Liberal comedian Whoopi Goldberg clumsily deployed the race card in an argument with conservative guest co-host Will Cain of The Blaze on Wednesday's The View about comedian Russell Brand comparing Fox News to ISIS. Cain had criticized Brand, pointing out the ludicrousness of describing a news channel he disagrees with politically to violent, predatory terrorists.
Tackling how absurd American society's obsession with a virtual right to not be offended by someone else's words, Goldberg snapped back that he had “[s]poken like a true white guy.” Goldberg insisted that people “absolutely have the right” to ask people to stop using words that make them “uncomfortable.” Cain countered that “you have to be bigger than words.” In response to Goldberg arguing that people “do have the absolute right” to tell people not to use certain words Cain replied “We’d all be out of business. Everyone’s offended all of the time!”
It's at that point that Goldberg quipped Cain had “spoken like a true white guy.”
Goldberg then tried to tell Cain that his comments didn’t hold any weight because he and his family haven’t experience what African-Americans have. Cain explained that his “argument is not that there is no such thing offensive words, it is how you react to them, you don't shut people up because you disagree or found something they said somewhat offensive.”
“NO, NO, NO! You do!” Goldberg barked back, seemingly not caring that her harsh, imperious tone might, you know, be offensive to Cain, her guest.
At the end of the argument Cain tried to bring everyone back to earth. “Don’t compare it [Fox News] to terrorism” like Brand did, he requested.
"I don't think that's what he was doing," Goldberg absurdly fired back, getting the last word.
The relevant portion is transcribed below:
ABC
The View
June 26, 2014
11:08 a.m. EasternWHOOPI GOLDBERG: How about this, Russell Brand went on a YouTube rant against Fox News host Judge Jeanine Pirro. Calling her more dangerous than terrorist group ISIS. Referring to her way to deal with ISIS is to keep bombing them, keep bombing them, and then bomb them again. Russell says this actually creates more terrorists than it kills.
WILL CAIN: This is so inappropriate. Russell in this commentary compares ISIS this group running around the Middle East lopping heads off left and right, to Fox News, who -- they might persuade somebody. I think it's part of the whole trend is, we elevate words to the most harmful thing in society. How dare you say something that could offend somebody. How dare you say something that hurts my feelings?
GOLDBERG: Let me say, let me tell you why, Will. America has – You know, because we have a history of utilizing words to harm people and hurt people and the people who have been on the other side of it, I think are at the point where they're saying, this is not okay anymore. You got to roll with it. Because at some point, we all have to grow up.
JENNY MCCARTHY: And sometimes verbal abuse is sometimes worse than physical abuse.
CAIN: There was a time that sticks and bones may break you but words cannot hurt you.
SHERRI SHEPHERD: I don’t believe in that saying one bit. Words do hurt you. Labels can hurt you.
MCCARTHY: Why not be kind to one another and not use them?
CAIN: That’s the whole point. You gotta be bigger than words. It’s like the bully conversation.
GOLDBERG: What you can do is say, don't use that Redskin thing anymore, I'm not comfortable with it. Don't say this word, because I don’t like it. I’m Irish, I don’t like it. Every one of these groups has the absolute right to say this has been harmful, this has hurt my parents and grandparents. Don't use it anymore or use it and don’t be surprised if people are pissed.
CAIN: We’ll all be out of business. We'll all stop talking. Everybody's offended all the time. From the Fighting Irish to the Redskins. Everybody’s offended.
GOLDBERG: Spoken like a true white guy.
CAIN: Maybe. That’s what I am
CAIN: The argument isn't --
GOLDBERG: Have you had that experience?
CAIN: I have not had that experience.
GOLDBERG: That’s the difference
CAIN: My argument is not that there is no such thing offensive words, it is how you react to them, You don't shut people up because you disagree or found something they said somewhat offensive. You roll on with your life.
GOLDBERG: No. No. No. You do! The whole reason -- I'm going to say the words, everybody calm down, the whole reason they [ muted] is because people go tired of it.
SHEPHERD: People would still be using it to hurt.
MCCARTHY: If people are sensitive, don't use it.
ROSS MATTHEWS: Or use it as a discussion like we are right now.
CAIN: Just to bring this full circle, don't compare it to terrorism.
GOLDBERG: I don't think that's what he was doing.
