Elisabeth Hasselbeck Cries After Sparring With Whoopi Over N-Word (VIDEO)

Thursday morning on "The View," during a discussion on the N-word prompted by the revelation that Jesse Jackson used the slur in his controversial Fox News tape, Whoopi Goldberg and Elisabeth Hasselbeck had a heated back-and-forth that ended with Elisabeth in tears.

Whoopi, who earlier in the broadcast had used the n-word repeatedly, sending the censors into overload, argued that the word is only as powerful as a society allows it to be and advocated for using the word to give it new meaning. Elisabeth, meanwhile, felt that she couldn't teach her children not to say the word if her black co-hosts and their children were using the word, arguing that, "we don't live in different worlds."

Whoopi then launched into a heated explanation of why black and white America still remain separate: "It isn't balanced, and we would like it to be, but you have to understand, you have to listen to the fact that we're telling you there are issues, there are huge problems that still affect us," she said.

Elisabeth replied, in tears, "When we live in a world where pop culture then uses that term, and we're trying to get to a place where we feel like we're in the same place, where we feel like we're in the same world...how are we supposed to then move forward if we keep using terms that bring back that pain?"

Watch:

From ABC, 7/17

Previously: "The View" Heats Up Over Racism, Whoopi Declares, "This Is A Racist Country"

Comments

[Wanjiru]

...as is always the case when I read The View-related stories, I'm lost...

...is Elisabeth crying because the "N" word brings her pain??????­...

...if so, I'd be interested to know howso....

...egads!.­..

.

[catzoned]

Elisabeth is crying because her emotional growth stopped at age 12.

[quest44]

Ask any Native American about living in the same world as the white person . No there is a big cultural difference and the treatment of the Native has and still is today not equal to the treatment of a white person. Why can't people wrap their heads around that ? Why can't you believe that there are still issues in these cultures that have not been settled and it looks like government and society aren't about to change that any time soon !

[rationalthought1]

Elisabeth watches Sean Hannitty "religiously" - that's her word. She's serious (not kidding) she gets her incisive points from him. Her heart is in the right place but she is a mental lightweight probably trying to please an authoritarian father.

[naturallight]

as a native american i am very pleased to live in the same world, as we are both the same to begin with. HUMANS

[AzRealProgressive]

Nope. I asked my father that question. He told me that there are those people who try to tell you that you are a victim, that someone else is to blame for your problems, not you.

Easy to do, takes the responsibility from you.

[acanthus]

Ok, what does this have with blacks using the "n-word", AzRealProgressive?

[Checquoline]

This is the one area EH is liberal on. That's because ....DUH...­her husband plays football with black players so it is to thier advantage to pretend to like them. EH is exactly what she represents in all other areas...a WASP.

[marilyn34]

How do you know that? My best girlfriend is black and she's Jewish. I'm an Irish catholic. We have been friends our whole lives. I think I'd cry to if someone called my friend the N word. Its rude, no matter who says it.

[pesfb]

What about your next best? Or your least best?

[larmarch5]

What if your best friend used it about herself or someone else? Probably depends on the tone of voice and context. My husband used to say to my nieces, aged 3 and 5 at the time, "Y'all are the ugliest things I've ever seen." They rolled in laughter, knowing they were not ugly and that he didn't really believe they were.

[Bill3rdterm]

It's there advantage to act like they like them? WHat kind of moronic comment is that? Do you know them personally? SO who the hell are you to pass judgement on an issue like this. This is the type of ignorance and pre-fomed notions that keep up the wall.

[BlackWidowPilot]

I resemble that remark (WASP). However any similarities between Hasselbeck and myself end at that point (not merely with gender).

Hasselbeck's crocodile tears of soap opera anguish have convinced me of nothing, save to reinforce the clear impression that she is as false as the proverbial three dollar bill.

I also strenuously disagree with Ms. Goldberg; words do indeed have power, such as "We Hold These Truths to Be Self Evident," or "Be thou not as the hypocrites, who love to pray on the street corners and in the synagogues, that they may be seen by men, for I say unto you, they have their reward!"

Hasselbeck's hypocrisy - like the moral bankruptcy of the cause she so slavishly serves- could not be plainer, nor more obvious to *Ray Charles* (ie., a deceased blind man).

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[BGM1906]

How powerful are words when they are not Inforced, truthful or even recognized? "We hold these truths to be self evident...­" Great words...ho­w many years did it take for them to apply in America? Oppps...th­ey still don't ALWAYS apply!

[lindahend]

Elisabeth Haaselaback is way out of line. The N-word should not be used at all. However, how AA us the N-word is different is to how White use it. As a white person - say it out loud and see how it sound. White people use it to talk down to AA. AA use it to each other with no offense. They are talking to each other in their world.

[Justsaynodeal]

Elisabeth's question is one I have had for many years.....­........If the N. word is so offensive, then why not let it die down in use instead of keeping it in the forefront on rap recordings and comedy sketches? It always sounded a little self-abusive to me.

[yngcelt]

So by your reasoning if a black person and white person are friends or related and the white person uses it aloud to his black friend or relative in a friendly way, then it's acceptable?
Does it depend on if the word ends in "er" or "ah"?

[Tinkeraw]

Elisabeth needs to go away. She interrupts and wants to shove her views down your throat. She has caused me, more than once, to turn the channel. They could easily have someone else who has the conservative point of view, but would also have maturity.

As for this issue. It is going to take education, understand and compromise on both sides no matter which race to bring us into One Human Family. It takes time. This episode (between Whoopi and Elisabeth) is more generational than anything. Our kids are growing up in mixed environments, they are much more comfortable with other races than my generation (I'm in my 50's, and yes, a former hippie) I believe the results of intergration started decades ago.

