Helen Thomas of Detroit has been attacked viciously for raising critical questions about the legitimacy of the State of Israel and U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle-East. She was forced to resign with Hearst.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
To: Palestine Office Michigan
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 6:18 PM
Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: WSU Against Helen Thomas's (and our) right to free Speech
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
WE are being stripped off our First Amendment rights and the rights to free speech. Please act immediately. Call and or Email your protest to the following three administrators (see Statement below and attached for talking points)
Ronald T. Brown, email: provost@wyne.edu and call 313 577-5666
Dean Mathew W. Seeger, email: matthew.seeger@wayne.edu and call 313 577-5342
Vice President Michael Wright, email m.wright@wayne.edu and call 313 577-6491
Demand WSU Reinstate Helen Thomas award in Journalism
Demonstration at Wayne State University:
Friday, December 10th, 2010 9:30am to 11am
at the Faculty Administration Building
656 W. Kirby, Detroit, MI 48202
Background:
In a move that was offensive to all who believe in academic and journalistic freedom, Wayne State University decided to change the name of the journalism award named after one of the University’s most esteemed alumni. Helen Thomas, the 90 year old esteemed Arab American journalist and former Dean of the White House Press corps. Thomas is perhaps the best-known alum of WSU, having covered every President of the United States from the last years of the Eisenhower administration until the second year of the Obama administration. Her courage and independent questioning earned her a deep respect from her colleagues and the American people.
Unfortunately, some “public servants” at Wayne State University have reportedly been waiting for an excuse to rename the award after many supporters of Israel attacked Thomas for recent comments about getting the Israelis out of Palestine. The comments led to her forced resignation from her job. Most recently, at a conference December 2nd in Dearborn, Thomas remarked "Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned by Zionists. No question, in my opinion." WSU leaders said they considered the remark anti-semitic and pulled the award the following day.
Statement re Defamation of Helen Thomas
Palestine Cultural Office
December 8, 2010
Helen Thomas' remarks at the Diversity Workshop hosted by Arab Detroit in Dearborn, December 2, 2010 have been twisted to mean something far removed from what she had stated. Thomas NEVER used the word “Jews” or “Jew” in any of her remarks. She focused specifically, instead, on the political aspects of a very complex issue.
Thomas has the right to challenge an identifiable political constituency in America that advocates for a foreign country. To have some extremist American supporters of Israel twist and distort her remarks as anti-Semitic is a tragedy that reflects the continued deteriorating situation of those who support a durable peace in Palestine/Israel.
In the course of her statement challenging anti-Arab bias in Hollywood and in the media, Thomas recalled, as was quoted in the Detroit Free Press: “The words of a rabbi at Martin Luther King's 1963 civil rights march on Washington D.C., when he made his, I have a dream speech. Thomas said that the rabbi, who survived Nazi concentration camps, told the crowd "the greatest sin of all in the Nazi era was silence."
Therefore our silence in the face of continuing attacks on Arabs and Arab Americans is complicity. In fact, discrediting Helen Thomas by a political constituency supporting a foreign government is a greater sin than complicity of silence. It is important that every American understands the issues Helen Thomas has raised, without fear of being slandered or defamed.
America prides itself on free speech, tolerance, upholding the First Amendment, and those inherent qualities of Americanism which should not be compromised to advance a foreign-driven agenda. Americans should be allowed to debate and discuss, without fear of defamation or retribution, issues that are important to all of us as Americans.
You cannot have true diversity without free speech and a tolerance for opposing and divergent views; and you cannot have diversity when individuals resort to the use of bullying or intimidation as a part of that discussion.
No comments:
Post a Comment