Harsanyi, Denver Post Say Helen Thomas Firing Too Hasty
Harsanyi feels that although Ms. Thomas’ comment that Jews should “get the hell out of Israel” and go back to Germany or Poland or the U.S. or wherever they came from was an “ugly opinion” and “provocative,” that doesn’t mean that “one voice that is probably more honest than others of similar ideological disposition—can be expelled from the conversation simply for offending.” Touché.
In my previous article, I suggested that Ms. Thomas perhaps was a worthy candidate for a mild presidential ass kicking as a proxy for the as yet unnamed BP official responsible for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil leak. I hereby withdraw this tongue-in-cheek opinion. I see the error of my ways.
It seems that the real issue is, does an opinion reporter have a First Amendment right to have an opinion published, no matter how offensive it may be to no matter how many people? Yes. Can there be business consequences to the person offering that opinion? Yes.
Respects to Mr. Harsanyi.