Can anyone tell me the problem here?

[JMS]

"The blacks are not human" Untrue? Absolutely! Offensive? Definitely!

"All Mexicans are dirty and lazy" True? Absolutely not Offensive? No doubt about it!

"The Jews control all the money and all the world governments and are only concerned for themselves" Offensive and prejudiced? Damn tootin! True? Not likely.

Helen Thomas saying, "Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine." Offensive? I don't see it. As for the rest of her statement I think she is wrong but I only see her statement as opinion and nothing more. These comments however caused her abrupt retirement, so I can only come to the conclusion that she unintentionally exposed a side of herself that she, along with many others saw as extremely prejudice and bigoted...but I missed it. Can someone enlighten me?

Here is the video:

YouTube - Helen Thomas tells Jews to go back to Germany

[JMS]

The problem is in the very title of the video you posted.

Go the hell back to Germany and Poland? Hmmm. I wonder why that might be seen as problematic...

It might be problematic only if she is saying "go back to the ovens" but that's not exactly clear now is it?

[majurey]

So Mark, you believe all Jews in Israel come from Poland/Germany?

Untrue? Absolutely! (And yeah, Offensive and prejudiced to boot!)

[northpaw]

I believe most of the outcry over her remark is due to the fact that she's long been portrayed as a somewhat cantankerous but wise figure (front-row seat, etc.), yet now she's been outed as having views that go against both the official and the generally accepted narrative about Israel.

A different way to look at it is that she's been somewhat of a thorn in the side(s) of power for a while, and since she's now both obviously old and loony (again, according to the narrative), it's an opportune time to send her shuffling out to pasture.

[The above was meant to address the subject of the thread as I interpreted it, which was "Why did this happen?". If the subject is instead "Was she correct/justified in saying what she did?", then that's much more complicated.]

[Bruno]

It might be problematic only if she is saying "go back to the ovens" but that's not exactly clear now is it?

Myes... suppose one was to yell 'up yours' or 'you can shove it' or 'bend over'.
You could argue that those were technically non offensive statements as they don't specify anything rude.

Or you could argue that the one saying these words is being rude and insensitive.

[JimmyHAD]

Is it prejudiced for me to point out that she is of Lebanese descent so may have a particular prism through which she views the middle east and Israel ? I may be wrong but that is what I think. Her remarks are at the very least insensitive and maybe prejudiced. I can't be sure of her inner feelings but suggesting that all Jews should leave Israel and go back to wherever is ignorant at best and prejudiced at worst.

[Hillie]

The problem is that this is a multi-faceted conflict where there's no side with clean hands, yet all kinds of "outsiders" (jewish and "palestine" interest groups, politicians or politically related and whatever one can sweep under the "activists" carpet) all over the world shout on top of their lungs how poor people X are and what evil devils group Y are.

[billyjeff2]

Telling people they should get the hell out of their own country, and to return to countries where their ancestors were exterminated, may sound a tad offensive to some. Kind of like telling African Americans to get the hell out of tthe USA and go back to Africa. Or Italian Americans to get the hell out of the USA and go back to Italy.
If you have difficulty seeing the offensiveness of that kind of thinking, there's probably no one who can explain it to you...

[welshwizard]

'Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it'

It seems that many of us were behind the bicycle sheds having a crafty cigarette when we should have been in history class.

[1OldGI]

Racism or anti-semitism in any form from anyone is ugly and only reveals the person's ignorance. It seems that some get away with overt racism easier than others. Of course me being a middle aged white guy, a veteran and Republican, the very fact that I breathe in and out is perceived by some as racist. I think it's really unfortunate that racism has become a buzz word of sorts and IMHO is totally over applied. Eventually we'll all become desensitized and even real overt, hateful, ignorant racism like this won't even phase us.