Whoopi has been suspended for two weeks. This past Monday the women on The View were discussing the Tennessee school district’s decision to pull the graphic novel Maus from the 8th grade curriculum. The school board objected to eight curse words and nude imagery of a woman. The women of The View had to weigh in on this book banning (spoiler – it is not banned) to garner views/stir up controversy/put their moral superiority on display.

While discussing the book – sales of Maus have skyrocketed since the news of the school board’s decision went public/viral – Whoopi stated that the holocaust was not about race. You can see the discussion below, Whoopi’s comments in question are at the 4:42 mark.

I’m against banning of any books, and I think the reason the TN school district cites is ridiculous – 8th graders have seen far worse things on the internet than they would have seen in Maus. I have not read Maus, but I read Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night in 7th grade – among other books about the Holocaust – all were graphic and upsetting because of the horrific killing of six million jews by the Nazis. We should be exposing kids to more accounts of the Holocaust, not less.

I don’t know what Whoopi was taught in school about the Holocaust, but clearly she was ill informed, but ignorance is no reason for a two week suspension from The View.

Imagine instead using this opportunity to educate Whoopi on the Holocaust on The View for all to learn.

I’m against banning of books or people for not having the same point of view. I don’t believe Whoopi was ill willed about her belief that the Holocaust was not “about race” – she was looking at it through her myopic view of what race is – but that doesn’t warrant a suspension.

Instead of canceling someone for wrong speech and wrong thought wouldn’t it be better to discuss the topic respectfully and – especially – rationally? Whoopi may not see that race isn’t just about skin color, but so what? She has a right to be ignorant doesn’t she?