I want to add to this thread Re: Whoopi’s statements about how pregnant teens are viewed. I’ve been watching the teenagers who work as cashiers at my supermarket for the better part of the past 10 years. (And, I should add that this is a very old, racially diverse community - probably 50/50 black and white. Many of the blacks are descendants of slave families who have lived in this community for generations and generations - and the living here is extremely harmonious.) Anyway, back to the teen cashiers……….I have watched them as sort of a microcosm of what is going on in the teen world. I can think of 10 girls who have gotten pregnant - all out of wedlock - most high school drop-outs - and every single one of them has been caucasian. (One black girl is pregnant with her fourth child - and she is the one who is MARRIED.) Very few of these girls have gone on to marry the fathers of their babies - 3 of them, I think. The remainder are either still living with their parents, or are living in subsidized apartments. And I know, because I’ve gotten to know these girls, that most of them will get absolutely nowhere. Being a checker in a supermarket is a dead-end part-time job, with no benefits and no future. These young mothers will have to wait until the children are of school age before they can finish their own educations, if they ever do. No one in the community looks at them any differently from their black counterparts - and the subsidies they receive are the same, no matter what the color of their skin might be. The one common thread among all of these girls is the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs. They never miss an opportunity to “party,” which may in large part be why they got pregnant in the first place! (Nothing like a few beers or a couple of joints to cloud one’s choices.) I don’t see the black and/or white girls any differently when they get pregnant - what I see is the end of their “girlhoods,” and a lot of anguish and stress and uncertainty for all concerned.

Whoopi, it is a wonderful and refreshing thing to bear witness to these outpourings, these thoughtful explorations… I have been (I’m sorry) very disappointed with your View on TV. It isn’t that you aren’t forceful enough, or that you don’t get enough air time; it is more that you don’t use your time and mind to be powerful in your arguenments. Now is the time to shine. Your country needs voices that speak the truth, and that WILL NOT submit to political pandering. That kind of indifference may just help to sink this election! I watch with patience from another country. You are a smart woman. Do your reseaerch and speak out loudly everyday. Do not pander. You are one voice Whoop, but it is important to join the chorus. Stop the willfull ignorance! You are so lucky to have aq forum on network TV. Don’t waste it while you’ve still got it! Thanks baby.

I totally agree with Whoopi on the defining someone with a hyphenation. To be referred to as a Hyphenated-American is simply wrong.

Good for you Whoopi! It’s great to hear someone say what they feel without smothering it in politically correct fluff and icing. I’m pretty much in agreement with you so I’m obviously biased, but it’s good to see an honest person telling their own truth. Unfortunately that happens rarely in public discourse in the U.S. I would be proud to be an American if all Americans were as inclusive as you.

