The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy!
H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926
( ed. Note: while a case could be made that the topic which follows is an absolute first amendment situation, we believe handing this subject to a guest commentator will provide a better way to explore the discussion)
Whoopi Goldberg was suspended this evening - 2/1/22 - for comments she made on the television show ‘The View’. The video and transcript correctly reflect that Whoopi said that the Holocaust was not a matter of race, but rather an issue of man’s inhumanity to man.
This is not a defense of her comments but rather a reminder for America to remember some insightful and powerful writing.
To wit:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
That seems to be rather transparent. It applies to ALL Americans. Whether you like or dislike her, agree with her politics or find them anathema to your view of how things should be, she has every right to express her opinion.
This nation used to hold as an undocumented constitutional right that I might disagree with every fiber of our being what you are saying but I will defend with my life your right to say it.
Whoopi has had a lifetime body of work that apparently means nothing. People should remember that when Mel Gibson had his drunken tirade it was Whoopi who immediately came out and said she would not accept claims he was a racist based on his comments. Her reasoning was simple. She said she knew the man, as a human being, and he was no racist. She spoke her truth. As an aside, Danny Glover, Gibson’s co-star in the ‘Lethal Weapon’ franchise remained silent. Was Glover willing to work with a racist, or did he fear the mob. Whoopi used to have a late-night talk show, where she and her guests just talked. They had real conversations, and they ran the gamut of the political spectrum.
She later attempted to clarify that she was referring to the fact that the Nazis and Jews were white, so race was not the issue. We will not attempt to give creedence to her statement, but the opportunity to discuss was lost. Consider if Whoopi had invited the curators of the Holocaust museum to an event where she expressed what she meant and then listened to where her perception was flawed. Anti-Semitism is still an issue, and an honest dialogue would have helped immensely. It seems, however, that nobody wants to listen, just demand satisfaction of their bloodlust. The same holds for Roseanne Barr. She used her television show to be a springboard for explorations of racism, domestic violence, anti-gay ignorance, and a whole host of issues too numerous to mention. She was deemed a societal leper for unacceptable tweets. Her body of work was never discussed. Destroy her for mean tweets.
The same could be said for the Joe Rogan – Neil Young nonsense. It could have been a wonderful exercise in communication. Rogan has a three hour a day podcast. Invite Neil on for the entire show and let them see if they could come to a mutual understanding. Instead, sides have been taken and ignorance on both sides has been given the ability to flourish.
It is important to understand that we are not supporting what Whoopi said, but rather without equivocation supporting her right to speak and to be heard.
The sixth amendment provides for the accused to be afforded the right to a trial of their peers. The founders and framers understood the importance of taking the accused entire life into account when deciding on guilt or innocence. If we found ourselves in Whoopi’s position, would we hope to be judged by those who knew us best, or by a social media mob.
Whoopi is not Al Campanis. For those unfamiliar with Al, take a few minutes and look him up.
He deserved what he got.
Whoopi does not.
You may disagree with this post, but we will defend with our lives your right to say so without fear of retribution.
Because this is America.
T
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