Whoopi Goldberg, suspended for two weeks by ABC for her comments about the Holocaust, had an opinion. She, like many people these days, is unable to properly contextualize history or see it outside her own contemporary leftist worldview. But Goldberg is a talk show host with no power. No one is really “hurt” by her words. She should be able to express herself without fear of losing her job. As should Joe Rogan and Ilya Shapiro.
That said, the slap on the wrist, probably intended to keep Goldberg out of the public eye to weather the storm, is also performative. No one really believes Goldberg’s career is in danger. And everyone knows that if Goldberg were a conservative, her career in mainstream entertainment would be over, and the nation would have been plunged into another insufferable “conversation” about the right-wing menace and the dangers of unfettered speech. Yet, when Goldberg gets suspended, suddenly, people like Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are troubled about cancel culture.
Disney and ABC are owned by the same company. We should recall that Gina Carano, the actress who played Cara Dune in “The Mandalorian,” wasn’t placed on a two-week suspension. She was fired for “social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities.” Carano hadn’t belittled anyone in the way Goldberg or even Ana Navarro did the other day when generalizing the attempted extermination of Jews as an act of “white supremacy” or white-on-white “inhumanity” on The View. Carano used Nazis to make a reductive, misplaced point about how dangerous it can be when the state singles out certain classes of people. The double standard was obvious immediately, as we learned that the actor Pedro Pascal, who plays the Mandalorian on the show, was comparing Auschwitz to the Trump-era border apprehensions. This is the same kind of thing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and scores of liberals (and some conservatives) engage in. It would be wonderful if people had another historical event to exploit, but we’re going to need a lot of censors if ignorance is classified as a speech crime.
Or take Stephen Colbert, who had Goldberg on to explain her comments, resulting in one of the most painfully stupid conversations about the Holocaust I’ve ever witnessed. Still, the late-night host let Goldberg have her say rather than merely accepting the least-generous interpretation of her words. The next day, Colbert was on television insinuating that Ron DeSantis, governor of a state with the third-highest number of Jews in the nation, has Nazi sympathies because he didn’t take the time to condemn a few publicity-seeking cosplaying nuts in Orlando. For Colbert, who gives people such as Jew baiter Ilhan Omar softball interviews, antisemitism is mostly a useful cudgel with which to attack conservatives.
Though I haven’t seen any prominent conservative call for the firing of Goldberg, these double standards will almost surely harden conservative views on open speech. There will be tit for tat, pearl-clutching, and pressure campaigns, but mostly, there will be calls for revenge. You can only expect people to live under two sets of rules and standards for so long. A large chunk of the left’s time these days is taken up with attempts to undercut open discourse. And not just the bunch of crybabies at Georgetown Law who are trying to get Shapiro fired for clumsily expressing the view of 76% of Americans, or “media reporters” at CNN, or musicians trying to pressure Spotify to deplatform Rogan; it’s the president and politicians who pressure companies to shut down speech they disapprove of.
Nor is it only well-known apostates who live in fear of committing speech crimes. A recent Manhattan Institute study found that 45% of employees under 30 are scared of losing their jobs because “someone misunderstands something you have said or done, takes it out of context, or posts something from your past online.” This kind of noxious anxiety should not exist in a liberal nation. And it’s liberal orthodoxy that will get you canned.
None of this is to say that we shouldn’t be critical of things people say, or that every nut has a God-given right to a television show. It does mean that those trying to cancel or chill speech are acting in illiberal ways. Either you believe in free expression as a neutral principle, or you don’t. Those who don’t are usually authoritarian. Though, like most authoritarians, they don’t even know they’re the bad guys.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at National Review.
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Physicians are the most educated in their own field but they make mistakes and most know nothing about politicians or politics. Joe Biden never held a non-political job.
She’s about as ignorant as they come and what do expect from that organization? Seriously, I am really surprised she didn’t receive an award.
She said an extremely uneducated comment, but she has every right to say what she wants. She should not be canceled. She should be educated so she doesn’t repeat her stupidity. We live in America where we have free speech.
Biggest hypocrites ever, one way for them and everyone else must obey . Just look at all these leftist liberal progressives not adhering to the forced mandates and then insisting that you wear masks and get vaccinated no matter what. Whoopi Goldberg will be kept out of sight for a little while and next thing you know she’ll be a bigger celebrity after all of this. If any conservative or Republican said anything even remotely close to this it would be game over canceled out permanently. Joe Rohan is for the most part fair and has very good hosts that I feel are honest and out for this country and all our American citizens, These leftist progressives are power hungry and only out to enhance themselves. Definitely not fair and impartial at all
If Goldberg was speaking out of not knowing history then Ignorance is Still No Excuse. If she was suspended for free speech? Really. Racial or Ethnic Stupidity, maybe.
