Thursday on ABC’s “The View,” while discussing Fox News Channel contributor Stacey Dash’s comments about diversity, co-host Whoopi Goldberg quizzed her colleague, a reporter from ABC News and co-host Paula Faris, asking “What do you know about black history?”
Co-host Sunny Hostin said, “You know, I think it’s the height of hypocrisy that Stacey Dash would say that there should be no BET when she had a recurring role on the BET show, “The Game” for one. She was a presenter at the NAACP theater awards— yes, I am talking to you, Miss Dash. She’s graced the cover of “Jet,” “Pride,” “Heart & Soul,” “Smooth,” “King.” Really, Stacey Dash? I mean, I just think it’s incredible that she would give up whatever value she had in the first place to pander to an audience that is sort of angry and scared of people that don’t look like them and she is giving them reason to continue to be angry.”
Faris said, “I will say this. I don’t justify — I think she missed the point. I think it’s great to celebrate our differences and what makes us unique. My family in Flint, they go to Our Lady of Lebanon Church. You have organizations for black journalists and Hispanic journalists. I think it’s great to celebrate that uniqueness and the differences. But it does — you have to look — racial tensions are at an all-time high in the last 20 years. You have to look, is it subconsciously, whether we realize it or not, creating a divide among us and pitting one group against the next? I’m just asking the question.”
Hostin shot back, “No, it’s not the reason there is a black history month is because as far as I remember when I was in school—I know nothing about my history. I wasn’t taught about my history. And we have that so that there is an awareness and so that people can learn information and their history.”
Faris said, “But you just said an awareness. My question is this subconsciously happening where we’re not aware?”
Goldberg interjected, “Let me ask you a question, Paula. It’s just a question that I’m wondering. I’m going to pose a question to you. What do you know about black history?”
Faris said, “I know what I have learned in school and what I have taken upon myself…”
Goldberg continued, “What do you know, aside from there were slaves? How much do you know? How much were you taught in school about black history?”
Faris said, “What I know about black history I was taught in school. I also took it upon myself to learn.”
Joy Behar snarked, “Booker T. Washington, That’s what she knows. Everyone knows about Booker T. Washington.”
Goldberg added, “The thing is it’s not taught, Asian history is not taught in school as it pertains to America. American history holds all of us, and she’s right in that. Yes, we are all Americans, but we are not all treated like Americans.
Faris said, “I get it.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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