Dear Whoopie, I really like the way you have handled some of the “Hot Topics” on “THE VIEW” lately…which brings to mind the feeling of historic importance I personally felt the day of Barack Obama’s acceptance speech to be the Democratic Nominee for United States President. However, my feeling of patriotism was lacking when I viewed the broadcast of John McCain speaking to the American public, describing his ordeal as an American soldier who broke down under torture as an American Prisoner Of War. I was only moved enough to consider to myself the fact that he was a WHITE Man in the U.S. Military representing himself last week as a good Soldier and American Patriot SURVIVOR. That doesn’t necessarily make you a good enough leader to represent America as the next President, either. I wonder what we would have felt had John McCain been a BLACK Man as a U.S. Soldier who had been tortured as a Prisoner Of War. Would we STILL think of him as a good soldier and a strong patriotic American who can lead this country to a victory or a conclusion in a conflict so many of us are still in a mystery concerning its true cause for existing? Sorry to be so wordy - call me playing the “Rascist card” also - but, it did occur to me as I watched all the Republican WOMEN on television looking to me to be wearing far too much MAKEUP - or was it just applied badly? Seemed the remarks were more like “Digs” or “PUTDOWNS” - not necessarily based on FACTS. Hope this country gets it together this Fall. We look very greedy to other world nations. That’s enough for now. The rest speaks for itself, I’m afraid. You’re doing a fantastic job as a Diplomat with aplomb, Whoopie! You Go, Girlfriend!!!! Elizabeth needs to tone her personal hysteria down, considering she hasn’t been too far around the block except to win the “SURVIVOR” reality tv series 1st time out. BON CHANCE, CHERIE!!!! You have my heart, Whoopie! I notice Elizabeth keeps cooler when BARBARA is present; the other day, Elizabeth appeared to be going for cat-scratching the way she did Rosie, until Barbara came on the very next day…If only Republican women - or whoever they are - would consider the American Middle Class Mother is NOT the one who earns just under $5 MILLION - a remark heard to be made by John McCain previously. Has everyone lost their short-term memory? I’m going to quote some Native American Proverbs my 13-year old daughter has brought home from her middle school in Los Angeles their very 1st week in class. “You can’t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep” - Navajo “Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.” - Plains Native American ‘Sharing and giving are the ways of God.” - Sauk “It is no longer good enough to cry peace, we must act peace, live peace and live in peace. - Shenandoah “Man has responsibility, not power.” - Tuscarora “Poverty is a noose that strangles humility and breeds disrespect for God and man.” - Sioux “Those who have one foot in the canoe, and one foot in the boat, are going to fall into the river.” - Tuscarora “They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind.” - Tuscarora “When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear, when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them.” - Chief Seattle “All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” - Chief Seattle “Peace comes within the souls of men, when they realize their oneness with the Universe, when they realize it is really everywhere…it is within each one of us.” - Black Elk, Lakota Medicine Man (PEACE IS HERE) “A very great vision is needed, and the man who has it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky.” - Chief Crazy Horse “I will fight no more forever.” - Chief Joseph We will all decide - (Tribe Unknown) > “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I’ll understand.” - Thanks for allowing me to share my race card…Much Love & Respect, Jean Waldorf Black ^_^

Whoopi, I enjoy your perspective. Ultimately, we are all human beings who make mistakes, and are all still learning. But, as you alluded to, we must be very careful not to label each other, because no one can be lumped into any one category.

Courage, that’s what I see. Dancing to your own tune. Bringing your sensitivity as an artist to much-needed discussions. Thank you, Whoopi Goldberg. You are one of my heroes and have been since the days of Jumpin’ Jack Flash. - XD - ( “XD” = big grin, btw.) (“btw” = by the way. lol) (lol = “laughing out loud”.) (ok., I’ll stop.)

I think one thing that would be helpful is for people to listen to the If You Love The Planet interview by Dr. Helen Caldicott of our Ms. Lily Tomlin. (There’s a download button at the bottom of the page.) http://radio4all.net/index.php/program/28968 Really worth your time.

I am sorry but I do not like Elizabeth and her views .I just look at her and I dont see pretty ,I see pretty ugly ….nasty ! It all started with her and Rosey ..on he View …I got so mad at her, Rosey was 100% right !Ms.Elizabeth is barinwashed by what she doesnt know .Its like she doesnt read ,which really annoys me ! You can tell by her arguments ! Its like she is all for death and destruction .She is by No Means a Humanitarian ..more like a Hitler girl and I can not stand for people like her .I can even watch the View with out getting sick in my belly because of her .That show use to be really good ..then Rosey left and it was very DOOM and GLOOM ..sickening feeling …And then Wella we Got WOOPI !!! Now I can and do tolerate Ms Elizabeth (Just because I want to see Whoopi)..But I wish they would replace her,, and maybe Elizabeth could get her own show on UHF station some-where And her kind can have their own talk show called women of the 3RD Right ! LOL!!! Like I said before I wish Ms Elizabeth could walk in my shoes and or women like me …for awhile ..not a day or 2 or 2 weeks ..but maybe a year ..and then….she would commit suicied ! Ms.Elizabeth could walk a month in my shoes & She would be running and screaming to the Voters registration begging them to make her a Democrat !!!!She is a Phoney Bulloney person and I dont like her ! She must own big stocks in Health Care and Oil ! Because why else would you be so adiment about keeping this illegal war going ???!@!#!!I would like to see Ms. Elizabeth go live in Iraq for a year and volunteer ! Go bandage up some Miltary Kids and tell them its going to be OK not to have a arm or a leg or legs !And let her help them go to the bathroom …and give them a bath ! Maybe then I would like her ?NOT !!!I I cant stand for Evil ! and She is the devils advocate !

