Helen Thomas is an 89-year-old journalist who for decades served as a UPI reporter and had a seat of honor in the White House newsroom because of her long tenure.  She most recently was employed by the Hearst syndicate as a columnist.  She is the lady in red who would end every presidential press conference by standing and saying, “Thank you, Mr. President.” She was such a fixture in Washington that movie makers would ask her to play herself on film.

She resigned (aka was fired) for having an opinion and expressing it.  Unfortunately for her it was a politically incorrect opinion!  She learned late that "Freedom of the Press" does not necessarily mean freedom for the Press. 

She had been asked by Rabbi David Nesenoff what she thought about Israel, at the Jewish American Heritage Month reception held at the White House at the end of last month, and was caught on film saying, “Tell them [Jews] to get the hell out of Palestine” and that they should “go home” to Poland, Germany, America and elsewhere.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs criticized her statements, saying, “I think those remarks were offensive and reprehensible.”  The Associated Press quoted the White House Correspondents Association in a rare statement which described her comments as “indefensible.”

Regardless of your opinion of Israel / Palestine / Arabs / occupation and all the possible inter-related issues, the Empire’s Thought Police should not have absolute sway over journalists.

It is unfortunate that Thomas’ career has ended because of a comment which should have been hers to make freely.  Sometimes the First Amendment just doesn’t apply.  That’s the way it is in the New World of the Columbian Empire.

As for me, give me a free and independent Tennessee.

From Solitude,
David O Jones