Ruminating on the backlash against Helen Thomas’ comment at the December 2, 2010 “Images and Perceptions of Arab Americans” conference that “Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned by Zionists,” I cross my fingers and hope that I’ll be judged by what I’ve done with my life, rather than by one or two of my many dumb comments. 

As a distinguished university, WSU should encourage debate and maintain important distinctions, instead of stooping to name-calling.

Why can’t we cut some slack for one of the country’s most courageous and trailblazing journalists and one of Wayne State University’s most illustrious graduates, in her 90th year of life, as she contemplates the passivity of this country’s leadership in the face of the destruction of millennia-old Palestinian cities, culture, families, and lifestyle by Israel’s increasingly militant and right-wing Zionism?

As observed by Cecilie Surasky of Jewish Voice for Peace:

“It’s hard to even chart out the hypocrisy of the whole affair. What happened in 2002 when House Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey called for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians on MSNBC’s Hardball? An outraged response? Nary a peep. That same year Senator James Inhofe also called for Israel to permanently retain all of the Occupied Territories “because God said so. “  Did he quit? No. And what to make of the fact that Obama’s White House summoned infinitely more moral outrage for Thomas’ terrible but certainly not lethal remarks, than for the death of nine people on the Mavi Marmara, including a 19-year-old U.S. citizen shot in the head.”

The incident serves as a disquieting reminder to the Arab American community that no slack is cut for anti-Zionism. 

Wayne State University responded by canceling its diversity award in honor of Ms. Thomas, branding the comment as anti-Semitic.  WSU’s response was as disappointing as the hypocrisy of the outrage.  While Thomas’ comment exaggerated the power of Zionists in an unattractive stereotypical manner, the university’s response was intellectually dishonest, in failing to acknowledge the critical distinction between a political agenda — Zionism — and an ethnic/religious group — Jews.  This distinction is now the target of an eradication campaign by Zionist organizations, and the university’s response plays directly into it.  But the distinction between politics and ethnicity is critical. Not all American Jews are Zionists.  Not all Israeli Jews are Zionists.  And not all Zionists are Jews.

Facile equation of criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism silences the sort of dialog and robust debate that is essential to conflict resolution.  With Israel and such organizations as the Anti-Defamation League, AIPAC, the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Relations Council hurling the fearsome epithet of anti-Semitism at all critics of Israeli policy toward Palestinians, now with university support, Jews are fanning the flames of anti-Semitism. 

As a distinguished university, WSU should encourage debate and maintain important distinctions, instead of stooping to name-calling.

Barbara Harvey is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, Detroit chapter.  The views expressed above are her own.