Did she really say that?

I expected that I'd NOT be blogging about Whoopi Goldberg today because I figured it'd be one of those "done to death" topics. Maybe I'm wrong. See, the story was all over ESPN last night and I guess I just thought it'd get more attention from the non-sports press. [Not that I think it's particularly newsworthy, but this is the press that camps out for the latest Paris Hilton sighting.] When I checked the WaPo and the NY Times today, though, all I found was a wire report from Reuters (and one from the AP):

"He's [Michael Vick] from the South, from the Deep South ... This is part of his cultural upbringing," Goldberg said of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, whose recent fall from grace has been one of the most stunning in the history of U.S. sports.

Vick pleaded guilty last week to federal dogfighting charges, admitting he took part in an illegal, interstate enterprise known as Bad Newz Kennels and helped kill underperforming dogs.
[...]
"For a lot of people, dogs are sport," Goldberg said on the show. "Instead of just saying (Vick) is a beast and he's a monster, this is a kid who comes from a culture where this is not questioned."

I was offended. I am from the South (much "deeper" than Newport News, VA [map], by the way) and I don't think dogfighting is "part of my culture". Yes, I'm sure there are folks around here who fight dogs, but I figure that's true in all 50 states. If that had been all, though, I'd have ignored it and gone on my merry way. Wait. It gets better.

As I read over the story and thought about the clip I saw on ESPN, I became bothered by something else: Whoopi's extreme ignorance of and patronizing attitude toward a whole region of the country. Seriously, in the clip she made the claim that (paraphrasing), "I'd be much more upset about this and much more critical of Vick if he was from, say, New York."

Honestly, she said (something like) that. To me she all but said, "Those poor Southern hicks, bless their hearts. They just don't know any better than to strangle and electrocute dogs who don't fight hard enough." THAT offends me!

I'm amazed that an intelligent, cultured media personality today would make such a statement. I'm flabbergasted that she'd make the claim and not realize how offensive it was. Yes, I expect that Whoopi will make some kind of statement of "apology," but I don't think she will have "learned" anything.