Editor’s Le tter
Helen Thomas’ Slander Of Jews
W ayne State University got it right in abruptly end-
ing its Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the
Media Award following the embattled journalist’s
latest outburst against Israel and Zionists. The tirade reeked of
stupidity if not blatant hatred toward Jews.
Thomas is no longer a role model to
emulate or honor. Any hint of being an
objective reporter or reasoned colum-
nist is long gone.
In the brooding shadows of an iconic
journalist’s disintegrated career, the
award — long on potential — had
become tainted. Detroit-based Wayne
State smartly understood that.
Robert Sklar
The eight members of Wayne State’s
Editor
Board of Governors include two Jews:
Eugene Driker and Richard Bernstein.
On Saturday night, Driker told the JN,
“I was very pleased that the university administration acted
swiftly and forcefully both to condemn Ms. Thomas’ remarks
as anti-Semitic, which they surely were, and to end the grant-
ing of an award in her name intended to recognize diversity in
the journalism profession.
“Ms. Thomas’ venomous comments have
drained all meaning from that award.”
With insolence but clarity on Dec. 2, while
appearing at the eighth annual “Images and
Perceptions of Arab Americans” conference,
Thomas stood by her May 27 assertion that
Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine”
and “go home to Poland, Germany and
Helen Thomas
America and everywhere else” — a belief
that drew praise from Hamas. In the wake
of mounting outrage, the Arab American
journalist was forced to retire as an opinion
columnist with Hearst News Service, where
she had worked since 2000. Previously,
she had worked 57 years for United Press
International, gaining fame as its senior
White House correspondent.
Last week in Dearborn, Thomas perpetu- Eugene Driker
ated her anti-Israel and anti-Jewish beliefs
— declaring that the “Zionist lobby” in America was succeed-
ing in punishing her and demonizing Arabs through its nefari-
ous control of American government and culture.
In neither case was Thomas criticizing the Israeli govern-
ment, which as part of a democratic state demands scrutiny
and debate. She was attacking Jews as a people.
A Strong Rebuke
Incensed by Thomas’ reckless disregard for the award named
in her behalf, Wayne State issued a concise and pointed state-
ment one day after her remarks last week. The statement
began, “As a public university, Wayne State encourages free
speech and open dialogue — and respects diverse view-
points.” It went on to strongly condemn “the anti-Semitic
remarks made by Helen Thomas during a conference yes-
terday” — and to indicate it “will no longer offer the Helen
Thomas Spirit of Diversity Award.”
That landmark statement for a public university — iden-
tifying and condemning remarks in public discourse as anti-
Semitic — emerged within hours of the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) calling on journalism schools and professional
organizations that have recognized Thomas to rescind their
honors after she “clearly, unequivocally revealed herself as a
vulgar anti-Semite.”
That Thomas bared her anti-Jewish soul once more, this
time at a seminar designed to discuss intolerance toward
Arabs, underscores the depth of the hatred she must harbor.
At a program intended to fight bigotry against Arabs, she
unleashed invective toward Jews — and in the process roused
an ovation from the audience at Byblos Banquet Center.
Zionist Propaganda?
Arab Detroit, an organization that seeks to promote an accu-
rate image of the Arab American community and the Arab
world, sponsored last week’s conference. According to the
Detroit Free Press, Thomas told attendees: “I can call a presi-
dent of the United States anything in the book, but I can’t
touch Israel, which has Jewish-only roads in the West Bank. We have decent
No Americans would tolerate that — white-only roads.” income and some
She continued: “We are owned by the propagandists credit card debt
against the Arabs. There’s no question about that. Congress,
but our house is
the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street, are owned
by the Zionists. No question, in my opinion. They put their way underwater.
money where their mouth is. . . We’re being pushed into a What can we do?
wrong direction in every way.” A loan mod will not
Is that not a chilling rejection of reality? help because the banks
Upwards of 300 seminar-goers heard Thomas’ canard. are not reducing
(For the record, there are no “Jewish-only roads” in the principal. Your best
West Bank. There are Israeli-only roads, open to all Jews, play is to consider a short sale
Christians, Muslims and others, which were created because of the home. To do so, you’re
of the murder of people traveling in vehicles with Israeli going to need to plan carefully.
license plates on unsecured roads). You will have to let the pay-
ments fall behind and we need
ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said, “Her sugges-
tion that Zionists control government, finance and Hollywood to see if we can make you ap-
is nothing less than classic, garden-variety anti-Semitism.” pear financially distressed so to
convince the lender to approve
ADL Michigan Region Executive Director Betsy Kellman the deal. A solid plan also needs
added, “Ms. Thomas had a long and distinguished career; to address the hit to your credit
but her current viewpoint is too egregious and unacceptable score and the chance of success.
to ignore.”
Such stereotypes, especially control of government and
finance, represent a popular refrain for Jew-haters. Hitler’s
propagandists embraced such stereotyping as German Jews
rose to influential heights in German society. Today’s anti-
Semites flood the Internet as well as mainstream media
online talkbacks with similar charges.
A Winding Road
Thomas, 90, a Winchester, Ky., native, is the daughter of
Lebanese immigrants to the U.S. She grew up in Detroit and
is a 1942 graduate of what is now Wayne State University.
