When Worlds Collide, It Usually Makes For Quite A View

Originally written on July 22, 2008

Last week on The View, they discussed Jesse Jackson’s usage of the N word. In as much as Jackson called for the firing of Don Imus for his racial comments and the boycott of Seinfeld reruns because of Michael Richards’ usage of the N word, many are wondering about the consistency here, because they know Jesse will get a free pass and will be treated with far more forgiveness and mercy than this “minister of the gospel” bestows upon others.

Whoopee’s point was not original. It’s been used by many civil rights apologists for years: “Black people can use the word because they use it in an endearing way.”

First of all, Jesse was not using it in an endearing way. He was insulting Obama with the word. There goes your argument, Whoopee. And if white people claimed they were using the word in an endearing way, I doubt that it would float with you.

When Elizabeth Hasselbeck (the token Conservative, whom the others like to gang up on, a result of The View’s own version of affirmative action) argued that right is right and wrong is wrong, regardless of skin color, Whoopee said she and Elizabeth lived in different worlds. When Hasselbeck argued, Whoopee got vehement: “I’m sorry, Elizabeth, but we do! We live in different worlds!”

Oh really, Whoopee? Tell, me, which of the two worlds gave you your Academy Award? And which of the two worlds made you a millionaire movie star? Which of the two worlds hired you for an ABC morning talk show? How many of those “affluent white people” would gladly trade places to live in your world?

I do admire Whoopee Goldberg as an actress. My favorite role was her recurring character, Guinan, on Star Trek: The Next Generation. She played a friend/counselor to the captain. What I liked the most about Guinan, was that she was a good listener and did not talk nearly so much.

Maybe her next project will be a remake of a different Science Fiction classic, When World’s Collide.