Whoopi Goldberg and “The View” newcomer Raven-Symoné are defending Elisabeth Hasselback against claims she is racist.
As previously reported, during a recent segment on Fox News earlier this week, the “Fox & Friends” co-host had offered her opinion that the reason Sandra Bland was arrested, could have been that the cigarette was perceived as a weapon. “I’m sure, someone has, in the history of this land, used a cigarette against a police officer, maybe chucked it at him, pushed it at him,” said Hasselbeck, suggesting that the arresting officer was justified in asking Bland to put out her cigarette in the recently released dashcam video.
Hasselbeck got burned on social media for her remarks. “Is she trying to justify murder?” wrote Twitter user @quaymorris. Other users agreed that Hasselbeck’s comment blew the threat out of proportion.
“Did Fox News think Sandra Bland could absorb the energy of her cigarette and hurl a fireball at the cop?” wrote @owillis.
But that sentiment wasn’t felt across the board. Friend and “The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg came to her defense, stating she’s a journalist, and that’s what they do … ask questions. “Somehow, suddenly, it is no longer OK to pose a question that will give you an answer in order to best understand what’s going on.”
“We’ve been friends for about seven, eight years, and she has not asked me to pick any cotton,” Goldberg continued. “
You kind of have an idea of who watches Fox News,” Michelle Collins chimed in. “To ask if a cigarette could be used as a weapon … well, yeah, anything can be used as a weapon.”
Fellow co-host Raven-Symone jumped in, saying, “There are a lot of people of color who think that White people shouldn’t ask certain questions because they don’t understand it … and I don’t think that’s fair. “We have to stop being so sensitive.”
“I didn’t find it offensive at all. I felt that she was asking a provocative question as a journalist,” said Rosie Perez.
Goldberg rounded out the conversation by saying, “If we stop asking questions, how will we ever know the truth?Relax; you’ll recognize the real racists. You know them when you see them and when you hear them. This woman sat here for 12 years and had disagreements, that does not make her a frickin’ racist. Sorry.”
What are your thoughts on Goldberg defending Hasselbeck and Raven saying Black folks are “too sensitive?” Sound off in the comment section below.
