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2010-06-09 Home Front: Culture Wars

Why the Helen Thomas case makes one nervous

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Posted by Fred 2010-06-09 11:11|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11130 views ] Top

#1 Why do so many people completely miss the point?

Leftists want to use government authority to punish speech they don't like -- they whine about "hate speech" but given their tendency to ignore antisemitism, anti-white, and anti-male speech, the reality is they seek to ban dissent from their positions.

Conservatives don't want government involved. We want the free speech promised in the Constitution. That doesn't mean there are no consequences, just that the consequences are not brought about by government force. Thomas was abandoned by people free to continue their associations with her; that's fine. Her rights were not trampled, and neither were theirs.

I suspect what ticks Harsanyi off is that Helen was found a pariah for venting her Judenhass.

Posted by Rob Crawford 2010-06-09 12:21|| 2010-06-09 12:21|| Front Page Top

#2 So - the left wants consequences for anything it labels "hate speech," but only if it comes out of an unapproved, say conservative or Republican mouth. One set of rules for thee and a different set for me. Ever was it thus...

Posted by M. Murcek 2010-06-09 12:27|| 2010-06-09 12:27|| Front Page Top

#3 Harsanyi's a conservative columnist. I think in this case he's missing the fact that this is the way it's supposed to work. Having a Ministry of Information to pull her journalist's license would be the way it's not supposed to work.

Posted by Fred 2010-06-09 13:56|| 2010-06-09 13:56|| Front Page Top

#4 Meanwhile, the Rabbi who nailed Thomas has been deluged with Antisemitic hate mail, which he is posting to his website. FOX News has picked up on the story as well.

http://rabbilive.com/RabbiLIVE/Home.html

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-06-09 14:10|| 2010-06-09 14:10|| Front Page Top

#5 Helen Thomas is free to hold whatever views she wants to about Jews, and to express them as often and as forcefully as she likes. The rest of us who disagree with her are free to point out what a repulsive, hateful, and morally indefensible statement it was, and what a rotten person she is, and refuse to buy her books or hire her to give speeches or otherwise do business with her.

Hearst Newspapers, and Nine Speakers, and anyone else with whom she is associated is free to decide that they don't want to be associated with her any longer.

See. Freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom all 'round. The only consequences Helen Thomas is facing are the results of other adults exercising their freedoms.

Posted by Mike 2010-06-09 14:23|| 2010-06-09 14:23|| Front Page Top

#6 I went to the link and looked at some of the Rabbi's hate-mail. I could only bear to scroll through the first twenty or so, and I don't know which was more distressing - the sheer unbridled hate, or the almost complete illiteracy of the people sending it. Six of one, half-dozen of the other, I suppose.

Posted by Sgt.Mom 2010-06-09 15:04|| http://www.celiahayes.com 2010-06-09 15:04|| Front Page Top

#7 What makes the Helen T case different from, and more problematic than, other cases of nastiness from media figures is the ambiguity of her position. Was she a reporter, or an opinion columnist? If the latter, then she should be cut some slack. Clearly, there are "pundits" and broadcast blowhards who say offensive things every day, and no one's harmed by their bile. If Helen had the graveyard spot on Air America-- which has about the same audience as the drivetime slot-- no one would care.

The problem is that Helen was for decades given pride of place as the public's champion, the agent of the public's right to know, inside the White House, speaking truth to The Man. For the grande dame of the WH press corps to voice race hatred is a bit like a grand diva having a wardrobe malfunction at opening night at La Scala. It's not the speech in particular but the sheer ugliness of it-- in a place where decorum and tact are essential. My $0.02, anyway.

Posted by lex 2010-06-09 15:36|| 2010-06-09 15:36|| Front Page Top

#8 Was she a reporter, or an opinion columnist?

Is there really any difference other than the degree of self-disclosure?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2010-06-09 16:36|| 2010-06-09 16:36|| Front Page Top

#9 What doesn't seem to be mentioned is that the rabbi was there with his young son and son's friend. Ms Thomas was so pleased with herself for emitting her opinion at the White House during a celebration of Jewish-American accomplishment, directly to unsuspecting children.

Posted by trailing wife 2010-06-09 16:54|| 2010-06-09 16:54|| Front Page Top

#10 Does anyone still have confidence that Thomas will produce work product with impartiality and objectivity? She is a write off.

Posted by Omerelet Oppressor of the Jutes7800 2010-06-09 17:07|| 2010-06-09 17:07|| Front Page Top

#11 Was she a reporter, or an opinion columnist?

Is there really any difference other than the degree of self-disclosure?

I tempted to say the degree of *denial.*

Posted by Free Radical 2010-06-09 18:46|| 2010-06-09 18:46|| Front Page Top

#12 According to the work of John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, the power of the Jews would not allow a Helen Thomas into the journalism biz.

Actually, because of the leftist bias of the media, a bigot like Thomas could spout her anti Israel, anti US, leftist crap year after year after year winning award after award after award

Posted by lord garth 2010-06-09 19:55|| 2010-06-09 19:55|| Front Page Top

#13 I love my Flip camera.

Posted by Skunky Glins**** 2010-06-09 21:01|| 2010-06-09 21:01|| Front Page Top

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