Michelle Obama is not an 'angry Black woman'

Michelle Obama

I've followed the Obamas from the first day they appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, when the TV host encouraged Senator Barack Obama to run for president. He did not say yes or no that day.

But he did finally make up his mind to run. After he announced that he was going to run the media commenced its obsessive focus on Rev. Wright, the president's birth certificate, his speaking style, his correct pronunciation of countries and world leaders, his being bi-racial, and a thesis written by Michelle Obama when she attended Yale University. The media complex took its cues from Fox and Sean Hannity, whose primary goal was to destroy the Obama candidacy.

If there was a news bulletin that Satan was going to appear in person on Fox within the hour, Hannity would not cover it unless Barack Obama was standing next Satan. Even then he would say the presidential candidate sold his soul to Satan to win the election. He would say Obama had conspired with the Devil before announcing his candidacy.

After reading a thesis written by Michelle Obama, the media and critics evolved into certified psychiatrists capable of analyzing her personality through her words. They labeled  her an "angry Black woman." A racist. She hates White people. Hannity said he had a video of her calling White people "Whitey." He never did play the video. It did not exist. That did not matter to those hungry for a scandal. Hannity was successful in pulling the so-called mainstream media into the slime bucket with him.

And so the ridicule continued. Critics examined Michelle's speeches, looking for a bankable word or statement. When Hannity thought he found a "gotcha" on the scale of Rev. Wright, he would take a single sentence or word and create a Fox news story.  Although no one ever witnessed this "angry Back woman" going batty during or after her husband's campaign, it did not stop the speculation. Even John McCain's wife threw in her two cents.

The media knew if they kept pushing the notion that Michelle was an angry Black woman it would resonate with those who despised her without knowing her. Sure enough, I began reading comments on a variety of blogs and in newspapers. Threaders repeated media talking points word-for-word. Some even questioned the validity of Michelle's education. Photos of her were photo-shopped to make her look unattractive and angry.

I never accepted the "angry" hype, because the same media said President Obama is an "angry Black man."  When he did not loose his temper, they said he is unfeeling, too elitist, too aloft, too educated. In fact, some pundits got into angry debates with each other when they discussed the President's ability to rise above spoon fed gossip and insinuations. They resented his "coolness" under pressure. Media critics had created images and personalities for Barack and Michelle Obama, and they expected them to live up to the stereotypes.

As a Black woman with a quick temper that I've learned to control, I can testify with certainty that Michelle Obama is not an angry Black woman.  So why not write a book about angry White women and men? There are plenty of them holding office in Washington, DC and every states. Oh, what am I asking? African American stereotypes sell better than the truth about angry White men and women in politics. 

I never heard critics say, nor have I read in the media that Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush and Barbara Bush are /were angry White women.

Hate is a festering sore that cannot heal itself

First Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden promoting support of veterans at NASCAR, where they were booed by some disgruntled individuals attending the race.

Hate has no limit, neither does its second cousin, Ignorance. Individuals who booed the First and Second Ladies at NASCAR were limited in their knowledge about what the two have done to benefit veterans and their families. Fighting for veterans and their families has been a nonstop project for Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.

I am elated to see that these educated, talented, hard working women are able to rise above quibblers. Hate and whining is time consuming. It eventually destroys the individual. It does not add important additions t0 his or her life. Hate eats you alive. It smothers the senses. It festers like an incurable sore. 

 Those who booed First Lady Michelle and Second Lady Jill Biden cannot let go of their rancor, or attempt to cure that festering sore of hate. These personality downfalls have resided inside them too many years. They are not willing to let go. It seems they will have no life if hate is not their motivation to live.

Confucius said: "Ignorance is the night of mind; a night without moon or stars." Confucius did not know these MASCAR folk but he was right on the money about who they are.

How sad it is that disgruntled NASCAR fans did not realize they are shutting out the moon and stars, two of the freest gifts in life. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are trying to give both of these to the troops and their families. Our soldiers deserve the moon and stars and more, because their lives have been uprooted by two deadly conflicts in the Middle East. Their lives have been changed for ever. Their peace of mind is walking on egg shells.

