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Whoopi Goldberg made some controversial remarks about the Holocaust on a recent episode of The View, and most fans aren’t happy about it. Here’s what The Color Purple star said and how fans are reacting on social media. 

Whoopi Goldberg smiles on "The View."
Whoopi Goldberg | Jenny Anderson/ABC via Getty Images

Whoopi Goldberg said the Holocaust was ‘not about race’ on an episode of ‘The View’

On Jan. 31, co-host Whoopi Goldberg made some controversial comments on an episode of ABC’s The View.

The hosts were discussing a Tennessee school district’s recent decision to ban the graphic novel Maus, which is about a Holocaust survivor. The Pulitzer Prize-winning book was reportedly banned due to nudity and profanity, not the subject matter. 

“I’m surprised that’s what made you uncomfortable, the fact that there was some nudity,” Goldberg commented (per Daily Beast). “I mean, it’s about the Holocaust, the killing of 6 million people, but that didn’t bother you?”

Co-host Joy Behar responded, “I am not sure they don‘t use the naked part as kind of a canard to throw you off from the fact that history that makes white people look bad.”

“Maybe,” replied Goldberg. “Well, this is white people doing it to white people. Y’all go fight amongst yourselves.” Later in the conversation, Goldberg said, “The Holocaust isn’t about race. No. It’s not about race!” 

Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘The View’ co-hosts disagreed with her comments on the Holocaust

The other co-hosts of The View were quick to disagree with Whoopi Goldberg’s Holocaust remarks. “What is it about?” Behar asked after Goldberg said the Holocaust “isn’t about race.”

“It’s about man’s inhumanity to man,” the Sister Act star responded. “That’s what it’s about.”

“But it’s about white supremacy,” co-host and political strategist Ana Navarro argued. “It’s about going after Jews and Gypsies.”

Goldberg claimed “these are two white groups of people,” to which co-host Sara Haines responded that “they didn’t see them as white.” Behar pointed out that the Nazis also persecuted Black people during the Holocaust. 

“But you’re missing the point! You’re missing the point,” Goldberg said. “The minute you turn it into race, it goes down this alley. Let’s talk about it for what it is. It’s how people treat each other. That’s the problem.”

She added, “It doesn’t matter if you are Black or white because Black, white, Jews, Italians, everybody eats each other.”

Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, and Joy Baher on "The View."
Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, and Joy Behar | Jenny Anderson/ABC via Getty Images
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Many fans and public figures are slamming the actor’s comments

Fans are going wild on social media over Whoopi Goldberg’s Holocaust comments. One fan tweeted, “Whoopi Goldberg has claimed that the Holocaust ‘was not about race; because it involved ‘two groups of white people’. This is an egregious perversion of history. My grandfather and his family were among those who were persecuted during the Holocaust simply for being Jewish.”

Another fan tweeted, “WHY would any celebrity bring up the Holocaust at all on any platform. Unless it was to discuss it properly, come on @WhoopiGoldberg.”

Celebrities and other public figures are making their thoughts on the matter known, as well. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, tweeted, “No @WhoopiGoldberg, the #Holocaust was about the Nazi’s systematic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race. They dehumanized them and used this racist propaganda to justify slaughtering 6 million Jews. Holocaust distortion is dangerous. #ENOUGH.”

And Perez Hilton tweeted, “I love Whoopi Goldberg, but this take of hers on the Nazis and the Holocaust is… not it. Her The View cohosts were trying to guide her out of this hole. She just dug in even deeper!” He ended his tweet with the facepalming emoji.

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