SPJ delegates voted 85-71 in October to uphold the national board’s decision to retire the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award.
The issue resurfaced at this year’s SPJ convention in New Orleans through a resolution proposing that the award be reinstated.
A group of SPJ members from various chapters submitted the resolution.
SPJ created a lifetime achievement award in 2000 and named it after Thomas, a White House correspondent for decades.
In January 2011, the national board voted 14-7 to retire the award because of the controversy surrounding two rounds of comments Thomas made.
The first time, in an interview that was recorded on video, Thomas urged Israel to “get the hell out of Palestine” and Jews can go back to other countries. She later apologized.
The second time, in a speech, Thomas said, “Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned by Zionists. No question, in my opinion.”
Those who supported retiring the award said Thomas’ comments were offensive.
The group that pressed for the award to be reinstated said SPJ shouldn’t have punished Thomas for giving her opinion, particularly since she was a columnist the first and was retired from journalism the second time.
A separate resolution submitted by the Fort Worth Pro chapter to reinstate the award was defeated in a voice vote. That resolution initially said SPJ was “regretting” Thomas’ comments. The wording later was changed to “not expressing agreement with” Thomas’ remarks.
For many years, Thomas belonged to the Washington, D.C., Pro chapter of SPJ, until she stopped her membership in SPJ after the lifetime achievement award was retired.
She is a member of the D.C. Pro Hall of Fame.
— Andy Schotz
