Helen Thomas' Unfortunate Remarks, Noted Sadly

Thomas said the Jews should "GET THE HELL OUT OF PALESTINE". This is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's mantra. Yet the author of this article does not believe Ms. Thomas is anti-Semitic.

Will someone please give me an example of what Helen Thomas needed to say in order for her to be considered anti-Semitic??

In Helen Thomas' defense, unless I miss my guess she was stating what plenty of people think every time Israel unilaterally decides to throw its weight around. And I agree with the most basic sentiment she expressed, being one of frustration, and I don't believe she actually meant the part about wishing the Jews would just 'go home' - to Poland or Germany 'or the US'.

I believe her flippant remark was intended to underscore the desperation felt on 'both sides', over the relentlessness of the Mideast mess - and with no end in sight.

The Holocaust is not to be minimized, but the Jews in Israel would do well to remember they are not the only ones entitled to live, work, practice their religion, and raise families in that area. Helen was essentially correct when she said 'they are occupiers'.

'They', as a people, didn't ask for Hitler's Nazi Germany, but neither did the Palestinians ask for their brand of oppression. 'Enough already', I've echoed plenty of times, myself!

Come up with a workable two-state solution or risk the loss of support from your 'Support People'.

Reporters should remain just that - reporters, not commentators. I,for one, am not interested in a reporter's personal opinion Ms. Thomas' time was up and I am glad she's gone.

Perhaps Ms Thomas is impatient, but I can't even imagine how impatient the Israelis have become with their "sometimes hostile" neighbors who pray for the day Israel no longer exists. Name one neighbor that doesn't. And I would say that the writer's statement that Israel's neighbors are "sometimes hostile" is way off the mark - they should be characterized as "always hostile".

Many of you seem to have a complete misunderstanding of what "freedom of speech" is. Helen Thomas is free to say what she thinks. She wasn't arrested or carted off to jail for her remarks. Our freedom of speech protects us from facing repercussions from THE GOVERNMENT for the things we say.

But freedom of speech does NOT protect us from being fired or shunned by society if we say things that others view as unacceptable. Helen Thomas' employers exercised their freedom to have employees who aren't embarrassing them with offensive statements. When George Allen lost his bid for re-election to the U.S. Senate because of his silly "macaca" remark, was his freedom of speech being violated? Of course not.

In the USA we are free to say what we think. The government won't stop us. But we may still face consequences from society at large. That's how it always has been, and that's how it should be.

Kathleen, ignorance is bliss, isn't it? As i've previously stated, actions have consequences, some good some bad. Helen worked for an agency that disagreed with the opinion she used, they fired her for it. Has nothing to do with freedom of speech and everything to do with working for your employer. If I work for say, Wal-Mart, I certainly can't expect to wear a Target uniform to work and expect to keep my job.

The PLO don't have a country, and they shouldn't, they're not much more than a terrorist organization seeking recognition. Palestine lost their country to Isreal after having tried to invade and destroy Israel. In my opinion, they should be wiped out (but hey, that's because i strongly disagree with their views and methods). That being said, they initiated a conflict with Isreal (many decades ago), had their clocks cleaned, and now you want everybody to feel sorry for them. They are lucky they have what they have. If i were Isreal, I'd just finish the job.

You don't tell lions not to eat the gazelles, they'd laugh at you.

This area has been at war since long before Jesus was an itch in somebody's pants, so it really doesn't matter what we 'westerner's' say anyway.

Thomas' mistake was using the word "jew" instead of Zionist. Jews have lived/coexisted peacefully in Palestine for thousands of years. Zionists came in the 20th century, insisted the land was theirs alone and started the expulsion of non-Jews. Zionism has been condemned by a number of UN resolutions and Israel's expansionist racist policies have been condemned by many many countries including the US. Criticizing Jews is racist and criticizing Zionists is political. I'm mostly disheartened by Thomas' lack of clarity on this important distinction and cannot defend her.
Had she used the word Zionist instead it may still have created controversy as any criticism of Israel is usually not permitted.

It is a very scary day when someone is fired, or retires, because of her opinion. We live in the United States of America and we have all just witnessed the freedom of speech being completley abused. Scary, very scary.

On the one hand, there is the question of "free speech". On the other hand, she is a public figure. On the one hand, apparently, Ms. Thomas' views on Israel are well-known. On the other hand, if we fired everyone who is bigoted in one way or another, no one would be working. Let it go. The only person harmed by this statement is the women herself. The real question is: are words so dangerous that we need to destroy anyone who doesn't watch what they say? What about "protected speech". I don't agree with Ms. Thomas, but I believe in her right to be "outrageous".

Helen Thomas said what millions of people would like to say but are effectively silenced because they will be charged with anti-semitism. Why can't we separate the acts of Israel as a nation from the fact that its people are Jewish? I'm sorry to bring a note of rational thought to this discussion, but there is no "promised land," and there are no "chosen people." Israel should be held accountable for its actions in the same way the we (American taxpayers, mostly not Jewish) expect of other nations that we fund and support. The creation of the state of Israel was a mistake from the very beginning and the sooner it goes away, the better. The unfortunate thing for the Israelis is that their own actions will be their destruction.

the muslims invade that land 800 years ago stealing it from the jews,HELEN THEY ARE HOME. and would someone please tell me why palestinians can set up unguided rockets in their civilian settlements launch them into israeli cities and when the israelis respond with a guided missle that takes out the launch site they are accused of being the aggressor and not the ones who fired first.