“The View” host Whoopi Goldberg told guest co-host Will Cain that his opposition to politically-correct language was “spoken like a true white guy,” suggesting that Cain is too white and privileged to have an opinion on how we react to negative words.

Cain, an analyst for Glenn Beck’s conservative publication The Blaze, was responding to a rant by British comedian Russell Brand against Fox News. Brand equates Fox to Islamic terrorist group ISIS, actually suggesting that the network’s rhetoric makes it more dangerous than the ultra-violent Sunni organization.

“I think it’s part of the whole trend we have,” Cain said. “We elevate words to the most harmful thing in society. ‘How dare you say something that could offend somebody? How dare you say something that could hurt my feelings?'”

“Let me tell you why, Will,” Whoopi pushed back. “Because we have a history of utilizing words to harm people and hurt people, and people who have been on the other side of it, I think, are at the point where they’re saying, ‘You know what? This is not okay anymore.'”

“And you gotta roll with it,” she declared, “because at some point we all have to grow up.” She specifically singled out sports teams with names like The Fighting Irish and Redskins.

“We’ll all go out of business,” Cain said sarcastically. “We’ll all stop talking. Everybody’s offended all the time, from The Fighting Irish to the Redskins, we’re all offended.”

The liberal audience applauded, forcing Goldberg to raise her voice. “But you know what, that is spoken like a true white guy!” she accused, as the audience gasped. “And I don’t mean it in a bad way.”

“But is it, Will, in your experience — and forget politics,” she asked. “But have you had an experience where your grandmother said, ‘You know, when I first came her this is what they did to me and this is how they treated me and this is what they said to me and this is what they called me?'”

“The argument isn’t –” Cain began.

“No no, but have you had that experience?” Goldberg pressed.

“No, I have not had that experience,” Cain said.

“Well, that’s the difference,” Goldberg claimed.

[h/t Mediaite]

Follow Brendan on Twitter