I know Helen -- she is the nextdoor neighbor of close extended family i have in Wash. DC, and i got to talk to her at some length several times when I last visited them in February of this year (though i suppose her address is publically findable, i still won't announce where that is, just for some measure of privacy).
I'm returning there in about 10 days, and as i was leaving earlier versions of this diary as comments in this other currently reclisted diary i realized i could carry some direct messages of support to Helen from Kossacks.
So basically, if you would like to leave a comment in this here diary directed at Helen, i will collate all (supportive) responses, print them out, and take them to her with a card.
(Yes, there are definitely some excellent comments in the reclisted diary, many about the hypocrisy of the national punditry on this, etc., and i could gather together the supportive ones from there and take them to her, but that's a fair bit of work to sift through, and though public, those comments were also not generally directed to her).
Here are some other things i said in my comments to that diary (slightly edited):
Helen is a NATIONAL TREASURE, and she was also personally so appreciative when i helped her into a car to a dinner she was going to, talked with her friends, helpers etc. -- and thank you BNoise for pointing out how utterly baseless and spineless these attacks on her are.
And sure, it was unpolitic of her to make those remarks -- but who among us does not say way off things in a moment of anger? and what decent human could not be angered by Israel's actions upon an unarmed boat carrying humanitarian aid to long-besieged peoples?
For the national corporate media to descend on her like vultures in this way is disgusting and vile to me.
Responding to many of the comments below (which i have to say surprised me some):
Here is the link to a 1min Youtube clip of her comments , and they're also transcripted high in the comments below -- my reaction is that she's initially saying the continuing occupation of Palestine by Israel is just so miserable (which all reasonable progressives would agree with), and then she extends it too far by saying Israel shouldn't even exist. That's farther than most would go, since the only viable possibilities are a one or two state solution (and politically these days, only the latter).
Helen Thomas is NOT a hateful person in my experience, and i am certain she wishes no ill upon anyone -- but she does have a fiery temper when she sees injustice, and clearly, in this case, that has landed her in hot water.
For further context and commentary, see here.
And this HuffPo piece also.
Also -- please see especially this comment by Kovie below that i think contains some very useful perspective in it.