Arab-American museum raising funds for bust of Helen Thomas

[oberliner]

Dearborn --The Arab American National Museum kicked off a fundraising effort Wednesday for a bronze bust of Helen Thomas, but officials acknowledge the journalist's controversial remarks about Israel could hamper efforts.

"Some people I don't think want to donate because of that," said Anan Ameri, museum director.

The museum plans a 45-day Internet campaign to raise $10,000 to pay for the rest of a $25,000 bust of Thomas, who grew up in Detroit and is an honorary member of the museum's national advisory board. The sculpture will be featured in the museum where Thomas' vintage manual typewriter is on display.

Thomas, 89, a Lebanese-American, was forced to retire from her decades-long journalism career in June after saying Israelis should "get the hell out of Palestine" and go to Poland, Germany and the United States.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100729/METRO01/7290406/1410/METRO01/Arab-American-museum-raising-funds-for-bust-of-Helen-Thomas#ixzz0vJah9Uok

[proteus_lives]

1. Maybe they'll start raising funds for an Olivier Stone one next.

[Violet_Crumble]

5. Olivier Stone? Never heard of them n/t

[proteus_lives]

8. Famous director.

Conspiracy kook and believer in a "Jew-dominated" media.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted sub-thread

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[sabrina 1]

15. Maybe we need a monument to remind us that we have a

First Amendment to the Constitution in this country. We seem to be losing our right to say things that people find offensive. The real test of whether we believe in the Constitution is exactly when we do not agree with someone but defend their right to say it. We are failing that test badly.

Sad how easily we give up our rights. Who needs terrorists to 'take away our freedoms' when we have Ari Fleischer to do it for us?

Helen Thomas is a national treasure and will be remembered for her enormous contributions to this country. Which is more than can be said for the man who led the hate campaign against her, Ari Fleischer. But then it was fitting that Ari (they-better-watch-what-they-say) Fleischer would be the one to silence a great journalist. Too bad he ratted out his buddies to save his own rear-end in the Plame affair. He isn't fit to wipe Helen Thomas' shoes.

Otoh, it was encouraging to see the huge support for her around the world, and in every poll, including U.S. Veterans who voted over 91% against her forced resignation. And they ought to know, having been willing to lay down their lives to protect the Constitution.

I will be sending a donation to help the museum reach their goal. And will pass it along to my email list.

[sabrina 1]

17. Dupe

[aquart]

2. Nobody should hold what she said at 89 against her.

She had an amazing career with a fine record of journalistic integrity. So far as I'm concerned, it is perfectly reasonable for an American of Lebanese extraction to think Israel is a pimple on the fine face of the MidEast. I hold opposing views. My admiration for Helen Thomas, however, is of long duration and undiminished.

Me, I'd put Helen's statue in the front row of the White House press room with her asking a hard question forever.

[DFW]

4. Helen was referring to the occupied territories, not to Israel proper

Just ask her (I did). We have seen with Shirley Sherrod what selective editing with biased commentary can do.
Helen may be 89 (90 on August 4th), but she still has all her marbles (did as of yesterday, anyway).

[Jim Sagle]

6. If Helen told you she 'was referring to the occupied territories, not to Israel proper',

she was lying. Moreover, it was a lie so blatant that you had no excuse for believing it (if in fact you did believe it).

If Helen had IN FACT been "referring to the occupied territories, not to Israel proper", she would have told the Jews there to go back "to Israel proper", NOT back to Germany and Poland. This is the kind of lie meant, not to be believed, but to be taken as further insult.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

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[Violet_Crumble]

12. Read yr post, Jimbo. Yr the one who was saying she was referring to Jews

Here's what you said: 'If Helen had IN FACT been "referring to the occupied territories, not to Israel proper", she would have told the Jews there to go back "to Israel proper", NOT back to Germany and Poland.'

[Jim Sagle]

14. And your point is what, if any? That you can split invisible hairs?

[Violet_Crumble]

16. That anyone who claims she mentioned Jews is lying. She didn't n/t

[Jim Sagle]

21. She was REFERRING to the JEWS OF ISRAEL. And everybody reading this understands that.

And everybody including you understands that's what I meant.

So no, I'm not lying, YOU are. As usual.

On edit: my wording was "Jews there" (in the mideast), NOT ALL Jews. Pathetic lie/deflection on your part.

[aquart]

27. So who was she referring to? Buddhists? Methodists? Who?

Who was supposed to return to places that had concentration camps?

[sabrina 1]

18. No she wouldn't, because many of the settlers are not from

Israel proper. But keep supporting Ari Fleischer's assault on our Constitution. Quite frankly I live here and am getting pretty sick and tired of having our rights trampled on, rights that many people died for, because of morons like Ari Fleischer and his rightwing mob.

Helen Thomas is a national treasure to a vast majority of the American people going back generations, and I can tell you that most people I know, not to mention across the internet, are pretty damn angry that criminal like Ari Fleischer who had it in for her being she was one of the few journalists in DC who tried to expose the criminal activities he was a spokesperson for, was the one to lead the attack on her along with his clown of a 'rabbi' who himself was pretty offensive to an ethnic group who were not particularly amused, although do have respect for his right to be stupid so didn't bother going after him.

Fleischer, the nerve of him of all people to attack someone like Helen Thomas, a real American patriot. He otoh is a traitor who participated in the outing of a U.S. undercover agent and only got away without doing jail time because he rushed his sorry, cowardly rear-end complete with lawyer, over to the Prosecutor to rat out his buddies to save himself.

The American people have had it with the silencing of voices they trust in this country and especially the lying tactics they use to do so.

[aquart]

24. Where is it you live, dear? Where is "here"?

[DFW]

19. Not quite

She was obviously being provoked by a kid, and she decided to provoke him right back.
Helen had no idea she was being primes for a Shirley Sherrod warm-up.

I suggest you talk to her about it before telling me or DU she was lying. I've known her
for decades. And you how long?

[aquart]

26. We get that you have a personal stake in this.

It is very difficult for family and friends to accept the changes that age makes in our dearest people.

Did Helen tell you that she was deliberately "provoking" her interviewer? Because he was young? Because she didn't like his questions? Because it slipped her mind that anything can be on the internet in five seconds?

Is this the first trap Helen ever fell into in 89 years? Is it? Why now?

[Violet_Crumble]

7. There were so many lies told about her. Some DUers should be ashamed of themselves...

I saw some really revolting things said about her and in one or two cases by people who have said extremely bigoted things about Arabs and Muslims themselves...

[DFW]

20. So I saw. Just look to the other reply to my comment besides yours. n/t

[aquart]

23. I'm really sorry you're taking this position.

It doesn't help Helen. Of course she has "all her marbles." What she does not have is some necessary filters she used to have. She was able to make her way through the biased halls of journalism and politics with agility for decades. The agility is gone.

And I am very sorry that you want me, someone who has always admired and respected Helen, to take that remark seriously, Poland being where my grandmother's family was murdered, every damn one of them. Not a place I'd recommend spending a tourist dollar, let alone settling. It was something I'd expect from Mel Gibson, who has the excuse of alcohol for his lack of filters.

[EFerrari]

3. Good. She had a long and distinguished career.

[Senator]

13. K&+R+$

[DFW]

22. Helen asked me not to contribute

She said she "doesn't hit on her friends."

Just this once, I might not respect her wishes.

[HEyHEY]

25. Good

She deserves it.