I applaud you, Helen Thomas!
For she speaks the truth. Always. Fearlessly. Without reservation.
The only member of the White House press corps not in the thrall of a corporate master.
And now she's “retiring”.
Why?
For speaking the truth. Her truth, as she sees it along with millions of others'.
She said:
Helen Thomas, the 89-year-old superveteran of the White House press corps and a staunch liberal, has resigned days after a video was released in which she told an interviewer that Israel should "get the hell out of Palestine. Remember these people are occupied, and it's their land," and Israelis should "go home, to Poland and Germany."I salute you, Helen Thomas, for speaking up in the press for over sixty-five years. In spite of the Bushes and all the other hawks who made your job so untenable. An honest job unlike the other corporate shills in the press room who dance to the tune of their puppeteers.
The US department of Disinformation is alive and well and forcing this fearless woman to apologise for speaking the truth.
Because, you know, the US and many other countries including Canada, does not want to address the appalling situation of Palestine and its relentless and continuing ethnic annihilation by Israel.
I'm so glad you wrote this. I've been thinking the exact same thing but don't have the kind of mind (or courage) to do political writing. I'm glad you do.
ReplyDeleteI will miss seeing Helen Thomas on the front row.
Makes me think of Tony Benn. He's been saying exactly what he thinks for many many years, much to the consternation of those scrupulously toeing the party line. He's 85 so he won't be around for much longer....
ReplyDeleteIt'll be a poorer scene without her. She perhaps feels "it's time" and this was a good opportunity to go. Otherwise I think she's plenty brave enough to have weathered any storm caused by her words.
ReplyDeleteShe always asked the difficult questions which made the Empire very uncomfortable... They were looking for an excuse to get rid of her and they got one!
ReplyDeleteFunny how often a veteran can be the breath of fresh air, proving that all too often valid debate is immediately suppressed by cries of anti-semitism or racism or homophobia or whatever the accusation might be that ensures a controversial topic is never fully and frankly debated.
ReplyDeleteShe may be out but at least she went out with a bang and not a whimper.
I interrupted my vacation to write a brief post on this subject over at Sparrow Chat (and, I 'borrowed' your image!)
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