By disrespecting Michelle and Jill, the booing fans disrespected deployed troops, veterans, the wives of soldiers, the husbands of soldiers, their children, and their service to America. The booing was tantamount to stomping on the graves of men and women who lost their lives fighting for America's freedom. A freedom that allowed NASCAR fans to boo two women struggling to fulfill a promise.

It only matters who said the words: wife Michelle Obama or candidate John McCain

Michelle Obama on the campaign trail in 2008

The media tend to interpret words and news the way it wants to. In this presidential campaign statements made by Michelle Obama and John McCain are either stated in full or heavily edited to fit into sound bites. Noticeably, if the candidate is someone the media likes the news is favorable. If the media are unhappy with a candidate, and rooting for his or her opponent, every word uttered on the campaign trail is taken out of context.

    

Not to my surprise I watched the media preoccupation with Michelle Obama. It inhaled her every word and gesture. Cindy McCain, also campaigning for her husband, got a free ride. She is rich, a mother, expensively dressed and White. Michelle is educated, a lawyer, a working wife and mother and Black.

      
I went on the Internet to read about other political wives that campaigned for and with their husbands. Hillary Clinton made it known early on that she was not going to bake cookies and serve tea in the White House. That statement started angry tongues wagging in Washington. How dare she does not act like a cookie baking homemaker and tea server! The media went into a frenzy. 

When she refused leave President Bill Clinton after his adultery was exposed, Hillary locked the door and threw away the key! White women were ballistic and condemning. Hillary should have walked out on Clinton! Hillary stood her ground. This was her cheating husband; her game and she knew how to play it.

Women were angry that Hillary stood by her man, Bill.  A few of the political wives who readily jumped on Hillary Clinton’s back later found themselves in the same situation. What did they do? They stood by their cheating husbands, all elected politicians! They even stood by them when they confessed their sins and apologized at press conferences. Muddy snow is not clean! 

    

On Friday while looking at MSNBC I watched Dan Abrahams and a panel of four discuss a statement made by McCain on Sean Hannity's, March 13, 2008, Fox news. 

    

I did not see the statement hawked on TV, in newspapers, or conservative talk radio. I found that odd  because these outlets repeated Michelle Obama’s words at nauseam, painting her as an angry Black woman, who has a deep-seated grudge and hatred for America. The same media are blaming her in advance, in the event Barack Obama is defeated by McCain in November. The media and pundits are jaw jacking overtime, desperate to assure voters that Obama's loss to McCain is inevitable. After all, McCain is a Vietnam hero. He should automatically receive more votes than Obama, who has never served in the armed forces.

    

Michelle Obama said in February 2008: “What we’ve seen over this past year is that hope is making a comeback, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for a change, and I’ve been desperate to see our country moving in that direction, and not just feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment. For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country".

    

Discussing McCain's capture as a POW, Sean Hannity, asked McCain, “What does that do to a person to spend that much time in solitary confinement?”

Hannity had actually written off McCain's candidacy. Frankly, they did not like him. They talked more against him than for him. When McCain left the other Republican candidates in the dust, the GOP had no choice but the accept that he would get the nomination. Some Republicans publicly admitted that they would have to "hold my nose" to vote for McCain. 

Conservative talkers on radio had nothing good to say about McCain. On the other hand, they had wet dreams about Sarah Palin. They wanted her without McCain.

    

Here is McCain's statement, compared to Michelle Obama's statement: “I think it makes you a better person. Obviously it makes you love America. I really didn’t love America until I was deprived of her company. But probably the most important thing about it, Sean, is that I was privileged to have the opportunity to be in the company of heroes.” 

The media and pundits praised McCain statement. Attacks on Michelle Obama rolled on.

    

Abraham said: “He used a similar phrase about not loving America until he was deprived repeatedly on the trail in his 1999 campaign. I said it last night and I’ll say it again, I think McCain’s comments are eloquent, but why is the right wing and the media in particular, obsessed over Michelle Obama’s comments and basically ignoring McCain? Fox news does not have that video clip online, and get this, any reference to it is now gone from the transcript on foxnews.com.”