Eliza, do rest and take it easy before you blow your blood pressure through the roof! The reason I suggested the Caldicott/Tomlin discussion is because it is (truly) a breath of fresh air. Talking about important things in a cordial and intelligent way, not screaming at everyone who tries to speak. I don’t watch The View at all now, although as I have said previously, I’ve watched everything Whoopi has done since the 1980s…. Maybe the very best thing The View does is pay Ms. Whoops a salary. And that’s a good thing. I’ve gotten into some mud rassling here on wOw from time to time, some of which I probably started, some of which I was attacked and responded. But the thing about the neocons is, this attack-and-shout-down is one of their tools. It’s like teenagers who put their hands over their ears and shout “I can’t hear you,” when you are trying to say something to them. It’s totally unamerican. Everyone has a right to hold and express their opinions, and this is a technology to prevent that. And it is infuriating. Hence so much nasty business in response. I personally would like to take a whiffle bat to Ms. Elizabeth, and duct tape her mouth shut for an entire The View. Then do the “pass the feather” way of talking, i.e., you have to hold the feather to be able to speak. But all that is civilized. One thing about wOw, you can speak your mind, and even if the roof caves in, you don’t have to read all of it, and you don’t have to respond to all of it. But you can find out pretty much what others are thinking. The question to me is, why do we pay so much attention to the wingnuts? Why are they more important than, say, Elizabeth Bennett, who is always the voice of reason, or Maurine H., another example of someone who moderates her comments and fortifies them with the Wheaties of good sense and good judgment?

Whoopi, Not to belabor the point, but today was a perfect example of Elisabeth showing unprofessional and immature behavior. Elisabeth had previously spoken at length, and you, Whoopi, were about comment on how Obama needed to avoid appearing as an angry black man. Before you were able to make the point,however, Elisabeth interrupted and started babbling on about something she felt just couldn’t wait. I was never sure quite what it was. This was immature and unprofessional in my opinion because you didn’t even have a chance to start, let alone complete your thought, and she had already spoken at length on other topics. It appears to be a way to prevent anyone from making a valid point. Never will she apologize for interrupting. Instead elisabeth had all sorts of excuses about how she spoke during dead air (yet another lie), and then began blathering about how you interrupt her more than she interrupts you. None of this illustrates any maturity to me. This was not a SHARING of ideas with free flowing conversation and discussion. This was a topic dominated by Elisabeth’s inability to let others be heard. As proof that this is not about not liking Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s views, I would MUCH rather see John McCains daughter representing the young, conservative point of view on the panel. I found her both refreshing and delightful. I no longer watch the View because of Elisabeth, unless I really want to see a guest, such as today, or when Michelle Obama was a guest host. It’s hard to imagine the Obamas returning to the View after the way Elisabeth treated Michelle, a woman who was nothing but kind and understanding to Elisabeth. If you watch the clip of the luncheon, Elisabeth was hateful in her delivery. We know that Barry Manilow wouldn’t appear with Elisabeth and I can’t help but wonder how many others have done the same without the viewer’s knowledge. It seems, now that Elisabeth has notified the public about backstage confidences (if true), guests would not want to risk that sort of exposure by coming on the show.

All around me, there are successful individuals of all races. They work in academia, the corporate world, entertainment, politics, sports, and more. They studied hard, worked hard, and sought opportunity. This is the American way. It’s time to look beyond skin color and move forward, as many already have.

Bonnie: I agree with you it is time to move beyond skin color but we don’t seem to be able to. Whoopi was right Obama has to be careful about Palin anything he says will be viewed as harsh. The lastest Aol News Poll shows 53% thinks his remarks about her too harsh. Elizabeth acted in the same fashion that Hannity, Beck, O’riley and the rest use as tactic. This morning no one else gets to make a point She always has her talking points ready to roll out.

Hi Whoopi, I am glad that your schedule is such that you are finding the time to express your opinion here. As always it is interesting and thought provoking, and oh yes, most often mirrors mine. Keep it coming. Please. Micki