Whoopi and Sherri Do Not Know the Definition of 'Suffrage'

For a panel that airs their opinion nationally on regular basis, it is reasonable to expect them to understand basic political terms. Unfortunately, current “View” co-hosts do not. On the November 18 edition of “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg cited an “Advocate” cover headline reading “Gay is the New Black.” Reading the teleprompter, Whoopi stated “some people don’t agree with comparing this to black suffrage,” paused and, in a puzzled state, admitted “I don’t even understand what that word is, suffrage.” [audio available here]

For the record, and to offer Whoopi Goldberg some free elementary school education, the term suffrage according to “Merriam-Webster,” is defined as “the right of voting.”

Sherri Shepherd, who lacks basic information in geography and history, revealed her ignorance in civics and vocabulary. Sherri clumsily tried to define it as “I guess it’s when black people had to, you know, they didn’t want to die for being black.” The other two co-hosts in attendance, Joy Behar (who previously taught English) and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, did not speak up to offer a definition.

The brief exchange follows.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: The battle for same sex marriage continues. And one of the movement’s mottos is “gay is the new black.” At least that’s what some people are saying. That’s what’s on the cover of “The Advocate” this week. And some people don’t agree with comparing this to black suffrage. I don’t even know if I understand what that word is, suffrage, but I’ll leave it alone, black suffrage.

SHERRI SHEPHERD: I guess it’s when black people had to, you know, they didn’t want to die for being black. They didn’t want to be lynched. They wanted to be able to walk through the front door. They wanted to, you know, you had Jim Crow laws that said you could only, you can not do certain things if you were black.