The same evening she spoke to the “Images and Perceptions
of Arab Americans” conference, she visited the Arab
American National Museum in Dearborn, where a sculpture
of her was unveiled in recognition of her long and storied
career as a journalist and a trailblazer for women in the pro-
fession.
The WSU Department of Communication’s Journalism
Area presented the annual Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity
in the Media Award for at least 10 years. The award included
honors for journalists and scholarships for students. Thomas
often appeared at award ceremonies, regaling students with
her presidential experiences going back to John Kennedy. .
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Editor's Letter on page 6
December 9 • 2010 5
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A umnist. Later, after learning of Thomas’
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david.rott@us.ductz.com COMPANY outburst to “bigotry”
www.ductz.com and “a cancer of the
human spirit.”
Also honored in
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Arab American News
publisher Osama
Silbani, whose news-
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ning exaggeration — more precisely,
top ensuring that complete Jew-bashing — when it comes to Israel
service and compliance is and the Middle East. In the wake of
achieved. Thomas’ “Get the hell out of Palestine”
remarks and subsequent forced retire-
ment, Siblani wrote on June 12 in his
www.hoodz.us.com newspaper that she “should be com-
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Free Inspections and Estimates nate.wojtasinski@hoodz.us.com COMPANY Clearly, there was an urgent need for
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tighter criteria to select the professional
winners of the award — which JN
publisher Arthur Horwitz asserted in a
Publisher’s Notebook on July 8 follow-
ing the May flap over Thomas.
Wayne State has about 800 Jewish
students. It has an active Hillel and a
strong Jewish alumni and donor base.
Boots and Western Wear But it is well known for its diverse
enrollment, board makeup and support
base. Its yanking of the Helen Thomas
award is not a case of the “Zionist
Boulet Boot lobby,” as Thomas might suggest.
Trunk Show Wayne State’s quick condemnation
sets an example for academic institu-
Fri. Dec 10 & tions and professional organizations
that have honored Thomas. Most
Sat. Dec 11 notable among those organizations is
10 - 8pm Freedom Forum, a Washington-based
nonpartisan foundation that champions
Native American free press and free speech rights.
Jewelry The ostensibly mainstream American
Cool Snap Shirts Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
honored her at its Nov. 18 national con-
Lucchese Boots
vention in Washington. ADC’s founder,
Wrangler Jeans former U.S. Sen. James Abourezk,
Voted D-South Dakota, intoned: “What she
Best said is what I’ve been saying for years
— the Zionists should get the hell out
Western Store of Palestine. Where they go when they
by Hour Magazine leave there is not my concern.”
The Society of Professional
Journalists, to which I belong, is wres-
tling with its Helen Thomas Lifetime
20411 Farmington Rd. Achievement Award — and how
(South of 8 Mile) Holiday Hours Thomas’ right of free speech (and right
Livonia, MI 10-8 Mon-Sat to offend the civilized world) contrasts
(248) 476-1262 12-5 Sunday with a prestigious award being named
after her. I urge the SPJ national board
www.ScottColburnWestern.com
6 December 9 • 2010
to reconsider the award title.
Building Controversy
Thomas retired on June 7 after her
controversial May 27 remarks Israeli
Jews were captured on videotape by
Rabbi David Nesenoff of RabbiLive.
com at the first Jewish American
Heritage Month event at the White
House. Those remarks were dissemi-
nated on the Internet.
Amid Jewish outcry over her
remarks following the rabbi’s release
of his video on his website, Thomas
apologized via her website. She “deeply
regretted” the remarks, noting they
didn’t reflect her “heartfelt belief that
peace will come to the Middle East
only when all parties recognize the
need for mutual respect and tolerance.”
The apology was evasive at best: she
still extended no recognition or accep-
tance of Israel as a legitimate member
of the family of nations.
The spontaneity of her remarks
when a camera was pointed at her
was overwhelmed by her prepared
comments in Dearborn. As the ADL’s
Foxman put it, “It shows a prejudice
that is deep-seated
and obsessive.”
Such hate must
have been brew-
ing for years. In his
analysis last week,
Foxman observed,
“While we will never
Abraham know what the hid-
Foxman den trigger was that
led Thomas to reveal
her prejudice, it is troubling that for
more than 60 years, she has made a
pretense of impartiality as a journal-
ist with a large megaphone. It makes
it even that much more horrendous
and horrific that she is now using that
megaphone to release her prejudice in
its crudest, most vulgar form. ”
In a Detroit Free Press interview
before her Dec. 2 speech, Thomas
further delved into fantasy, claiming
Menachem Begin, Israeli prime min-
ister from 1977 to 1983, created the
operating plan for modern-day terror.
Ultimately, I am sure Wayne State
will come up with a new, better way
to maintain the core principles of
spotlighting the spirit of diversity in
journalism: to honor excellence in
journalism and to promote a diverse
journalists’ corps. What’s most impor-
tant is preserving the raising of schol-
arship money for minority journalism
students, perhaps under the name of
a WSU graduate worthier than Helen
Thomas. ■