I'm not surprised that whites have an unfavorable view of Michelle Obama, but it's their problem, not hers.
After all, what is there not to like about Barack Obama's wife. She is attractive, well educated, and family oriented. In fact, Michelle Obama seems to possess all of the qualities white conservatives are supposed to admire.
She has found a way to balance her professional life with her family, and puts family first. She has been involved in many civic activities, and frankly, Michelle is the kind of woman who finds going to her daughter's soccer game a lot more enjoyable than attending a celebrity-studded soiree.
But a recent poll found that Michelle Obama is twice as disliked as John McCain's wife, Cindy, and that "whites" have an unfavorable view of Michelle.
Before you jump on me with both feet, please read the AP report.
One comment from a Republican and church secretary quoted in the AP story about the poll caught my eye: "Cindy seems like she's laid back and not trying to run her husband."
Is that it?
Do these whites see Michelle Obama or a negative stereotype that is often foisted on successful black women....that they are too aggressive and hard to get along with?
If that's the case, there's little Michelle Obama can do in five months to change the minds of people who have bought into the "Sapphire" stereotype.
Unlike her husband, Michelle can't transcend race. She's a beatuiful brown-skinned African-American woman and she's not going to get any points for being half-white. Voters will have to accept her for who she is: a strong black woman
The same AP story reports that only one in eight blacks view Cindy McCain favorably. No mention of that in your column. Apparently your race sensitivity knows only one perspective.
It has nothing to do with race or sterotyping.
Michelle Obama came out Portraying herself as an aggressive, Domineering person.
That was Michelle Obama's doing, no one had anything to do with her personality, and how she carries herself in person.
Even with the new make over of her, by the PR department she still has rough and gruff edges, but has been a vast improvement.
It amazes me how women with opinions like Michelle Obama and Hilary Clinton are so demonized in our culture.
If the shoe fits...she should wear it
And no, we voters do not accept Michelle Obama, because she is an unpatriotic ingrate
She is a strong black woman, Mary. That's the whole problem for white conservatives, and it won't go away. I wouldn't worry about them, though, because these are the people who wouldn't vote for Barack Obama if their lives (literally) depended on it - the cut-your-nose-off to spite your face crowd. Their livlihoods probably do depend on it, but they just don't get it.
Lucky for them that the rest of us are going help them out in spite of themselves (before they drag us down the Bush/Cheney neo-con sinkhole this country as been circling in, faster and faster, for the last eight years). The speed of the downward spiral has been getting frightening, but I see a life preserver (and I hope it's big enough and soon enough to help us out of a horror story ending).
Hey Mary, How do your own words, with just one twist, taste? "I'm not surprised that BLACKS have an unfavorable view of Cindy McCain, but it's their problem, not hers." It's almost always about race with you.
It seems quite apparent to me that Senator Obama is doing just fine among whites despite your attempt to question the motives or opinions of white voters about Michelle.
And it's truly pathetic that you pull one article and quote a Republican church secretary and interpret the meaning behind her words. Disgusting! One Republican church secretary's words, intentionally spun by you in hopes of either changing the minds of white voters or fueling some other racist agenda, does not speak for all white voters.
It's really funny. In that same AP article, Michelle is said to be looked at unfavorably by those 65 and up. Why don't you pick on some senior citizens while you're at it? Your article simply makes me laugh at you.
WOW...CAN'T EVEN GO TO THE FIREWORKS SHOW AT THE LAKE ANYMORE, BECAUSE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SAVAGES JUST HAVE TO START SHOOTING INNOCENT PEOPLE. I AM SO EMBARRASSED TO BE BLACK
We expect white people to stereotype Michelle since she is an intelligent,family oriented, beautiful black woman.Thats sad about this country, another strong reason for a CHANGE. When Obama wins this election, Michelle can show her talent and help this country's racial issues.