Does the average working man or woman really care or even watch the View. No. The majority are Busy trying to make a living
Why do you think these left wing morons so often point out the Nazi regime? Be cause they have familiarity with the narrative because they’re using the playbook. Between silencing opposing speech, persecuting rival political voice, burning (banning) books, pitting race against race, while allowing their “Brown shirts” (Antifa and BLM) to run wide, does this remind anyone of mid 30s Germany? I am frankly more upset at the lack of Repub lawmakers going after social media giants that are constantly ending public discourse. There better be a day of reckoning if the Repubs take back control. To hell with live and let live, it’s time for an eye for an eye. Remove every Democrat from every position on any Congressional committee. And if the we the people don’t take back control, then America as you’ve known and loved it is done. I’m not sure we can even survive another 3 years of this insanity. The weak may eventually inherit the earth, but in the mean time I want a strong, independent nation to live in free of the socialist garbage forced upon us day in and day out.
Fire LOUDMOUTH Whoopi. Nothing but LIES and GARBAGE come out of IT’s MOUTH just like Mayor KAREN of Chicago.
I’d say there’s a little “privilege going on here and it ain’t white.
I’m certainly not a Whoopi Goldberg fan and find The View odious at best. I did lister to Whoopi’s apology though and found it sincere and more than reasonable. As a young person (I’m 85 now) I lived in the very segregated south For four years where you were either white or were referred to only as a n-word. When people of color left their part of the city they were not allowed to use any “white facilities” and of course education was segregated.
My Dad traveled a lot leaving my Mom with four very rambunctious boys and a daughter so he hired a person of color to assist my Mom. Lannie Washington was a delightful lady and a real asset to the function of our family. However, when she prepared the first dinner she got the family seated but then took hers and went out on the back stoop (porch) to eat her’s. My dad immediately asked her what she was doing when she explained that was customary.. she was told that anyone that prepared a meal for this family would sit and eat with us – our neighbors could see us through the dinning room window and the whole town soon was commenting that we had let “one of them” sit and eat with us but for the four years we lived there Lannie was one of us.
I’m a rock hard conservative and am fatally believe in free speech and never want to see it censored- if you don’t like a particular program don’t censor – pick up your remote and change channels
Apply same Stds Both ways or None
Make= fair
Democrats are never sincere about apologies. They only apologize when they are caught being Democrats. She can take her fat uneducated ass back to any country she thinks is better than the USA!
Get rid of them and the view. Worthles show anyhow. Kyle L.
Now that they are starting to target their own, just maybe these idiots will see that they aren’t exempt from being canceled or shut down either. As soon as biden and company get all their warriors trained there will not be one US CITIZEN safe from their tyranny
Maybe she’s bidens pick for Supreme Court lol ????
In this day and age, people know if what they say is going to get backlash and/or them called out. With social media, they get to say what they want and just apologize the next day. To me, apologies are cheap. The hurt, the damage, the distastefulness is already done. They got to say what they wanted to say and it only costs a cheap insincere apology. It’s not sticks and stones, it’s words. An apology really doesn’t change how you feel. In other words, if you’re going to say it, stand with it and own it.
My Mother used to watch the view every day and I would say to her “Why do you waste your time watching this crap?” She would say, “well, if it weren’t true, they wouldn’t be allowed to say it on the air” This is what we are up against. all too many just believe what they selectively hear is true.
She should be fired for good!! Useless POS!!
It may be a mistake to simply take the high road when the democrats hypocrisy bites them in their backside.
These are the people who falsely label others as anti Semitic,Racists, homophobes and every other degrading and condensing term they can think of.
Why be compassionate, understanding,or give a second chance to such vile liars???
When liberals have no facts, they just attack others.
Might be time to treat them with the same indifference and slander??
Physicians are the most educated in their own field but they make mistakes and most know nothing about politicians or politics. Joe Biden never held a non-political job.
She’s about as ignorant as they come and what do expect from that organization? Seriously, I am really surprised she didn’t receive an award.
She said an extremely uneducated comment, but she has every right to say what she wants. She should not be canceled. She should be educated so she doesn’t repeat her stupidity. We live in America where we have free speech.
