Oy Vey Iz Mir

A last thought from me regarding Helen Thomas. I listened to Randi Rhodes yesterday defend the hell out of Thomas, saying that 27 seconds of video or audio on the YouTube shouldn't instantly mitigate a 67-year career. I disagree, frankly. Here is, specifically, the exchange that got Thomas "retired."

Thomas, White House correspondent for Hearst Newspapers, showed up at the White House's May 27 Jewish Heritage Celebration, where she gave an interview to Rabbi David Nesenoff of RabbiLive.com. Late last week Nesenoff posted a clip from the video on YouTube. Here's the transcript: Nesenoff: Any comments on Israel? We're asking everybody today-- Thomas: Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine. Nesenoff: Ooh. Any better comments? Thomas (cackling): Remember, these people are occupied, and it's their land, not German and not Polish. Nesenoff: So where should they go? What should they do? Thomas: They should go home. Nesenoff: Where is home? Thomas: Poland. Germany. Nesenoff: So you're saying the Jews should go back to Poland and Germany? Thomas: And America, and everywhere else.

According to The Washington Post, Nesenoff was accompanied at the time by his two sons, both sporting the kippah. As noted, she was at the White House for an event that likely shadows Shavuot, a little-known holiday remembering the Old Testament events at Mount Sinai. And in that context, Helen Thomas is approached by an Ashkenazim looking fella with two boys in tow bearing yarmulkes, and she says wha? THAT THE JEWS SHOULD "GO BACK TO POLAND AND GERMANY?" Specifically, she chose those countries specifically? What Thomas revealed in those 27 seconds was that, despite all of her hard work and years and years of holding the noses of presidents to the grindstone, I'm sorry, but Helen Thomas has revealed that she is simply too ignorant to any longer deserve her seat in the press room. I do not think she was being hateful or anti-Semitic. I think that what Helen Thomas revealed about herself with her comments is that she is a buffoon who has gotten much farther on a tank of gas then she should have been able to. Buh-bye Helen. Why don't you do a little reading with your time off, dear? You should start with André Schwarz-Bart's "The Last of the Just" and go from there. Moron.