On Helen Thomas and the Failings of Our Heroes

June 07, 2010

On Helen Thomas and the Failings of Our Heroes

I dive in to what's become thorny territory in a piece for Salon about Helen Thomas. The 'dean of the White House press corps' announced her retirement from a groundbreaking 67-year journalism career today in the wake of a last week's infamous video, which caught her making silly and insensitive remarks about Jewish people and Israel. What to do when we see the egregious failings of our heroes? And what does it mean to fire an opinion-maker (she's now a columnist) when we don't like their opinions?

Curious fact that I didn't know until today: Thomas grew up in Detroit, raised by her Lebanese parents, and attended Wayne State University.

Posted at 05:41 PM in Culture, Detroit Stories, Media, Politics | Permalink

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Isak

Isak is a space to celebrate tales and truth in the curious, joyful way embodied by the writer for which it is named. The name "Isak," after all, means "laughter," as she was fond of pointing out.

By tales, I mean fiction (especially short fiction), as well as other literary and artistic narratives. By truth, I mean the world in which we live. I especially have my eye on creative social justice.

Isak: The Extended Version

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Isak

Celebrating Tales and Truth

June 07, 2010