Helen Thomas defends Palestinian Suicide Bombers

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**Frazzled**

Its like the ranting homelss guy on the streetcorner
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/03/18/helen-thomas-defends-palestinian-suicide-bombers-in-playboy-magazine/

Helen Thomas Defends Palestinian Suicide Bombers in Playboy MagazineAlana Goodman 03.18.2011 - 11:25 AM
Veteran reporter Helen Thomas turned up in Playboy magazine this month (fully clothed, don’t worry) as part of her ongoing anti-Semitic publicity tour.

The former “dean” of the White House Press Corps sat down for an interview (link is to the Sun Herald’s summary) about her recent controversy. First she weighed in on the aftermath of her remarks about Israel last May (“I went into self-imposed house arrest”) and her views on the situation in the Palestinian territories (“the Palestinians have been shortchanged in every way”). But then the interview took an uglier turn.

“Of course I don’t condone any violence against anyone,” said Thomas, when asked about Palestinian terrorism against the Israelis. “But who wouldn’t fight for their country? What would any American do if their land was being taken? Remember Pearl Harbor. The Palestinian violence is to protect what little remains of Palestine. The suicide bombers act out of despair and desperation.”

Thomas also took a shot at Holocaust-remembrance programs, insisting that Jews exploited the memory in order to persecute Palestinians. “There’s nothing wrong with remembering [the Holocaust], but why do we have to constantly remember? We’re not at fault,” said Thomas, adding, “Do the Jews ever look at themselves? Why are they always right? Because they have been oppressed throughout history, I know. And they have this persecution. That’s true, but they shouldn’t use that to dominate.”

And in case there’s anyone out there who’s still unsure about Thomas’s true feelings toward the Jewish people, she clarified them later in the interview.

“[The Jews are] using their power, and they have power in every direction,” she said. “Power over the White House, power over Congress. … Everybody is in the pocket of the Israeli lobbies, which are funded by wealthy supporters, including those from Hollywood. Same thing with the financial markets. There’s total control.”

Thomas then looked at the interviewer and asked, “You don’t deny that. You’re Jewish, aren’t you?”

The 90-year-old reporter’s worldview, in fact, seems to be clouded with an obsession over who is a Jew. When asked about her views on Congress, Thomas simply listed off the names of Jewish lawmakers and intoned that they would be anti-Arab. “Do you think [Chuck] Schumer and [Rep. Ileana Ros-] Lehtinen — whatever her name is — in Florida are going to be pro-Arab?” she asked. “No. But they’re going to be very influential. Eric Cantor, the majority leader of the Republicans, do you think he’s going to be for the Arabs? Hell no! I’m telling you, you cannot get 330 votes in Congress for anything that’s pro-Arab. Nothing.”

Thomas’s comments are indicative of an extremely disturbed and damaged person. But even as she shoots off textbook anti-Semitic canards, she vigorously denies that she’s anti-Jewish.

“I think they’re wonderful people,” she says of the Jews. “They had to have the most depth. They were leaders in civil rights. They’ve always had the heart for others but not for Arabs, for some reason. I’m not anti-Jewish; I’m anti-Zionist.”

Not everyone who calls himself an anti-Zionist is anti-Semitic. But there are many, many anti-Semites, like Thomas, who hide behind the façade of anti-Zionism. And the fact that she was able to do this while in the spotlight for so many years makes one worry for the state of the media.

**ShumaGorath**

That doesn't sound so much like a defense as it does a reasoned opinion on the circumstances that would lead someone to kill themselves for their country and beliefs.

The comments on jews are pretty soap box street corner douche though.

**WARBOSS TZOO**

One can be an donkey-cave racist while at the same time being correct on things of substance: The Palestinians are being systematically fethed by Israel.

**Monster Rain**

http://politifi.com/news/Celebration-in-Gaza-1741557.html

Why I'll never be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If only this was the first time they behaved in such a manner.

