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University Cancels "Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media" Award
Remarks on Palestinians, Zionism, brought 'negative light' to honor, official says
The Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media award has been retired because of controversial remarks Thomas, an Arab-American, made at a conference Thursday in Dearborn and earlier this year, school officials said.
“I paid a price, but it’s worth it to speak the truth,” former White House reporter Helen Thomas said Thursday about her controversial comment about Israeli Jews. (Robin Buckson / The Detroit News) Thomas said at a diversity conference that "Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned by Zionists. No question, in my opinion."
Her remarks have cast a shadow over the award, which was set up more than a decade ago to honor diversity and excellence in journalism, officials said.
"The controversy has brought a negative light to the award, which was never the intent of the award," said Matthew Seeger, interim dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State.
Thomas, 90, resigned as a columnist for Hearst Newspapers in June after telling an interviewer that Jews should "get the hell out" of the Palestinian territories and go to Germany, Poland or the United States. She didn't back away from those remarks on Thursday but instead expounded on what she called the influence of Zionists worldwide.
Thomas could not be reached Friday.
Thomas' sister, Barbara Isaac, said they had expected WSU might eventually make such a decision, especially with this week's controversy.
"It boils down to more punishment for being honest and forthright," said Isaac. "She wanted to tell the truth. She's trying to get justice for the Palestinian people."
Wayne State is "showing its fear" of losing donors, Isaac said, adding that her sister was not referring to Jewish people when she used the word "Zionists" but to people who are "pro-Israel."
"All Jewish people are not Zionists," Isaac said.
But Jewish leaders applauded WSU's decision: "(We) applaud their courage in rescinding the award and distancing themselves from this blatantly anti-Semitic rhetoric that has no place in an academic institution," said Betsy Kellman, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League.
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166 Comments so far
Show AllWow! Helen Thomas, I am impressed because you have certainly scared those pseudo thinkers silly! You STILL have great power, because they are STILL afraid of you.
The TRUTH can set people free, but it just makes the NON-thinkers scream.
I wonder if Wayne State will change its name to the more simple "Fascist State University?"
It is so odd for a univeristy NOT to tolerate FREE SPEECH!
HOWEVER, "university," now that ypu have declared yourself a "bastion of truth telling ( at least in your eyes) PLEASE tell us what other awards you will deprive the needy students of receiving. Will you be offering a "Spirit of Paranoia of the World" award?
As long as you're cleaning house: do you accept any monies from BANKS, and what are your investments...EXACTLY? Any monies invested in Boering etc. etc.
OMG! I hope you don't accept any money from that place that uses children as shields for soldiers, starves the those who live in very close proximity, OR, WORSE have declared all citizens to be COLLATERAL DAMAGE!
Hmmmm, a degree from this school must be worth about......nothing!
This is so ironic I had to check and see if it wasn't an article from The Onion.
Helen Thomas has always held the only award that really matters: the admiration and respect of intelligent informed Americans (the few of us left) who know that Zionism created the genocide of the Palestinian people and that it is long past time for that fact to be the basis of US policy regarding Israel. Helen Thomas spoke truth to power and paid the price but she is in revered company! Thank you, Helen, I've admired you since I was a kid watching you question LBJ on the Vietnam war and I love you even more now!
"the admiration and respect of intelligent informed Americans"
Second only in rarity to the chastity of New Jersey Shore teenagers
Again and again, many thanks Ms Thomas. You are missed in what passes for journalism these days.
Just like 1930's Germany. Diversity now means toeing the party line, supporting government allies and excoriating their "enemies." Truth and facts have nothing to do with it anymore.
I hope the Blackshirts don't make her drink her quart of Castor Oil, as the Italian Fascists did to any intellectuals, teachers, thinkers, writers, gays, and anyone else that didn't follow the party line.
I am old enough to remember those days, and the tremendous effort made to rid the world of them, sadly to be reincarnated here in the US and in Israel.
As the sage said, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Helen, you will be remembered and revered for your wisdom and sagacity when the Oligarchy and its minions have all passed onto the dust heap of time.
