of the earth. The term Anti-Semitic is used only for those who dislike or say ANYTHING that is perceived a hating Jews. It is used as weapon against whoever the Jews don't like. Now there are four groups who are considered Semitic. If I disagree with the Arabs it is not Anti-Semitism but if I disagree with the Zionist policies of the Israel Government it is? If the Semitic people are comprised of four groups, then any hate toward any group needs to be classified as Anti-Semitism. Therefore, if the Jews hate the Arabs, then they are being Anti-Semitic, if the Phoenicians hate the Akkadians, it is Anti-Semitism. It is obvious then that the term Anti-Semitism has been fostered on the non-thinking public as only alluding to the Jews which makes the modern definition a well-planned deception
Helen Thomas' bigoted comments shed light on the hypocracy of the left in this country. Shame. Do as we say, not as we do.
Helen Thomas' comments may (or may not) be anti-Semitic (hard to tell – Zionists always claim that any anti-Zionist view equates with being anti-Semitic. Some may be; many are not.) Thomas' comments were anti-Zionist.
I have seen several analogies of her comments – to blacks, native Americans, Europeans, etc.
A better analogy is to those who complain, sometimes bitterly, about the flood of immigrants into America. Ever has it been so: Italians, Irish, etc. Now, most loudly and bitterly, about Mexican immigrants, especially illegals. Witness the Arizona laws, protests, counter-protests, and the general discontent with having to listen to the option of answering-machine messages (etc.) in Spanish.
This discontent may be right, may be wrong.
But the general feeling (especially in the Southwest) is that the country has been overrun with immigrants, many illegal.
I think most people still root for the Jewish people. But imagine if the flood of immigrants in America also confiscated land, imprisoned objectors without trial, blocked travel, walled Arizona and imprisoned Arizonans because they didn't like who Arizonans elected.
Then those who now complain of immigrants might better understand what Helen Thomas feels she has observed in Lebanon and the middle east.
How is it anti-semitic to say that Isreal shouldn't be occupying Gaza? How is it anti-semitic to say that Isreal shouldn't have been formed by the WWII victors? It's an opinion and commentary on history and current politics, and is by no means a reason for someone to lose their job or be disgraced in any way. Helen Thomas should have kept her job. Shame on Hearst for making her step down.
It is not hate speech to say, "(Insert country name) shouldn't be doing this or that."
How we react to these statements and how we report on them is what we should be examining and discussing calmly and fairly in an open forum.
She's 89 years old. She should have retired years ago. That being said, I think she should be given a break, due to her extreme age. One would expect a person of that age not to have the good judgment and discretion of a younger and more mentally astute person. Her legacy should not be compromised by this misstep.
I think her comment was pretty stupid, but I know that she shares the frustration of many Americans who are sick and tired of Israel being treated like our 51st state. I recall in 2008 that a commentator had doubts about Obama because he didn't exhibit enough loyalty to Israel. It's that kind of attitude that is really enraging. Why should loyalty to Israel be a criterion for the selection of a US President?
so much for freedom of expression!!!
everything that discusses Israel is not allowed...
Israeli occupation to the Palestinian land should end and if immigration to the occupied territories is still happening then we should put an end to it and send all these occupiers back home. It's that simple!!
and for the comment about it's the same as calling African American to return back home to Africa, they didn't invade America, killed and slaughtered the natives calling it an African country where the natives are not even allowed to declare their country on a fraction of the land.
this is my opinion and i hope you are tolerant enough to discuss it. it is never anti-semit or against jews whatsoever. it is just against the injustice of the israelis in palestine.
Helen Thomas is an American who is entitled to express her opinion like everyone else. Since when we put down each other and drop our heros and moral issues for Israel or any other 3rd world country! Wake up America, before it's too late!! Learn from the past from History.
I completely disagree. She was not PC but spoke the truth.
Where is the freedom of speach?!!!
i have heared and read for many journalists, politicians, and memebr of congress asking the palestinains to fond another country. this is the main stream of Israel.
are you attacking all these who say this about the Palestinians the way you attack anyone who say it to Jewish?
to all who support Israel as a Jewish state, what do you think if Hindos, Muslims, Christians, and other religions'. followers ask to have they own country and they decided to kick every body else out of their state?
I believe that Helen Thomas' Constitutional Rights of Free Spech ar being troden on by her ouster as a journalist from stating one coherent point of view. The bad treatment of those of the Jewish faith by Germany and some other nations during WWII is no excuse for displacement of the soverign people of Palestine, and their "Apartheid" style treatment by Israel. It is time for trhe USA to break ties with the racially intollerant state of Israel and provide naval support for ships taking non-military aid provisions to Gaza.