**WARBOSS TZOO**

Monster Rain wrote:http://politifi.com/news/Celebration-in-Gaza-1741557.html

Why I'll never be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If only this was the first time they behaved in such a manner.

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stats/deaths.html

**ShumaGorath**

Monster Rain wrote:http://politifi.com/news/Celebration-in-Gaza-1741557.html

Why I'll never be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If only this was the first time they behaved in such a manner.

\

I would do that too if my country was being slowly bulldozed and taken by another one while my friends are periodically and indiscriminately killed by overwhelming and misplaced military force that repeatedly strikes civilian areas causing significant loss of life (as opposed to those rocket attacks that couldn't kill a snowman in the summer).

**Monster Rain**

ShumaGorath wrote:
Monster Rain wrote:http://politifi.com/news/Celebration-in-Gaza-1741557.html

Why I'll never be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If only this was the first time they behaved in such a manner.
\

I would do that too if my country was being slowly bulldozed and taken by another one while my friends are periodically and indiscriminately killed by overwhelming and misplaced military force that repeatedly strikes civilian areas causing significant loss of life (as opposed to those rocket attacks that couldn't kill a snowman in the summer).

If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

**WARBOSS TZOO**

Monster Rain wrote:
ShumaGorath wrote:
Monster Rain wrote:http://politifi.com/news/Celebration-in-Gaza-1741557.html

Why I'll never be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If only this was the first time they behaved in such a manner.
\

I would do that too if my country was being slowly bulldozed and taken by another one while my friends are periodically and indiscriminately killed by overwhelming and misplaced military force that repeatedly strikes civilian areas causing significant loss of life (as opposed to those rocket attacks that couldn't kill a snowman in the summer).

If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

...Some palestinians celebrated the deaths of a few israelis, therefore all palestinians are scum?

**Monster Rain**

WARBOSS TZOO wrote:
Monster Rain wrote:
ShumaGorath wrote:
Monster Rain wrote:http://politifi.com/news/Celebration-in-Gaza-1741557.html

Why I'll never be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. If only this was the first time they behaved in such a manner.
\

I would do that too if my country was being slowly bulldozed and taken by another one while my friends are periodically and indiscriminately killed by overwhelming and misplaced military force that repeatedly strikes civilian areas causing significant loss of life (as opposed to those rocket attacks that couldn't kill a snowman in the summer).

If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

...Some palestinians celebrated the deaths of a few israelis, therefore all palestinians are scum?

A majority of them thought that electing Hamas was a good idea. And I never said that they all were. Let me bold what I said in the quote you used.

Clearly, those who don't engage in that sort of behavior are excluded.

In the sake of fairness:

Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said he "clearly and firmly denounces the terror attack, just as I have denounced crimes against Palestinians.

"We are against all types of violence," Fayyad said during a tour in Bethlehem. "Our position has not changed. As we have said many times before, we categorically oppose violence and terror, regardless of the identity of the victims or the perpetrators."

Clearly, they aren't all douchebags. People like this need to get things in order and then I'll be significantly more sympathetic.

**ShumaGorath**

If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Let me call the whaaaaambulance for you. Someone kills my family, bulldozes my house, doesn't let fething CHOCOLATE into my country for reasons of "security" and then plays the victim? That dudes getting fethed up and since I don't have a military I might as well do whatever else I can. Welcome to living in the valley next to your ivory tower. It's grittier. Fortunately you don't have to see it from all the way up there.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

I'll remember that next time.. Oh wait, you have absolutely no idea what it's like to live in palestine. You probably had fresh produce in the last month and you have a job since the building you work at (a school) wasn't bombed by israel.

**mattyrm**

Have you seen Palestinian kids TV?! No wonder they grow up willing to carve babies up. The Israelis don't mind feth their kids in manners as barbaric as the Palestinians.

feth Palestine. It seems like people think It's ok to be anti Jew, so I can be anti Palestinian.

Admittedly both sides can be wrong at times, but I'm not a man who likes fence sitters. So feth em.