"I hope the Blackshirts don't make her drink her quart of Castor Oil, as the Italian Fascists did to any intellectuals, teachers, thinkers, writers, gays, and anyone else that didn't follow the party line." -- minitrue
You brought back a Fellini film to my memory...
Fellini's 1973 film -- Amarcord incorporates scenes such as described by minitrue -- if the people reading haven't already seen the film, it's worth the time.
Just because nutty scapegoating like "jews controll holywood" isn't the current party line doesn't make it any more interesting than it was in 1930. Ideas like that were all the rage back then.
Helen could have become leader of Germany in 1930 on that one. Rascist scapeegoating isn't "truth".
The day we think it is we are in trouble.
I hope Helen Thomas will write a book.
Lies are clearly the greatest enemy of humanity, they gave us war upon war, including 'The War on Terror' based on the reworked 'Operation Northwoods' proposal for a false-flag attack on the United States to frame Fidel Castro in order to invade again, but with pull force as in Viet Nam, Panama, Grenada, Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and Yugoslavia.
The truth is the solution or antiseptic to the calculating conspirators crafting them, getting them operational as on September 11, 2001. I suppose they see it as a lessor of evils, to assassinate (killed to effect history) people in NYC, DC, and PA; in order to assassinate millions more since and the profits - as if it was a "hidden agenda" when in fact is "business as usual" and journalist posted on this wonderful site are not forthcoming on this most salient and repressed lie of our live time.
Are those of you honoring Helen Thomas, willing to walk a mile in her traveled shoes to speak out and call for the impeachment of Obama, Clinton, Gates, etc, etc, etc!?
Here is a man who has that you must hear: http://noliesradio.org/archives/14342
Bill
I guess they don't "Do" irony at Wayne State University. I assume the Helen Thomas Spirit of diversity award celebrates diversity because it is important for different opinions from different types of people to be heard. So what do they do, they dump the award because Helen offered her different opinion on the middle east.
Sometimes you just can't make this stuff up.
The problem with her "different" opinion is that it's a rather nutty and simplistic childish racial
based cospiracy theory that is the unfortunate result of of a clasic neurotic projection that would generally be cosidered a paranoid blaming scenario, something we generally consider racial scapegoating. very much on par with blaming mexicans for stealing all our jobs.
It may make us feel better to project our violence and murder and oppression away from ourselves and say its "jews" that did it.
We can use it to explain alot. "jews controll wall street" explains away the entire financial and economic mess by diverting the root cause away from deregulation and neo classical economics theories and crony capitalism and a lack of proper parenting leading to a morrally underdeveloped population and simply blaming "jews". This is EXACTLY what the Nazis did. Then the "solution" to the economic problem can be to simply get rid of "jews". Whoever they may be or however we can pretend "they" "the other" is different from ourselves. See the problem can never be with "US" the problem ALWAYS has to be "them". It just feels SO good even though it's 100% false and bogus.
So yea "jew bating" at a diversity conference is pretty ironic but also kind of typical in such a sick world.
As solarhamster noted previously, Amerikan university officials and financial backers are perhaps the most conformist, reactionary, craven, spineless, and bootlicking toadies to the power elite in the Solar System.
The administrative bacteria running Wayne State University are not interested in competing for any Profiles In Courage awards.
All of their resolve and determination is reserved for making obeisance to their political masters and financial backers, and in this case deferring to the genocidal Zionist terrorist rogue state of Israel.
Simply put, the university poobahs aren't fit to administer the "The Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media award". They're more of a tenth-rate "Nobel Peace Prize" crowd.
I'm sure Helen understands that it's THEM, not HER.
It is time to boycott the institutions that boycott the tellers of truth. Two can play at this game, and collectively we can apply far more pressure. Boycott those who boycott the truth about Zionist and Israel.
Look!...over there...the shiny object over there...it's sinister, bad Helen Thomas saying horribly terrible things!
