I think Whoopi's comment reflected a quintessentially American view of race, which holds that Jews, Slavs, Roma & others viewed by Nordic-obssessed Nazis as Untermenschen, are actually white. I wrote about it here.

I really think that's all there is to it. And this furor, not to mention her suspension, all goes way out of line.

Ps: Don't know where you got that Jabba the Hut photo of Whoopi, but promulgating that is punishment enough for anybody.