Your grandmother forgot to add a qualifier.  Old AND retired!  Now Helen is and she can spout off on anything she wants!  Idiots do not need excuses.

Helen Thomas's feeling on the issue are both long and well known. I believe that had a lot to do with it. Had it been out of the blue, perhaps the outcome would have been different. She has a right to her opinion, even if it doesn't sit well with being a journalist.

Ha, Doc!  KFC, the other bonus with being old is you can 'forget' to purchase items and just take them.  Has any one seen that Seinfield episode with Uncle Leo and stealing books?

Also, when you're that old you don't have to follow traffic laws either.  I have a friend that is a State Trooper and when he pulls someone in over that is 70 years or older he says that their worse then the crying woman.  Not that they cry but just the unpredicability.

Ok speaking of old men, this one needs to get to bed!

Come on people. She didn't have her daily fiber yet. She was probably mad because they were not gonna serve meatloaf at the old folks home on meatloaf day so she took it out on the Jews. Can't blame the woman for working so long in the White House and not getting any from any of the Presidents.

True and I'm wondering if we're going to hear a bunch of spouting in the form of a million dollar book coming out later this year?  At 90 the clock has to be ticking quite loudly. 

Ture but in this case, her opinion was broadcasted all over the world.  Something the rest of us don't have to worry about.  Maybe this is just another case of the media coming uncovered as well as unglued?  We've sure had a few come out of the closet the last few years. 

hmmm so you're giving us something else to look forward to?  Well if they take our SS away what else can we do? 

maybe that's it in a nutshell Charles.  Too much White House is not a good thing and being in the media room to boot!  I mean really...she's been marinating in the White House much too long.

I'm with NC.  I'm not sure what the big fuss is.  Yeah what she said was horrible but why is anyone surprised?  She is uber lib and has been notoriously known as such! 

Here's a link of her in 2007 supporting Carter's book LINK

She has a view that I don't agree with and for the sake of you all here and others out there I am disappointed that this is causing her to retire.  I support her freedom of speech even though I vehemently disagree with her POV.  She offered her solution to Mid East Peace.

Gah, I feel sick for defending her but it's on the principle of freedom of speech.  She didn't say that they should be murdered or anything like that.  Just that she felt it best if they were not there in the Mid east.  Again I don't agree, but I defend her right to say it.

It's like the whole controversy with South Park.  I don't like what they say, so I stop watching.  If enough people did the same the show would have a choice, change or be canceled.  The same would be for her columns.  I've never read her articles because I don't care what she thinks. 

That is the part you need not do. Her freedom of speech was not abridged.  She suffered no legal penalties for it.  Just as we have to allow the neo-nazis to spout their stupidity, that does not mean we have to defend WHAT they say, only their right to say it.

No laws were broken, no charges filed.  She has her right to free speech.  So did Hearst.

This true and an excellent quote.  This is what we need to remember about freedom of speech and the rod to measure if it was voliated or not!

Good job, Doc!

I thought that's what I said in response to KFC's article.

Did someone feel left out? I do the same.  I never liked South Park.  Their whole purpose was to see how far they could go.  Some people say if you don't listen or give the time that the person/people will just shut up or go away. There are some people that just won't shut up though.  There is a girl at work who you can completely ignore her and she'll still have a full lenght conversation AND I MEAN FULL LENGTH!  Most of the stuff she spouses off (besides her spouse hahahha pun intended) is like the opposite spectrum that I am on.  I feel bad for husband, he probably never gets a word in.  I think some people just talk for the sack of talking.

Good Job, AD!   I hope/pray the numbers are growing! 

Had another visitor last week!

I know I owe you an email but work has been a bear, we just bought a house and are actively working on it.  Hard wood floors are now finished (Character Maple)!  Now working on trim (stained #2 1X4 pine) for the rest of the house.  Hopefully this weekend we can begin actually moving in. So far just a bed and dining table with two lawn chairs is all we have in the place. lol.  I haven't forgotten just been crazy busy. B"H it's coming along.

In my opinion these are two different circumstances.  One is where you voluntarily allow them to influence or express their point of view (ie TV, Radio, Newspaper, etc) then there is the situation you are dealing with a forceful intrusion.  The first you CAN simply ignore to the point like our house... TV is only connected to DVD/VCR player (when it was connected).  The latter you have to deal on a more personal level (or hire someone hahahaha).

The slight difference AD, is that you seemed to think her "retirement" was somehow an abridgment of her freedom of speech.  I merely stated that Hearst has that right (freedom of speech) as well as she does.

I hope I have her pluck if I make it to 90. Can't see sharing the attitude though.

I'm not seeing this as a happy voluntary retirement.  It seems that there is similar pressure for retirement as there would have been for Don Imus with his stupid comments.  What she said is nothing new from her.  Why now?  I don't like it. 

I am not saying her retirement is voluntary.  Indeed, I think it was forced.  But Obama or Gibbs did not fire her.  Her employer, private citizens like her, did.  They did not like her representation of them.  What I am saying is that is their right too.

So she had her right to free speech, and still does (she may be more obnoxious now).  But her employer does not have to pay her for it.