New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) slammed ABC's decision to suspend actress and producer Whoopi Goldberg from The View in light of her comments regarding the Holocaust, criticizing it as "unnecessary," the congresswoman told TMZ.
The incident in question relies on context, she explained, and that Goldberg has a "good track record with the Jewish people."
During a segment on The View discussing the Tennessee school board's removal of the Holocaust book Maus from its curriculum, Goldberg had mentioned that “The Holocaust isn’t about race,” but rather about “man’s inhumanity to man.”
“If you’re going to do this, then let’s be truthful about it,” Goldberg said, before elaborating that “these [Jews and Nazis] are two white groups of people.”
Co-host Joy Behar objected, arguing that Nazis “considered Jews a different race.” Guest co-host Ana Navarro said, “It’s about white supremacy. It’s about going after Jews and Gypsies.” But Goldberg continued to speak.
“The minute you turn it into race, you go down this alley,” she said, as the show’s producers began playing music as a cue to cut to commercials.
Sparks fly as The View panel confronts Whoopi after she says "the Holocaust isn't about race. No. It's not about race.""Well, the considered Jews a different race," Joy Behar says."But it's about white supremacy. It's about going after Jews and Gypsies," Ana Navarro adds. pic.twitter.com/GZwZSi2qXi
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) January 31, 2022
The incident quickly sparked backlash, with many people noting that the Nazis viewed Jews as an inferior race.
Yad Vashem chairman Dani Dayan even invited Goldberg to visit the museum and learn about the Holocaust.
Following the backlash, Goldberg released a statement over social media apologizing for her choice of words.
“On today’s show, I said the Holocaust ‘is not about race, but about man’s inhumanity to man.’ I should have said it is about both,” she wrote.
“As Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti-Defamation League shared, ‘The Holocaust was about the [Nazis’] systematic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race.’ I stand corrected.”
“The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver,” she added. “I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused.”
She further apologized on The View and on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The apology was further accepted by Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who appeared on The View to talk with Goldberg about the Holocaust and antisemitism.
Deeply appreciate @WhoopiGoldberg inviting me on to @TheView today to have an important discussion on the importance of educating about the Holocaust. Whoopi has been a long-time ally of the Jewish community and @ADL and her apology is very much welcome. https://t.co/0lCLSgM9vO
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 1, 2022
Despite this, ABC decided to suspend Goldberg for two weeks.
"Effective immediately, I am suspending Whoopi Goldberg for two weeks for her wrong and hurtful comments," Kim Godwin, president of ABC News, said in a statement the network posted on Twitter.
"While Whoopi has apologized, I've asked her to take time and reflect and learn about the impact of her comments."
Ocasio-Cortez was critical of this move, saying that Goldberg had sincerely apologized and had learned her lesson, and further noted that even Greenblatt accepted her apology.
"I think we should take the Jewish community's lead on this," she told TMZ. "See that her apology is authentic and move on."
Also defending Goldberg is Jewish comedian and former US senator Al Franken, who told CNN that Goldberg is not antisemitic.
“I think she gave a really fulsome and sincere apology,” he explained to CNN. “I think what she said wasn’t quite what she meant.”
According to insider sources cited by The New York Post, Goldberg herself is even more furious at her suspension, reportedly feeling "humiliated" by being suspended even after taking the advice of ABC executives to apologize thoroughly on social media, The Late Show and The View.
These sources further state that Goldberg has been telling co-workers she may quit The View entirely.