    

Two of the panelists agreed with Abraham’s assessment. The other two said what McCain stated was not comparable to Michelle Obama. One of the four, a female, said she is a conservative who does not want to see Barack Obama win the presidency. She is in absolute agreement with Hannity’s constant attacks on Michelle and Barack Obama and everyone connected to them.

    

 “Listen, we are talk show hosts. We are not reporters. So as talk show hosts we are paid for our opinions,” the conservative said, responding to the question of fairness.

    

She added, “Nobody can question McCain’s patriotism when it comes to this country. And the idea that he certainly appreciates America more, when he lost all the wonderful things about America, all the years he was in captivity--who can argue with that.”

    

The second female  said, “John McCain, because of his singular sacrifice, unlike any other we’ve known with our public servants today, is always seen through the prism of this experience, and so it doesn’t matter if he sat on a bar stool and threw back a six pack and said, ‘I’ve never loved my country', we still probably wouldn’t believe him because he has served his country.’”

    

I guess that means Michelle Obama had better watch her words. McCain can freely urinate in America’s face and tell her it’s raining just because he was shot down by the enemy in Vietnam, a country in which he was attempting to bomb.   

When is 'funny' not so funny?

I found the other cartoon that MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell refused to show on his February 15, The Last Word. The images are disgusting and racist.

The other half of the cartoon was one in which a very brown skinned, pink lipped, plump Michelle Obama is sitting at a table eating from a platter of hamburgers and fries. A Ketchup bottle is also on the side.

Michelle tells President Obama, her husband: "I've stepped up my efforts to control America's eating habits by telling restaurants to lower portion sizes and fat content."

A skinny President is deeply tanned, with ears the size of no recognizable human. He has a tiny amount of vegetables on his plate. Giving Michelle a talk-to-the-hand, he tells her : "Michelle, I want to get re-elected. What you're doing is only going to annoy a lot of people."

Anyone who believes this crap is doing so because they want to believe this is the real Michelle Obama. They have no evidence that she stuffs herself like a pig. The President and First Lady are two of the physically fittest people to ever grace the White House.

O'Donnell said he would not show the rest of the cartoon "because it is a racist obscenity." In his view, President Obama was depicted "in a half man, half animal form, with ears that don't exist in the homo sapien species."

An online poll conducted by New York Daily News, February 15, says that 42% of those who participated said the cartoon was totally offensive; 54% said it was funny, and 4% were not sure how they felt. I read some of the remarks and they all said it was funny. Someone wrote, "People are too uptight, thinking the cartoon is racist." Someone said O'Donnell is racist because of his response.

I have never seen or read this kind of blatant disrespect for any president in America's history. Right wing hatemongers see this as satire. What has been written and said about President Obama and his family falls in line with tabloid smut.

The cartoonists, Batton Lash and James Hudnall, must have had negligent parents who did not teach them that respect is a desirable character trait. Maybe they cannot acquire the taste to treat African Americans with respect, particularly the President and First Lady.

In defense of the obnoxious “cartoon” Hudnall said on biggovernment.com: "Batton and I are not so much conservatives as libertarians. We’re believers in small government because, as I outline in my political thesis, it’s the only workable form. President Obama is very much a big government fan. He has tripled the debt and deficits in his first year in office. His new budget would add another three trillion. These are things we don’t like about him. We also don’t like the lies. Which seem to be second nature to the man.

“So last Sunday we turned in what we thought was a very mild cartoon mocking the first lady’s over reach of her powers. And I decided to show her eating hamburgers like Wimpy from the old Popeye cartoons to mock the fact that she tends to scold other people’s eating habits, yet every time we read about what they’re eating at the White House, it’s extreme. And to throw in a gag we used before, the President is shown eating hardly anything.”

For the love of life I cannot see the connection in what these two said, and the president running the country. They implied that President Obama is a pathological liar. I am happy to see that Michelle and Barack Obama are cut from a stronger cloth than those whose aim is to disparage them. Their parents taught them well. Respect for others, and self-respect does not allow for wallowing in the mud with pigs.

The “mild cartoon” that Lash and Hudnall defended has been scrubbed from the site for now. The above images were on Andrew Breitbart’s biggovernment.com.