Signed,
Cheney, Bush, Limbaugh, Beck, Chamber of Commerce, Supreme Court, Health Insurance Industry, BP, Obama, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, ExxonMobil, Goldman-Sachs, Hannity, Murdoch, O'Reilly, et al.
So another corporate university just can't handle the truth. So, much for 'real' educational institutions in this deteriorating country. First texass and now michigan reworking history.
Hell yeah the zionist own, control or have a lot of say in most of what a lot of people think is pure american. It is one of the reasons hebrews have been persecuted throughout history in most every place because they spread into other countries and stick that big fat ugly noses in other peoples affairs, economies, governments and all the rest of it. A perfect position for them to manipulate other nations and peoples for those zionist bastards benefit. Not to be confused with those jews who are not happy what their radical fundamentalists jerks are about.
If anyone can direct me to a truthful and precise and concise book on the history of the hebrews and all its ugly history, please do.
I doubt any book would enlighten you. I am absolutely anti-Zionist but I am totally NOT anti-Semitic (against any Semitic people, including the Hebrews). Your use of physiology-based racial slurs is ridiculous and kind of shows that you just want to hate an identifiable group of people regardless of whether the individual(s) directly viewed are actually Zionists (for whom we can all have a legitimate grievance) or just Jewish/Hebrews (for whom there is no direct grievance other than bigotry).
I have more than one Jewish friend who deplores the actions of the Zionist State, just as I have many American friends who deplore the American Empire. Maybe you just accidentally cast your net too wide. But it is people who say things in the way you said them that give the people that shut Helen down the excuse to do what they did. Great job, sir.
Your welcome for the 'great job' though you don't or conveniently miss my separation of zionists and jews, the problem, and the jewish people who are or don't want anything to do with the zionist faction.
The zionist IF YOU and what's his/her face care or not, are just as I described, and such that they have through history tried to control nations, tribes, groups or states through subtle and not so subtle manipulation, AND even attack and commit genocide amongst their on factions.
As with you and the other, I have friends who are jews, great and wonderful and upset about the arrogant zionist fools whom they don't appreciate as being of the same creed. The crap, no, make that the paranoid crap controlling izrael are a problem and are goddamn guilty of ongoing genocide of the Palestinians.
And dim walter thinking and calling me a member of the klan, well, if that is what you think, think it. I can only think you don't know your anus from the hole in ground you keep your head in, zionists running izrael are just the proto-kkk, sick and despicable and the leading terrorist nation on the planet along with the u.s.a. And I pity those jews who have to suffer under their repressive rule. You and eric love em so much, move on over to izrael and have a great time.
My appologies then. I was mostly off-put by your "big, fat, ugly noses" comment since it is a common stereotype of Jews that they have big noses. Sorry to go off, then if you meant nothing of the sort. I guess I am being so overly-touchy about the whole "anti-Zionists being labeled anti-Jewish" that I went ahead and committed a friendly fire violation. I take it back? At least it wasn't bullets....
samosamo,
I heard the same bigoted screed from a Klanner 30 years ago. It was repulsive then, but at least he knew who he was and didn't hide it. If you claim to be a progressive, a liberal, or even tolerant, you are lying to us and yourself.
"Hell yeah the zionist own, control or have a lot of say in most of what a lot of people think is pure american. It is one of the reasons hebrews have been persecuted throughout history in most every place because they spread into other countries and stick that big fat ugly noses in other peoples affairs, economies, governments and all the rest of it. A perfect position for them to manipulate other nations and peoples for those zionist bastards benefit."
Wow, the racism here is unmistakable and undeniable. There's a lot of examples of whites disparaging some of the characteristics of blacks in the USA, but if any of us were to write them here and then say, "But I only feel that way about blacks who disagree with me politically, not all blacks," I think there's a good chance we'd be banned.
One thing I've never understood, though, is the absolutely mad logic people like you (wacko conspiracy theorists, that is) use. You say that the "Zionists" "manipulate other nations," and, in fact, that's why they are persecuted. So, according to you, these "Zionists" have had, "throughout history," enough power to be the puppet masters of entire nations, but at the same time don't have enough power to stop themselves from being persecuted.