I think having Obama as president will help. It will help open dialogue. It is a process - we have already come a very long way.

[petecook5]

She's just upset because she wants to use the word herself.

[haleywins]

She's lacks maturity. Doesn't deserve a seat at the big peoples table.

[BigMike75]

This is the conundrum, a word that was originated as a detestable, and derogatory term to demean africans, has now been turned into a term of endearment for most in the black community. As a black man I don't use the word , but I am indifferent when I hear my peers use it. The word can have different meanings all depending on the intent of the person using it, many in the black community feel like it's "our" term, and whites have no use for it other than to use it in a racist light. I for one don't know how you can claim a term, or even more foolishly try to bury it, as the NAACP tried to do in that silly cermony. This N-word debate is one that is not easy to talk about, but there needs to be some kind of debate about it. I wish Elizabeth would shed some of those crocodile tears for the tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi women and children, that have been killed as a result of this senseless war that she is proud that her government is waging.

[stepintothelight]

"has now been turned into a term of endearment for most in the black community"

Based on what science do you draw this conclusion. I understand what you are trying to put forth ... But this type of disclaimer goes in the expert category of .... I have many black friends and all of them ... blah blah blah (insert your favorite justification for acceptance of ignorance). Not harshing you ... I'm just saying!!!

[rsaillant1]

BigMike75;

Perfect response. On the money.
EH has the typical mindset of the Right, and it is so Wrong. Priorities askew.
She's a work in progress, but with a long, long way to go.

[dugan45]

When black persons can refer to their white friends as N*s and their white friends can do the same, we will have achieved progress. Once we can do that, the word as whites originally intended it will have passed into history.

[BGM1906]

Some do...it really depends on where the people come from. If you are white and you grew up in a black neighborhood and have black friends, etc...you might get away calling your friends that. But if its said in front of other blacks that don't know the white person, it could get ugly. While I do believe the word should be permanently retired...­I am less likely to act if a black person says it than a white person.

[libs = kooks]

hope, change, move foward....­....

repeat






Who am I?

[1will]

Elisabeth should never have gotten into what is always a losing argument for white people. If she takes the high ground and says the N-word (the only word in the English language that can never be spoken) should never be used then some black person will says she's wrong and offer Whoopi's reasons. If she says it's just another bad word and using it is no worse than saying "Bitch" or "Dickhead" then she's a racist and everyone piles on.
She was in a lose lose situation and should have just kept quiet. Unfortunately her job is to spend her morning talking so she was screwed no matter what she said. At least she took the moral high ground.

[ruffmama]

you have a point there...

[ConnieB]

I'm not a fan of Hasselbeck. Sometimes I cringe when she speaks. I understand that she represents the conservative viewpoint on the show and does it alone. That takes guts. But I often wonder, if there's going to be only one staunch conservative on the show, why not have someone better able to articulate their views?

Still, when she began to tear up I felt her pain. That word is not easy to talk about--which is why I don't think it will ever be widely accepted and shouldn't be (sorry, Whoopi). And that moment with Hasselbeck was a perfect example of all the pain contained in that word.

[sd4peace]

The fact is that some Blacks use the word similar to the way "Dude" is used by people. It is not meant as an insult and is not taken as derogatory or degrading when used in this way. When people of other races use it to describe Blacks it is most often used as an insult to dehumanize Blacks.

[NickNas]

If you saw the clip all whoopie was saying at the time of this little drama princess' meltdown was " We come from two different worlds" and little Barbie whines NO WE DON'T NO WE DON'T. Ummmm You can BET the world Whoopie came up through looked WAY different that it did for miss Blondie who hasn't done anything with her life but look cute that i know of. (only other time I have heard of her is when she fought with the Gay chick on that show)

This is the second time this Princess has had a major meltdown on air. The last one was with ANOTHER woman who was MUCH more accomplished that she ever will be and lived a different life than she did. What happenned then ..they FIRED the Other woman and put Whoopie in her place. What now? Fire Whoopie because the Barbie got her hair mussed again??

This whole this us WAYYY Blown out of proportion anyway. Jesse Jackson is what 70? He comes from a time when calling a fellow Brother a "N" is just how it is....BUT the FLAME ON Press won't tell you IT IS DIFFERENT IF IT ENDS IN AN "A" than the one that ends with "ER" You had just better be BLACK if you use EITHER.

VERY SIMPLE

That is all.
Don't let the Media BS you.

[Youth4Obama]

Elizabeth, ONCE AGAIN... telling people what to do and how to do it! God...

[nellpost]

I disagree. It's always whoopie spouting off in a pedantic manner or joybehar snarling and being snide.

[torch77]

It is important to remember history and black history is one of hardship and oppresion. However,we live in a world today where an African-American can be as sucessful as Whoopi Goldberg or Obama.

[FirstShirt]

Obama is leading. Whoopi is scared of that leadership.

[acanthus]

Whoopi Goldberg is a very intelligent, very successful woman. What do you mean she's "scared of Obama's leadership"? It doesn't look to me as if she needs it from him or anybody else. What you're spouting here is off-the-script, anti-black , conservative boilerplate rhetoric. Listen, if Obama is elected, racism won't go away, and neither will black complaints about it. Sorry. Fighting back is not self-victimization. FAILING to fight back is self-victimization, and no amount of racist, right-wing, up-is-down, day-is-night rhetoric will change that. Take that stuff back to Stormfront.