**ShumaGorath**

feth Palestine. It seems like people think It's ok to be anti Jew, so I can be anti Palestinian.

Can't we think both sides should just be given to china?

Have you seen Palestinian kids TV?! No wonder they grow up willing to carve babies up.

And just for reference the israelis have killed more CHILDREN in the last decade then the Palestinians have killed anyone. Bomb or knife doesn't make a huge difference, either way, the israelis have a lot of children's blood on their hands due to their inability to check their fething missile targets.

**Monster Rain**

ShumaGorath wrote:Fortunately you don't have to see it from all the way up there.

This is the last time I feed the troll in this thread, but I just want to say that your assumptions are hysterical to me.

ShumaGorath wrote:I'll remember that next time.. Oh wait, you have absolutely no idea what it's like to live in palestine.

See above.

mattyrm wrote:Admittedly both sides can be wrong at times, but I'm not a man who likes fence sitters. So feth em.

**ShumaGorath**

Monster Rain wrote:
ShumaGorath wrote:Fortunately you don't have to see it from all the way up there.

This is the last time I feed the troll in this thread, but I just want to say that your assumptions are hysterical to me.

ShumaGorath wrote:I'll remember that next time.. Oh wait, you have absolutely no idea what it's like to live in palestine.

See above.

mattyrm wrote:Admittedly both sides can be wrong at times, but I'm not a man who likes fence sitters. So feth em.

I'm sure it's nice to live in a color by numbers book with only two numbers. Must be easy to color in 2tone. Must make it easy to ignore the fact that the Israelis have killed 40 times as many palestinians as the other way around.

**Frazzled**

ShumaGorath wrote:
If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Let me call the whaaaaambulance for you. Someone kills my family, bulldozes my house, doesn't let fething CHOCOLATE into my country for reasons of "security" and then plays the victim? That dudes getting fethed up and since I don't have a military I might as well do whatever else I can. Welcome to living in the valley next to your ivory tower. It's grittier. Fortunately you don't have to see it from all the way up there.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

I'll remember that next time.. Oh wait, you have absolutely no idea what it's like to live in palestine. You probably had fresh produce in the last month and you have a job since the building you work at (a school) wasn't bombed by israel.

Wait, lets be clear, are you supporting the killings of the Israeli family that occured this year, including a baby? Yes or No.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Modquisition on. We can disagree without attacking each other. Warnings have been given.

**mattyrm**

Well that's alright with me as well mate obviously..

I argue with many of my friends about this because people seem to decide I'm hugely pro Israeli, and that's not the case. I dislike Jews for the same reason I dislike Muslims, intensely insular people who show little interest in integration. That's how a great many minorities are in the UK, and it annoys me because I don't think me or most Englishmen have that attitude. I don't go get my haircut at an English barbers, I go to the closest fether. Religious groupings and communities stick together to the point where it becomes divisive and offensive.

Anyway I'm rambling cos I'm drinking, but the long and short of it is, I don't like anyone. I just like Jews slightly more than Muslims cos none of my mates ever got blown up or shot by a Jew.

YMMV of course.

**WARBOSS TZOO**

mattyrm wrote:feth Palestine. It seems like people think It's ok to be anti Jew, so I can be anti Palestinian.

Despite what the Jewish Anti-Defamation League would have us believe, one can be fervently anti-israel while at the same time not being bigoted against the jewish race.

**Frazzled**

mattyrm wrote: Anyway I'm rambling cos I'm drinking.

Wait isn't it like 6.00AM there? Respect!

**Monster Rain**

WARBOSS TZOO wrote:
mattyrm wrote:feth Palestine. It seems like people think It's ok to be anti Jew, so I can be anti Palestinian.

Despite what the Jewish Anti-Defamation League would have us believe, one can be fervently anti-israel while at the same time not being bigoted against the jewish race.

Oh I totally agree with that.

You can criticize policy without being racist, that should go without saying.