Yep. That makes the kind of sense that isn't.
vux, whether you are jewish of not makes not a difference to me. You want to jump in and call me racist, it is only because what I see is ultimately more than racist from the little state of izrael who are hell bent on dictating policies all around the world or trying to, why else would a people who are taken over a sovereign country trying to fiddle with america for their support through political action committees? So from what some stupid or arrogant zionist supporters and subverters think of as racist, no matter how you try, the few that rule izrael and the jews living there and elsewhere are even worse that what you try to make me to be. Could be and is evident from your hubristic attitude that you don't have a clue about the real hebrew history.
Go take a survey, a non-bais survey of all jews living in izreal, to see how they like what the zionist racist bastards leaders are doing. Then go around the world and see what the jews spread around the world have to say.
And this AIN'T about black people or the american native indians that for most parts haven't been the manipulators that you try to confuse the issue with. Go back to your izraeli sand box and live there and see how how you get along, most likely you would get along quite well. Once again your ideas conveniently just doesn't have shit to do with what is happening today.
Also, the genocide of Palestinians and the attack on people trying to help the people there undeniably demonstrate what your favorite zionist leaders are all about.
I haven't said anything supporting the policies of Israel. You're responding to what you wished I'd written rather than what I wrote, something far, far too common here at CD. Reading comprehension is your friend.
And racism looks the same no matter what we're talking about, far from confusing the issue the illustration I used shows just how repulsive what you wrote is. The caracitured features you write about are the hallmarks of a racist. At least stand by what you wrote.
I also notice you say nothing about your fringe conspiracy theory except to once again insist that, somehow, Jews are "manipulators." Your lack of evidence is overwhelming, as is your cliched racism.
Your posts boil down to "those sneaky Jews is a-hurtin' us!" Don't expect decent human beings to respect that.
the women is an ass kisser and born conformist - boring to the death
aedweg
Can't these peope get it right? Helen Thomas was quoted directly in the Wall Street Journal as saying that "israelis should get the hell out of Israel." She didn't use the word "Jews" or the Wall Street Jouranl surely would have used that. Please! Let's stop putting all this garbage her talkking about the Jews. The Jews arren't Israel, and we can be thanks that the police state of Israel isn't the Jews, and really is a liberling of a great people and misrepresentation of them as well.
AD
Can't these peope get it right? Helen Thomas was quoted directly in the Wall Street Journal as saying that "israelis should get the hell out of Israel." She didn't use the word "Jews" or the Wall Street Jouranl surely would have used that. Please! Let's stop putting all this garbage her talkking about the Jews. The Jews arren't Israel, and we can be thanks that the police state of Israel isn't the Jews, and really is a liberling of a great people and misrepresentation of them as well.
AD
Are you talking about Helen Thomas?
Joe
My edumacated guess is that AD meant to quote, "Israelis should get the hell out of Palestine", not "out of Israel".
To her reactionary detractors, Thomas might as well have said what AD mistakenly wrote. In fact, that's exactly what they heard.
Nesenoff: Any comments on Israel? We're asking everybody today, any comments on Israel?
Thomas: Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.
Nesenoff: Oooh. Any better comments on Israel?
Thomas: Remember, these people are occupied and it's their land. It's not German, it's not Poland ...
Nesenoff: So where should they go, what should they do?
Thomas: They go home.
Nesenoff: Where's the home?
Thomas: Poland, Germany and America and everywhere else[55]
Nesenoff: So you're saying the Jews go back to Poland and Germany?
Thomas: And America and everywhere else. Why push people out of there who have lived there for centuries? See?
-------------------------------------------
See? She didn't say to leave Palestine and go back to Israel, she wasn't just talking about the occupied territories. She said to leave the entire region. That's not reactionary. That's just what she said.
Helen Thomas was interviewed on Real News where she elaborates her position.