Biggest hypocrites ever, one way for them and everyone else must obey . Just look at all these leftist liberal progressives not adhering to the forced mandates and then insisting that you wear masks and get vaccinated no matter what. Whoopi Goldberg will be kept out of sight for a little while and next thing you know she’ll be a bigger celebrity after all of this. If any conservative or Republican said anything even remotely close to this it would be game over canceled out permanently. Joe Rohan is for the most part fair and has very good hosts that I feel are honest and out for this country and all our American citizens, These leftist progressives are power hungry and only out to enhance themselves. Definitely not fair and impartial at all
If Goldberg was speaking out of not knowing history then Ignorance is Still No Excuse. If she was suspended for free speech? Really. Racial or Ethnic Stupidity, maybe.
Does the average working man or woman really care or even watch the View. No. The majority are Busy trying to make a living
Why do you think these left wing morons so often point out the Nazi regime? Be cause they have familiarity with the narrative because they’re using the playbook. Between silencing opposing speech, persecuting rival political voice, burning (banning) books, pitting race against race, while allowing their “Brown shirts” (Antifa and BLM) to run wide, does this remind anyone of mid 30s Germany? I am frankly more upset at the lack of Repub lawmakers going after social media giants that are constantly ending public discourse. There better be a day of reckoning if the Repubs take back control. To hell with live and let live, it’s time for an eye for an eye. Remove every Democrat from every position on any Congressional committee. And if the we the people don’t take back control, then America as you’ve known and loved it is done. I’m not sure we can even survive another 3 years of this insanity. The weak may eventually inherit the earth, but in the mean time I want a strong, independent nation to live in free of the socialist garbage forced upon us day in and day out.
Fire LOUDMOUTH Whoopi. Nothing but LIES and GARBAGE come out of IT’s MOUTH just like Mayor KAREN of Chicago.
I’d say there’s a little “privilege going on here and it ain’t white.
I’m certainly not a Whoopi Goldberg fan and find The View odious at best. I did lister to Whoopi’s apology though and found it sincere and more than reasonable. As a young person (I’m 85 now) I lived in the very segregated south For four years where you were either white or were referred to only as a n-word. When people of color left their part of the city they were not allowed to use any “white facilities” and of course education was segregated.
My Dad traveled a lot leaving my Mom with four very rambunctious boys and a daughter so he hired a person of color to assist my Mom. Lannie Washington was a delightful lady and a real asset to the function of our family. However, when she prepared the first dinner she got the family seated but then took hers and went out on the back stoop (porch) to eat her’s. My dad immediately asked her what she was doing when she explained that was customary.. she was told that anyone that prepared a meal for this family would sit and eat with us – our neighbors could see us through the dinning room window and the whole town soon was commenting that we had let “one of them” sit and eat with us but for the four years we lived there Lannie was one of us.
I’m a rock hard conservative and am fatally believe in free speech and never want to see it censored- if you don’t like a particular program don’t censor – pick up your remote and change channels
Apply same Stds Both ways or None
Make= fair
Democrats are never sincere about apologies. They only apologize when they are caught being Democrats. She can take her fat uneducated ass back to any country she thinks is better than the USA!
Get rid of them and the view. Worthles show anyhow. Kyle L.
Now that they are starting to target their own, just maybe these idiots will see that they aren’t exempt from being canceled or shut down either. As soon as biden and company get all their warriors trained there will not be one US CITIZEN safe from their tyranny
Maybe she’s bidens pick for Supreme Court lol ????
In this day and age, people know if what they say is going to get backlash and/or them called out. With social media, they get to say what they want and just apologize the next day. To me, apologies are cheap. The hurt, the damage, the distastefulness is already done. They got to say what they wanted to say and it only costs a cheap insincere apology. It’s not sticks and stones, it’s words. An apology really doesn’t change how you feel. In other words, if you’re going to say it, stand with it and own it.
My Mother used to watch the view every day and I would say to her “Why do you waste your time watching this crap?” She would say, “well, if it weren’t true, they wouldn’t be allowed to say it on the air” This is what we are up against. all too many just believe what they selectively hear is true.
She should be fired for good!! Useless POS!!
It may be a mistake to simply take the high road when the democrats hypocrisy bites them in their backside.
These are the people who falsely label others as anti Semitic,Racists, homophobes and every other degrading and condensing term they can think of.
Why be compassionate, understanding,or give a second chance to such vile liars???
When liberals have no facts, they just attack others.
Might be time to treat them with the same indifference and slander??