So, just how effective is it to try to retract or modify some foot-in-the mouth misstatement?  

The latest example of a well known person offending a particular individual or group is journalist Helen Thomas who, when she was asked by Rabbi David Nesenoff of RabbiLive.com if she had “any comments on Israel,” the Hearst Newspapers columnist said (on camera), “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine,” adding that the Palestinians “are occupied and it’s their land” and that Israelis should “go home” to Poland, Germany, America “and everywhere else.” 

Elan Steinberg, executive director of the World Jewish Congress, said: "Shame on Helen Thomas. She is certainly old enough to remember the Holocaust and the Second World War. She owes an apology to all victims of the Nazis…"  

Ms. Thomas subsequently apologized on her personal Web site, posting: "I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heartfelt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon." 

However, her original remarks not only revealed her biased mindset but also exposed an abysmal ignorance of history in general and of the Jews in particular. 

For Helen Thomas to think that the Jews in the Middle East originally came from Poland, Germany and America is beyond belief, especially for someone who, given her age (89), was obviously around during WWII and the Holocaust. Does she think Hitler was right and that the Jews should have been exterminated at Auschwitz? Or that the Poles should have succeeded in keeping them in the Ghettos and turning them all over to Hitler? Or that the Arabs should have wiped them out when they attacked Israel on the first day the new nation was formed? It appears that she does. 

It’s important to keep in mind the fact that there are only about five million Jews in Israel and around 250 million Arabs in 22 states, all clamoring for the destruction of Israel. Yet, in spite of such overwhelming odds, Israel has managed to survive since it became the Jewish state in 1948. 

Thomas obviously believes the territory that is now called Palestine belongs to the Palestinians, without any understanding of the fact that Israel was the home of the Jews and was called Palestine for two thousand years. Before the 1967 war, Gaza was owned by Egypt, the West Bank was owned by Jordan, and there were no “Palestinians.” 

Helen Thomas’ prejudice is clearly based on blind adherence to the propaganda of Hamas, which is openly and implacably dedicated to the destruction of Israel and “driving the Jews into the sea.” 

So, Helen Thomas’ attempt to extricate her foot from her mouth is not acceptable. She meant what she said, and no amount of backtracking can obliterate her words or cover her bigotry. 

That’s OK with me. As a matter of fact, I probably prefer it. At least I know where she stands, no ifs, ands or buts, and I can deal with that. 

It has been said that if the Jews laid down their arms tomorrow, Israel would cease to exist, whereas, if the Arabs were to give up their arms, there would be peace. 

One final point: As Dennis Miller commented, “Can anyone picture the Jews strapping belts of razor blades and dynamite to themselves?...Or marshaling every fiber and force at their disposal for generations to drive a tiny Arab State into the sea?...Or dancing for joy at the murder of innocents?...Or spreading and believing horrible lies about the Arabs baking their bread with the blood of children?...No, as you know, left to themselves in a world of peace, the worst Jews would ever do to people is debate them to death.” 

Think about it. 

Helen Thomas’ apology is not accepted, at least not by me. Not now, not ever. 

© 2010 Harris R. Sherline, All Rights Reserved