Wayne State University, the alma mater of Arab-American journalist Helen Thomas, has pulled an award in her name, following a speech she gave Thursday claiming that Congress, the White House, Wall Street, and Hollywood are controlled by “Zionists". WSU had kept the award following an in which she suggested that Israeli Jews “get the hell out of Palestine.”
Thomas, 90, told an audience in Dearborn, Michigan, that Zionists control the American government and other major institutions. “They put their money where their mouth is... We're being pushed in the wrong direction in every way,” she stated.
WSU officials announced Friday that they would no longer offer the Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity Award.
“As a public university, Wayne State encourages free speech and open dialogue, and respects diverse viewpoints,” a statement said. “However, the university strongly condemns the anti-Semitic remarks made by Helen Thomas during a conference yesterday.”
The award was previously granted for journalism work that promotes diversity.
In June, Thomas gave an impromptu interview to Rabbi David Nesenoff in which she said that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and “go back home to Poland, Germany, America and everywhere else.” She was strongly criticized for her remarks, and announced her retirement just days later, after a 50-year career as a White House correspondent.
In an interview in October she and accused “them” - an apparent reference to Zionists – of distorting her remarks “for their own propaganda purposes.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 9, 2010
Dear Mrs. Helen Thomas,
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for reminding me that anti-Semitism is alive and well. Given your background, title and knowledge of history I cannot think of any other reason why you would spew such shocking hatred. Your outrageous suggestion that I ought to return to Poland or Germany only reinforces my conviction that, as a BORN ISRAELI, I must bypass your condemnation whilst keeping my head held high.
Your comment has confirmed that there is no other place for me to go, and that I must stand with Israel in order to defend her.
Your comment has given me strength and courage to carry on fighting against each and every single anti-Semite who would just as soon have me sent off to live in another country rather than to have a country of my own.
It is people like you who made Israel necessary for Jews in the first place. It is people like you who encourage me to fight for my country. And it is people like you who make me realise that there is no better place than my own home - ISRAEL!
My paternal grandfather was born in Syria and my paternal grandmother was born in Hebron in the Palestinian State of the Ottoman Empire. My grandparents fled from Hebron to Alexandria, Egypt because of anti-Semitism. My parents were in fact born in Egypt and migrated—along with both sets of grandparents—to Israel in 1949, shortly after the creation of Israel.
If, according to you, I ought to "get the hell out of Palestine" and return to Egypt, then I suggest, Mrs. Thomas, that you ought to get the hell out of the USA and return to Lebanon or Tripoli.
On a final note, Mrs. Thomas, I want to remind you that hatred is a cancer that ravages, NOT the person at whom hatred is directed, but the person who is spreading it.
Sincerely,
Michelle Cohen
Born Israeli Citizen
Oil Painter
Creator of ISRAELI FRONTLINE Weblog http://israelifrontline.blogspot.com/
and Creator of the group ISRAELI FRONTLINE on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26