**mattyrm**

Nah its 17:55 frazz, I'm in the boozer an doing this on my phone..

And looking like an sociable fether, so ill see you lot later.

**notprop**

Phew, I regret googling her image!

I can't say I disagree with the Palestinian defending their lands, the Israilis really act like a bunch of tossers most of the time, but where I draw the line with the targets chosen by the bombers (the suicide bit doesn't matter). The complete counter productivity of bombing civilian targets even after all this time must surely be apprearent to even hardliners [that goes for both sides].

Seems like if she replaced Jews with Israili throughout that interveiw there wouldn't be a problem. Still we all have old relatives whos terminology is a little behind the times.

**Kanluwen**

Frazzled wrote:
ShumaGorath wrote:
If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Let me call the whaaaaambulance for you. Someone kills my family, bulldozes my house, doesn't let fething CHOCOLATE into my country for reasons of "security" and then plays the victim? That dudes getting fethed up and since I don't have a military I might as well do whatever else I can. Welcome to living in the valley next to your ivory tower. It's grittier. Fortunately you don't have to see it from all the way up there.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

I'll remember that next time.. Oh wait, you have absolutely no idea what it's like to live in palestine. You probably had fresh produce in the last month and you have a job since the building you work at (a school) wasn't bombed by israel.

Wait, lets be clear, are you supporting the killings of the Israeli family that occured this year, including a baby? Yes or No.

Let's get this clear.
He's not supporting the killings of a baby or the Israeli family.
He's stating that the situation is not black & white, and that there is a history of violence on both sides.

As pro-Israel as I myself am, the Palestinian people are getting just as raw of a deal--simply because Hamas is in charge.

Did they vote Hamas into power? Yes. But at the same time: it's not like there was really any other option.
To paint every Palestinian as a potential terrorist or to rationalize that somehow they're getting their "just desserts" because they're the de facto cat's paw for the hardcore Islamist nations surrounding Israel is as absurd as saying that every Somalian is a pirate.

**Andrew1975**

Playboy must be slipping people ruffies before they interview them.

Israel/Palestine "Let the wild rumpus begin"

**Frazzled**

Kanluwen wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
ShumaGorath wrote:
If the bolded part is true your mind is diseased beyond redemption.

Let me call the whaaaaambulance for you. Someone kills my family, bulldozes my house, doesn't let fething CHOCOLATE into my country for reasons of "security" and then plays the victim? That dudes getting fethed up and since I don't have a military I might as well do whatever else I can. Welcome to living in the valley next to your ivory tower. It's grittier. Fortunately you don't have to see it from all the way up there.

Nah, I'm not even going to entertain the rationalization of cutting the throats of infants. I didn't say that I was pro-Israel, I was just putting my official position out there. Which is, succinctly, feth Palestine. If you're going to elect Hamas to government and celebrate the type of incident that is in question you're the scum of the earth.

I'll remember that next time.. Oh wait, you have absolutely no idea what it's like to live in palestine. You probably had fresh produce in the last month and you have a job since the building you work at (a school) wasn't bombed by israel.

Wait, lets be clear, are you supporting the killings of the Israeli family that occured this year, including a baby? Yes or No.

Let's get this clear.
He's not supporting the killings of a baby or the Israeli family.
He's stating that the situation is not black & white, and that there is a history of violence on both sides.

As pro-Israel as I myself am, the Palestinian people are getting just as raw of a deal--simply because Hamas is in charge.

Did they vote Hamas into power? Yes. But at the same time: it's not like there was really any other option.
To paint every Palestinian as a potential terrorist or to rationalize that somehow they're getting their "just desserts" because they're the de facto cat's paw for the hardcore Islamist nations surrounding Israel is as absurd as saying that every Somalian is a pirate.

I didn't ask your opinion Kanluwen. This post was reported and I need an answer.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Closing this. Had I know this would go into PLO discussions, instead of her comments about Hollywood etc as part of some great conspiracy I'd not have posted it.