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Helen Thomas: The Playboy Interview

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by YankeeFan, Mar 19, 2011.

Page 3 of 4
  1. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    Until 2000 -- when she was 79-years-old -- she as a reporter and not a columnist. As such, she kept her despicable opinions to herself.
     
    YankeeFan, Mar 19, 2011
    #25
  2. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    So to answer my own question, then, nothing of this sort surfaced until she was into her 80s, an age when most reasonable people would understand that the brain gets a bit disjointed and words don't come out in the same fluid and easy manner as they once did. Got it. Thanks for the help clarifying.
     
    LongTimeListener, Mar 19, 2011
    #26
  3. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    LTL, if you want to argue that a 90-year-old woman of Lebanese descent could reasonably be expected to hold some views which would be considered anti-Semitic, then I might agree with you.

    She was raised in a different age.

    But, I don't think the problem is the fluidity of her words. She's reiterated her opinions enough times for there to not be any confusion.

    Her views are anti-Semitic. They are.
     
    YankeeFan, Mar 19, 2011
    #27
  4. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Somehow I bet that Helen would not want you chalk up any opinion she has rendered in past 15 years as that of a senile old bat.
     
    Boom_70, Mar 19, 2011
    #28
  5. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    What she said in interviews in the past five years, absolutely, is anti-Semitic. I try not to get too worked up about an octogenarian's view of the world. If you're going to chuck out her entire body of work based on those interviews, I think that is short-changing her without any hint of anti-Semitism in her writings pre-2000.

    There is a huge difference between being anti-Semitic and having a problem with the process of creating Israel and imprisoning Palestinians, and with Israel's subsequent hand in heightening the tensions.
     
    LongTimeListener, Mar 19, 2011
    #29
  6. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    Back in the day, Playboy's interviews brought to light a lot of objectionable content. Alex Haley's interview with American Nazi Party founder George Lincoln Rockwell comes to mind.

    But I haven't given Hef a dollar since 2003 or so, on principle, and I won't re-start now.
     
    HejiraHenry, Mar 20, 2011
    #30
  7. printdust

    printdust New Member

    http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2011/03/helen-thomas-exposes-herself-in-playboy.html
     
    printdust, Mar 20, 2011
    #31
  8. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    A prime example of a bad link if you want to get people to click the story.
     
    DanOregon, Mar 20, 2011
    #32
  9. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    You don't think Elderz of Ziyon's blogspot site will be a credible source of information?

    LOL.

    I'm not clicking on that link either.

    I think I would have used a bit.ly link or something if I wanted someone to click on it.
     
    YankeeFan, Mar 20, 2011
    #33
  10. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    That you for voicing my concerns, Boom.
     
    BillyT, Mar 20, 2011
    #34
  11. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Long-time, Don't buy it.

    Here's Thomas's quote: "Like I said, I’ve never hesitated to tell my views to all my friends. They knew exactly where I stood. But I finally wanted to speak the truth. And I think I’m old enough to get away with it. Well, almost. Not quite." Honestly, sounds like my own grandmother.

    Thought the interview was fascinating.

    What really disappointed me was not her feelings on the Israeli/Palestinian debate. That's fair comment, and there's isn't much common ground on this topic anywhere. When you consider her level of worldwide experience and knowledge, I am astonished by Thomas's wilfully ignorant statements on media/banks/Hollywood. I mean, how is that acceptable for someone of her intelligence?

    Look at this early exchange:

    PLAYBOY: Take us back to the White House courtyard on May 27 when Rabbi David Nesenoff pointed his camera at you and asked for your comments on Israel.

    THOMAS: He pulled that thing out like a jackknife. I mean, he started out very nice, introducing me to these two young boys who wanted to be in journalism. He said, “Got any advice? Go for it.” I didn’t know it was Jewish Heritage Month, which is why he was at the White House and also why he asked “So what do you think of Israel?” That’s when I said, “They should get the hell out of Palestine.”

    For someone who's spend an entire career in journalism, Thomas's answer is ridiculous. "He started out very nice" morphs into "I didn't know it was Jewish Heritage Month." And asking, "So what do you think of Israel" is as open-ended and innocuous as you could ask such a thing. Seriously, where's the bias here? It's in her.

    When she starts crying about how obituary writers will label her an anti-semite, well, with statements like those, how can they not? It's really a shame, too, because her stuff about China, the JFK assassination, and so many others things really is amazing.
     
    Elliotte Friedman, Mar 20, 2011
    #35
  12. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    YF, I think he was referring to this part:

    helen-thomas-exposes-herself-in-playboy.html
     
    SF_Express, Mar 20, 2011
    #36
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