Whoopi Goldberg said Holocaust was not about race. What happened next
Oscar actress Whoopi Goldberg has been suspended from a US talk show after saying that the Holocaust involved "two groups of white people" and "was not about race". She apologised but then offended the masses again trying to explain her remarks on a late-night show.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Whoopi Goldberg was on a panel with 4 other co-hosts on a show called "The View" and they were discussing the ban on a graphic book that revolved around Holocaust. While the discussion was on, she mentioned that Holocaust was not about "race" but about "inhumanity". As she went on with her explanation, the live show created a furore on the internet.
Newsflash @WhoopiGoldberg 6 million of us were gassed, starved and massacred because we were deemed an inferior race by the Nazis. How dare you minimize our trauma and suffering! pic.twitter.com/nD8drxWpxJ
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) January 31, 2022
It didn't stop there, Goldberg went on another TV show the same evening to clarify her stance, only to mess it up further. She went to the original show, "The View'' the next morning and apologised for her statements again. But looks like the offensive comments are going to stay here for some time.
THE ROOT CAUSE
Stories that need to be told. Thank you, Art Spiegelman & @JuddLegum so important to read MAUS: A Survivor’s Tale & MAUS II: And Here My Troubles Began (sequel released when I was working on @MuseumModernArt Yiddish Film Fest, w/orig art drawing exhibit) https://t.co/ii1dlcccc5 pic.twitter.com/O0KteplFix
— Eve Sicular (@klezbigal) February 1, 2022
This particular panel discussion on "The View" was sparked by a Tennessee school board's ban of a graphic novel about Nazi death camps during World War Two. The novel depicted Jews as mice and Nazis as cats and the school board banned the book because of its profanity, nudity and depiction of suicide as it was inappropriate for 13-year-olds. This was the topic that led the discussion.
Maus is a graphic novel that tells a Holocaust survivor's tale. The Jews are mice. The Nazis are cats. It is powerful. It is gripping. It is an excellent teaching tool about the Holocaust. The cursing is necessary. The TN School Board are wrong to ban it.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) January 26, 2022
THE SPARK
When the 5 panelists came together to talk about this ban on the novel, Oscar winning actress Goldberg, told her co-hosts:
"I'm surprised that's what made you uncomfortable, the fact that there was some nudity. I mean, it's about the Holocaust, the killing of six million people, but that didn't bother you?
"If you're going to do this, then let's be truthful about it. Because the Holocaust isn't about race. No, it's not about race."
Then, she went to talk about her view of the Holocaust.
WHAT WAS HER POINT?
During this talk, Goldberg referred to Jews and Nazis as “two groups of white people” and that the Holocaust was about “inhumanity” and “not race.”
"It's about man's inhumanity to other man," she said.
As Goldberg referenced history between Jews and Nazis as "white groups" her other co-hosts mentioned how the Nazis did not see them as white.
THE OUTRAGE
Jonathan Greenblatt, leader of the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish anti-hate watchdog tweeted:
No @WhoopiGoldberg, the #Holocaust was about the Nazi’s systematic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race. They dehumanized them and used this racist propaganda to justify slaughtering 6 million Jews. Holocaust distortion is dangerous. #ENOUGH https://t.co/koS1kuspqV
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) January 31, 2022
Meghan McCain, a former co-host of "The View", tweeted:
I hate commenting on my old employer because I have moved in every way a person can move on. That being said I am an activist against antisemitism and it is a big part of my life. The growing threat is real and virulent and everywhere. I am heartbroken about what was said.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) February 1, 2022
Her words sparked international backlash and a wide condemnation on social media and "#firewhoopi" was trending on Twitter.
FIRST APOLOGY
She issued a statement on Twitter which said:
— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) February 1, 2022
HER CLARIFICATION
She clarified the claim on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” after stating via Twitter, “I stand corrected.” Her statement read:
After her fiasco on The View, @WhoopiGoldberg went on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert & repeated that she thinks that the Holocaust had nothing to do with race, you can't tell who's Jewish, the Holocaust was white on white, klansmen wouldn't attack Jews 'cuz they're white.... pic.twitter.com/hX85Awkp2U
— Leftism (@LeftismForU) February 1, 2022
NEXT APOLOGY
She apologised the next morning on "The View" and said:
Whoopi apologizes to the Jewish community for saying yesterday that the Holocaust wasn't about race If you watch #TheView daily as I do, you know that Whoopi has ALWAYS had the back of the Jewish people pic.twitter.com/h2hsUTErAg
— The Chat (@LiveOnTheChat) February 1, 2022
THE CONSEQUENCES
She later invited Jonathan Greenblatt to talk about why Holocaust was about racism and probably that was her way of saying sorry. Here is the sneak peak:
Deeply appreciate @WhoopiGoldberg inviting me on to @TheView today to have an important discussion on the importance of educating about the Holocaust. Whoopi has been a long-time ally of the Jewish community and @ADL and her apology is very much welcome. https://t.co/0lCLSgM9vO
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 1, 2022
But the ABC news channel suspended her for two weeks for her statements as the ABC stood in solidarity with Jews and the atrocities against them.
Yesterday Whoopi Goldberg was suspended for 2 weeks after her on-air apology. This is the statement from @ABC News president Kim Goodwin. On behalf of #TheView crew we believe this was the wrong decision especially on day one of #BlackHistoryMonth ! #BoycottTheView pic.twitter.com/QHLBzDTOuZ
— Farris Flagg (@FarrisFlagg) February 2, 2022
What do you think of this?