What's your angle vox? First criticizing Sarah Palin was "putting a female face on patriarchy," and now you seem to be implying Helen Thomas is an anti Semite, despite the fact that she *does* in fact specifically refer to occupied Palestine. Are you a neo-con troll using identity politics to push right wing ideas? Or just clueless? What next Julian Assange is a rapist for not using a condom, and that not voting for Palin would be sexist?
It's exactly people like you who patrol the left for identity politics purity who creep me out about what the true end goals of identity politics are. From what I can see they are *not* a goal of a peaceful equal society with solidarity, sisterhood and brotherhood, cooperation, and participatory economics and governance, but rather a balkanization of warring tribes each making sure their particular groups issue is at the forefront of debate.
Helen Thomas is a hero and courageous truth speaker about Israel's murderous land thieving occupation of Palestine, leave her the fuck alone! And for the truly clueless so are Noam Chomsky, Amy Goodmen, Norman Finklestein and millions of Jewish people on the left.
United we stand against the oligarchy, divided we fall, p.c.in group/out group language policing divides us and we fall. Get, it, got it, good!
My angle? The truth.
Once again, for those slow on the uptake, Thomas most certainly did not say that the Jews should leave the occupied territories and go back to Israel. She said they should leave the entire region.
You, of course, would rather make things up about me and then attack those things you've made up rather than talk about the hideous comment from Thomas. You realize that there are people born in Israel who have never been to Poland, or Germany, or America and "everywhere else." But somehow, Helen Thomas is dictating to them that Israel isn't their home, these other places are, and the Jew-haters on the Left jump to her defense.
Not really sure what that has to do with "identity politics," but I know your style of "debate" well enough to know that's what you label everything you don't like.
No vox. She said "Palestine", not the "whole area".
Israel has a habit of sending new immigrants from other countries, not all of them that Helen mentioned, to be on the front lines of the land grabs.
She clarified your misunderstanding by saying Israel is an established state and she never said anyone should to get out of Israel.
Just wanted to clear up some misunderstanding and this is why the border of Israel is the issue to be settled for a two state solution to work.
One more thing if you think those that defend Helen, makes them "Jew Haters" nothing anybody says will clear up your bigotry, for you have a long way to go to be a fair & reasonable.
Now you are just lying Vox, here is the one specific geographic reference in the above conversation:
"Any comments on Israel? We're asking everybody today, any comments on Israel?
Thomas: Tell them to get the hell out of *Palestine.**"
Everything else in the conversation (if you can call entrapment a conversation) is an abstract referent back to that original statement about *Palestine.*
But nice try at a hateful smear against one of the heroes of our time.
I am going to ask you formally now, do you consider yourself on the left Vox?
"Jew-haters on the Left"
All people on the left are just evil neo-Nazi anti Semites aren't they? And people wonder why I consider identity politics to not be a left analysis but actually a form of fascism based on the idea of each identity group being a warring micro nation separate onto itself.
But surely, as her seat at front-row-center established, her position of power and dominance in reporting gave her no need or desire to brown nose, everyone in the White House Press Club had to conform to a standard of her unique creation, and absolutely no boring reporter ever gets to interview the President.
What does this comment mean? Of whom is it speaking?
As usual the worthless ADL has to toss in their 2 cents. If anti-semitism were wiped out in humanity these nuts would have to invent it just to keep a job. Oh, wait a minute, they already do.
If you have enough money you just buy a university, you own it and all its research is tilted in your favor, whether for propriety rights or ideologue.
1. Helen Thomas had a decades long career as a successful reporter, front row seat in the WH.
2. She is abruptly pressured out after answering a what is your personal opinion question from a rabbi on his personal cellphone camera. Her answer was honest and direct. Remember this was after she had encouraged his students to become reporters to "go for it" you can't go wrong. Apparently she felt this was her calling in life and appreciated it. I would think the way she was treated by the media and Washington press by their actions would discourage young people from pursuing journalism.
3. The zionists have their agendas and push them. The more manipulative and destructive they become the less credible they are.
