Women's Cultural Event

Helen Thomas, keynote speaker for AAAN's December 12 fundraiser, answers our questions.

Helen Thomas is one of the most courageous and conscientious journalists this country has ever seen, challenging U.S. Presidents from Eisenhower to Obama, and asking the tough questions that her colleagues often ignored. She worked for the United Press International (UPI) for 57 years, and was an opinion columnist for Hearst Newspapers from 2000 to 2010. She was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the first female member and president of the White House Correspondents' Association, and the first female member of the Gridiron Club. Thomas has also written hundreds of columns and five books, including her latest, Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do (2009). Forced to retire in June of 2010 because of comments she made about Israel and the Palestinian people, we at the AAAN are calling on all Arabs and our friends in Chicagoland to attend this fundraiser and show our support for an Arab American icon.

AAAN: What challenges have you faced, being an Arab American woman in a white male-dominated field?

HT: All women faced fierce role discrimination when I was growing up. Women went to college but they were urged to be the teachers and nurses--- not the journalists, lawyers and doctors.

AAAN: Your supporters across the country and world were devastated when you were recently forced to resign.  Should we expect to see you working in media again anytime soon?

HT: I hope to keep reporting to the end of my days.

AAAN: Why haven't there been more brave and challenging journalists like you in the White House Press Corps over the years?  Does this say something about the role of the press in the U.S.?  What should the ideal role of the press be?

HT: The ideal journalist seeks to follow the truth wherever it leads her. Accuracy and honesty are the standards and ethics of the profession. The people have the right to know almost everything.

AAAN: What do you think is special about any of the Presidents you have covered?  What did they have in common, and how have they differed?

HT: It would be great if all the presidents would cherish their credibility. They owe it to us not to lie. Most presidents prevaricate on security matters; all they have to say is "No comment." But they should not lie. Too many lives are at stake.

AAAN: Having attended every Economic Summit since 1975, what can you tell us about where the U.S. and world economy, respectively, is heading?

HT: The U.S. is stuck with impossible unemployment, 9.6 percent and probably much higher. I believe the government should prime the pump and pour millions into the economy for public works projects, schools, roads and into poverty projects; demand that house foreclosures stop; and give loans to the poor people.

AAAN: What will be the topic of your presentation in Chicago on December 12th?

HT: Justice for the Arabs will prevail!

Find Thomas's answers to the following questions here:

Do President Obama's attitudes and policies toward the Arab World differ from previous Presidents?  If so, in what ways?  If not, why?

What role can the Arab community in the U.S. play in promoting a foreign policy that is more fair and friendly toward Arabs in our homelands, especially Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria?

What do the recent Republican wins and House takeover mean for the U.S.?  For the Arab World?

What advice do you have for Arab youth facing discrimination and racism in their schools?