Helen Thomas Retires Pat Buchanan keeps working

[Raineyb]

Helen Thomas said something quite hateful about Jews going back where they came from vis a vis Palestine. (I'm paraphrasing at this point.) She's now retiring, no doubt under pressure because many people are screaming for her head including the despicable Ari Fleischer. In addition, many other media people have taken time out of their busy yammering schedules to condemn Ms. Thomas including the man who was supposed to co-write a book she was working on.

Pat Buchanan has said hateful things about black people, Latinos, Muslims, and basically anyone not white, and he has said these things for years. His track record is longer than a mafioso's rap sheet. However apparently, because his hate for all those groups is greater than his hate for Jewish people, he stays on the air.

Helen Thomas is retiring, no doubt under pressure from her soon to be former employer, despite her apology, days after her remarks. Pat Buchanan continues to be taken seriously enough to show up on the political talk shows and even has appeared on a panel on Hardball where the topic was race yet no black people were to be seen. A panel on race including Pat Buchanan a blatant racist? The mind boggles. Meanwhile, the man has never apologized for a single racist thing he said.

I'm not sure that I could blame someone for looking at the disparate treatment of two media personalities who are accused of bigotry for coming to the conclusion that bigotry only causes a loss of income if you are bigoted toward the wrong group.

There is much cheering and applause because Ms. Thomas has chosen to retire. I can't help but think: why the fuck should I cheer for Ms. Thomas' forced retirement when Pat Buchanan, whose bigotry is a hell of a lot more dangerous to my ass, gets a free pass every bloody day? How wrong am I to want to see the established bigot with the long "rap sheet" be banished as well as shunned by others in the media industry and not give so much of a shit about Ms. Thomas' transgression.

[ecstatic]

1. I think Pat gets away with it because everyone sees him coming

so there's no real shock value when he makes his vile comments. He definitely should be fired, along with Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. I know this is blasphemy around here, but I am not a longtime follower of Helen so I won't miss her.

[Number23]

2. Really good points, Rainey

The difference between Helen and Pat is that only one worked for a news organization that was at least willing to put up the pretense of being legitimate. One of the (many, many) reasons that people need to stop watching so much of this cable news and toss so many of these "news" blogs out of the window.

[Brewman_Jax]

3. The standard double standard

We have to raise hell to get any racist slight/slur acknowledged. The offending commentator gets a vigorous defense, then offers some half-assed "apology" and little or no sanction or penalty. It's not only in the news media. :(

When a demographic group, people of color in particular, aren't thought of as really people, with rights and respect, anything can be done TO them--because they deserve it.

[Raineyb]

4. Very true. But point that out and you become the antisemite. n/t

[Fire1]

5. True Brewman, there is undoubtedly a long standing, firmly

entrenched double standard. BUT, Helen blew it b/c of all people she is well aware of the owners of these networks and their sponsors. Helen is of the age where "whatever comes up, comes out" and it is time to go.