ABC’s “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg criticized Sen. John Hawley (R-MO) on Wednesday for what she described as his attempt to “demonize” the transgender population.
This accusation followed Monday’s attack on The Covenant School, a Christian elementary school in Nashville, by 28-year-old Audrey Hale. The suspect identified as transgender and was killed by responding officers.
Six people were murdered in the school, including three nine-year-olds. Hawley responded forcefully on Tuesday, arguing that Hale specifically targeted Christians. That is something officials have not confirmed despite having the shooter’s manifesto.
Police said that Hale, a former student at the elementary school, devised plans to attack a local mall as well as family members. She apparently changed her target due to the presence of “too much security.”
Hawley declared, “We must also tell the truth about what happened in Nashville. This murderous rampage, this taking of innocent life, was a horrific crime, but more specifically it was a hate crime.”
I am calling on FBI Director Wray and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to open a federal hate crime investigation into the massacre in Nashville – targeting a Christian school 👇 pic.twitter.com/IvzrJUY2ZH
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 28, 2023
That was all it took to get Goldberg onto her pulpit.
The host said, “Okay, look, some people [are] using this as an excuse to demonize the transgender community. I mean, crazy stuff.”
It hardly counters the definition of a “hate crime” to call for an investigation into a vicious attack on a religious institution. In fact, that’s exactly what proponents of the controversial legal designation insisted on.
Perhaps they did not have Christians in mind. But if it is a hate crime for some, it is a hate crime for all.
Hawley penned an open letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this week. He strongly cautioned against dismissing the atrocity as a case of “senseless violence.”
Rather, police clearly said the shooting was “targeted.” And who did it target? Christian school children and their teachers. And that, according to Hawley, “makes it a hate crime” and it should be probed as one.
Whoopi Goldberg is hardly the voice of reason and is not expected to bring an objective and level-headed perspective to the conversation. And when it comes to criticizing a serious legislator who expressed the clear sentiment of millions of Americans, she is out of her depth.