Israel has acted as a roiue state in misusing the passports of other soverign states (e.g. Australia) in condiucting a terrorist attack on Dubai, and insulted the USA by announcing proposed illegal building of Israeli housing in occupied Jerusalem while senior US diplomates and the Vice President were visiting in an attempt to try to create a peace initiative. Israel also has further dodged the issue of atomic bomb proliferation in an almost identical manner to North Korea and Iran, but likely is a worse offender than the so called "axis of evil." Israel should be labeled as a terrorist state and given no monetary, military or diplomatic support by our Government.
Perhaps Helen Thomas said the politically unacceptable, but perhaps she is right in her assessment. Isreal shoudl try to prove her wrong by changing its policies and meeting at the table of peace.
Helen Thomas was the epitome of what's wrong with the media and the "gotcha" mentality that so many of them have. Don't bother helping people to understand the issues and getting a balanced view of what's happening just look for ways to trip people up. Those that live by the sword, die by the sword. Good riddance!
let me get this straight Helen Thomas makes a comment and her reputation is forever tarnished. Israel kills 1300 people and their reputation is just fine. Talk about strange standards some people use to twist the truth and there it is in bold print.
Chalk one up for ambush journalism on a 85 year old reporter who repeatedly asked White House spokesperson Gibbs, 'If America was going to harshly condemn Israel for the execution of 9 unarmed civilians who were passengers on the Humanitarian Food and Medical Supply flotilla'.
Did WH spokesman Gibbs even answer Thomas' repeated question?
And then shortly later, a ambush journalist is asking what appears to be a tipsy Thomas about what she advises or would seek in dealing with Israel's aggression in the Middle East?
Tarnished? She only spoke the truth. Where did our freedom of speech go?
this is America, where freedom of speech reigns supreme. whether or not we agree with her remarks is irrelevant. Others are free to put their two cents upon the subject, however chastising her for her opinions is ridiculous. all we are accomplishing, is positioning fear into the hearts and minds of anyone in the public eye. say what you will, but if its about Israel, get ready to lose your job and reputation. United conformists of america is not my country, America is!
We will all get old one day and if we are unlucky, we will say stupid things. Helen Thomas had a long and useful life, and now she is the poster girl for RETIRE AT 65. I don't blame her, I'm not angry, and she did the right thing by retiring. And ya know, opinions are like bungholes; everybody's got one and they are all full of crap.
This is such a nation of HYPOCCRITES! I thought we had an amendment allowing those of us in America to express our thoughts and ideas. But I quess I was wrong. These comments maybe offensive to some. SO WHAT! Are we now only allowed to voice opinions that are politically correct? All of you who called for her resignation are merely HYOCRITES!
so all those years and she's denied freedom of speech?
What is sad is that to many people cannot realize that as they get older it is time to relax, reflect on your life, write a book, etc. To try and continue as if you were 20 or irreplaceable is a mistake.
I am boycotting anything to do with the washington post due to the forced retirement for a perfectly valid viewpoint people confuse any criticism of israel as an attack on the jewish race or religion the visraeli government is a state terrorist with very high priced lobbying in the US government. they are not an ally but a dependant REMBER THE LIBERTY....
Five decades of service, but, alas....she bit the hand that has fed her. And everyone knows it. After all, what about the Native Americans 'land'? 90% of them were wiped out by Europeans, which is far, far, far worse than what we have here.
Interesting that her legacy could have anything but tarnish on it. She long ago dropped any pretense of objectivity. She was a partisan pundit and was proud of it. I for one will not miss her.
Maybe I misunderstood, but did Mr. Sesno just imply that Germany and Poland still have a Holocaust?
He did say that Helen Thomas suggested that "they should be send back to the holocaust".
Yes, Helen Thomas she should be given a brake. I will miss Helen Thomas. This new reporter are not like her.
What ever happens to Freedom? Are all reporters going to be done the same? How many inappropiate things have they said to the current administration? Thoma's legacy will not be tarnished by her comments about Israel. She spoke her mind. How many polices are going to be address now in Washington?
She deserves a break.
Helen Thomas should not retire nor should she be chastised for saying a controversial comment. It was a spur of the moment comment, probably with good cause from her. We are all guilty.
Other reporters,correspondents,public speakers have said worse remarks without much to-do !! I have seen Helen Thomas sitting on the front row in a c-span, etc ...actually for YEARS !! SHe should not retire and I hope President O'bama will overlook. Embarrassed, coming from the White House, SO WHAT ??? She is a top correspondence person.
Who knows, many might agree. I love my Jewish friends but do not approve of Israel at times. Thats life !! bh
She proved what kind of honest lady she is, even in the face of the Pro-Israel lobby.
Throughout history, those that have spoken the truth have been those that have been in opposition of well financed and staffed adversaries like the Pro-Israel lobby. They have been proven truthful, though, by the Grace and Mercy of The God Almighty.
No,
she is no different than the comedian making racial remarks
no different than Mel Gibson
no different than Obama's Pastor in Chicago
Many more examples could be made.
It is when people are caught off guard that they show their inner thoughts and soul.