Helen of Goy

Helen Thomas the aging White House Journalist was asked to retire following her unwelcome comments to a Rabbi interviewing her. He asked her what she thought about the situation in Palestine, naturally assuming she was on board with his propaganda version of events, when she said: "They have to get the hell out of Palestine... they have to go home... back to Poland, Germany ...wherever they came from." His jaw hit the floor. She was made to resign immediately. And was labeled as an anti-semite and anybody who publishes her work is warned in advance etc. etc. etc. The Israeli lobby runs the White House and was not expecting that kind of outburst from anyone whom they thought was one of their own. The Rabbi was caught on one foot the other being stuck firmly in his mouth.

We need more journalists like this one who is not afraid to tell it like it is. There was one who, like Helen, decided to tell it like it is, unfortunately he's been dead for over 100 years and nothing much has changed in his chosen craft in all that time. His comments on the supposed Independent press still hold:

"There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it. There is not one of you who dare to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job. If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before 24 hours my occupation would be gone.

"The business of the journalists is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it, and what folly is this toasting an independent press? We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."

John Swinton, pre-eminent New York journalist, when guest of honour at a banquet given for him in 1880 by the leaders of his craft, or crafty leaders. A gaggle of supreme lying hypocrites sipping champagne and living the lie. Did his speech have the desired effect? Obviously not. "Money talks bullshit walks" and in today's world, as it was back then, the truth is Bullshit.

This is why the world needs blogs without which no one would ever know the truth and never know about the likes of John Swinton. It's not something the press are going to inform you about that's for sure. Good on you Helen.

~Sean Casey