4. Let me be frank too, I am sick of Israel.
BADGE OF HONOR
My old gray hairs received a step up in glory since courageous Helen became a national hero, hers the wisdom of age breaking barriers with a gusto we never dreamed of.
Truth is anti-Semitic, in so many ways, that one cannot have an honest debate with a Zionist without such a label slamming you character. ”Thank you for the complement, a badge of honor surely,” that’s what I always say.
There are more Christian Zionists in EmpireUSA-Israel then there are Zionists of the Jewish faith. For though the New Testament declares the Jewish religion to be an obsolete faith, dead creed and pure corruption, surely all the Christian denominations have so lowered their standard for a child of God that destined for heaven and welcomed in fellowship are all those of both religions in any church or synagogue.
All of our Empire is dedicated to establishing world dominance by monopolizing world oil, and all those who have any position of authority in it are surely going to do all things necessary to silence Helen, you or any other dissident who dares to differ openly with those in power. A badge of honor surely that’s what I always say.
". . . the New Testament declares the Jewish religion to be an obsolete faith, dead creed and pure corruption . . . "
Where exactly are these declarations made? "the New Testament" being largely a collection of Hellenistic Jewish texts such an all-encompassing and un-nuanced condemnation of "the Jewish religion" would seem unlikely. Maybe "some forms of some aspects of 'the Jewish religion' as now practiced by some of the Sons of Abraham"?
Just more Corporate criminalization of dissent. Nothing to see here. Move along, people.
Helen's onto something.
Go, Helen, go!
There will be a new award someday for both Helen and Julian called the "VERITAS FOREVER" award.
“Truth", like a bubble lodged underwater, may be captured for a long, long time; but it will NEVER EVER disappear and someday, as things change, the bubble of “Truth” surfaces.
Today we have Helen, we have Julian, and next we have …
Egad! How much damage can 2% of the US population do to our nation?
What one university does with an award is damaging the USA? Really? Wow.
Troll! You use left memes to push a neo-con agenda don't you? Fess up!
Actually, I was responding directly to what Ocean said. Perhaps you need to look up the definition of troll. Wait, here, I did it for you, from Wikipedia, I think it's a definition we can all agree on:
"In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion."
Now see, I responded to something that was said in a way that made clear I thought the conclusion Ocean jumped to was wildly inaccurate. Perhaps you'd like to defend the preposterous notion that one university changing an award is actually hurting America. Feel free.
You, on the other hand, posted an "inflammatory, extraneous, (and) off-topic messages in an online community." Indeed, all you did was call me a name in an appeal to pure emotionalism.
So yeah, quite ironically you actually were guilty of the very thing you accused me of, which is a trick the Republicans used all throughout Bush's presidency. Now, you and I both know this isn't about any post I made in this thread but rather you have leftover bile to spew from another thread entirely, one in which you actually lied about what I wrote. You seem to have a personal vendetta against me now. That's just boring, and kind of sad.
States are defined by their boundaries. What are the boundaries of Israel? Does Palestine have a right to exist?
Good questions I am quite certain Vox will studiously avoid as they aren't on (her???) Hasbara work sheet.
I never met a Jew until I was doing my student teaching. My supervisor mentioned obliquely that he was Jewish. At age 21 I had only a vague idea of what that meant. I still have only a vague idea except that:
Jews are just like me. Their approach to religion is more honest than what I grew up with (I'm thinking of the Rabbi who said that if the whole Bible were proved false tomorrow it would have no effect on his faith).
I don't like people who use guns to force others to accept second class personhood. I don't like big guys beating up on little guys. You have to be a heartless bastard to deny whole groups of people, (as in the Golan Heights) food, water, medicine, access to travel.
I am ashamed of my country for many reasons. The state of Israel seems prepared to take full advantage of the moral bankruptcy of the USA to grind into the dust their semitic brothers.
Israel knows that it is a military base of the USA and they don't want to lose what seems to be an inexhaustible supply of money, arms, prestige.
The end of a thing is better than it's beginning----Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end is nigh, and this time I kid you not.