HELLO MARY,
I VISITED CHICAGO WITH FAMILY FOR THE TASTE AND FIREWORKS SHOW. WE HAD A GREAT TIME UNTIL THE SUN WENT DOWN. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT THIS CITYS BLACK POPULATION IS A BUNCH OF WILD ANIMALS PEOPLE SHOOTING, PEOPLE FIGHTING, PEOPLE GETTING ROBBED, UNREAL. HOW DO YOU STICK UP FOR THESE PEOPLE? THEY COMPLETELY RUINED THE TASTE, GOD BLESS THE POLICE THEY WERE VERY BRAVE, DURING ALL THE SHOOTING AND THEY DEFINITELY DID NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS. THE MAYOR SHOULD LET THE CHICAGO POLICE GO TO WAR OLD-SCHOOL WITH THESE DIRTY ANIMALS AND CLEAN UP THIS CITY
I am awhite, Catholic, senior and I think Michelle Obama is terrific. She is all the things you say she is and I admire her greatly as I do her husband.
Is Michelle Obama proud to be an American Today on the Fourth of July?
The comment that whites don't like Michelle Obama is itself perplexing. How many whites or blacks, for that matter, have ever met or interacted with her, so what's not to like? Since her husband and children obviously love her and know her better than anyone else, stating that someone who doesn't know her dislikes her seems to be prompted by jealousy and beneath the intelligence of the American electorate.
The question, itself, appears to encourage nonsense and to be on the level with the childen's story, "GREEN EGGS AND HAM" by Dr. Suess.
I am convinced that after the black man in America, the most feared person in America is a strong black women, especially by white women. The white women who do not like Michelle, will have to look within themselves to find out why. White women seem to exepct black women to "need" something and when the white women meets a black women who does not need anything from them they are perplexed. The white women then say, "She's to agressive". I know, because I have worked professionally with white women for twenty years. I am a strong black women, who knows her job and if I point out some flaw in there plan or "speak up", then I did not have to "say"it like that or my well though out comment is dimmissed. Needlessly to say I come out on top, because black people are under estimated for their intelligence. "That is why my white female boss over spent that budget, when I kept telling her to check the money. I laughed like hell that day and many others when she failed to listen, but some how she has kept her job.
Cindy looks like she can not stand her husband. They appear to be married in name only, where as Michelle and her husband look like they still have that "loving feeling".
Way to go Michelle, show them that you do not need their approval to be successful!!!!
Gordon Sinclair
Radio Station CFBR 1010
2 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
"LET'S BE PERSONAL"
Broadcast June 5, 1973
CFRB, Toronto, Ontario
Topic: "The Americans"
The United States dollar took another pounding on German, French and British exchanges this morning, hitting the lowest point ever known in West Germany. It has declined there by 41% since 1971 and this Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least-appreciated people in all the world.
As long as sixty years ago, when I first started to read newspapers, I read of floods on the Yellow River and the Yangtse. Who rushed in with men and money to help? The Americans did. Thats who.
They have helped control floods on the Nile, the Amazon, the Ganges and the Niger. Today, the rich bottom land of the Misssissippi is under water and no foreign land has sent a dollar to help. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy, were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of those countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.
When the franc was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. And I was there. I saw that.
When distant cities are hit by earthquakes, it is the United States that hurries into help... Managua Nicaragua is one of the most recent examples. So far this spring, 59 American communities have been flattened by tornadoes. Nobody has helped.
The Marshall Plan .. the Truman Policy .. all pumped billions upon billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now, newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent war-mongering Americans.
Now,I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplanes.
Come on now... you, let's hear it! Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tristar or the Douglas 10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all international lines except Russia fly American planes? Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or a women on the moon?
You talk about Japanese technocracy and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy and you find men on the moon, not once, but several times ... and safely home again. You talk about scandals and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even the draft dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are right here on our streets in Toronto, most of them ... unless they are breaking Canadian laws .. are getting American dollars from Ma and Pa at home to spend up here.
When the Americans get out of this bind ... as they will... who could blame them if they said 'the hell with the rest of the world'. Let someone else buy the bonds, Let someone else build or repair foreign dams or design foreign buildings that won't shake apart in earthquakes.
When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both of them are still broke. I can name to you 5,000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble.
Can you name to me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.
Our neighbours have faced it alone and I am one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their noses at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles.
I hope Canada is not one of these. But there are many smug, self-righteous Canadians. And finally, the American Red Cross was told at its 48th Annual meeting in New Orleans this morning that it was broke.
This year's disasters .. with the year less than half-over… has taken it all and nobody...but nobody... has helped.
Listen to "The Americans" by Gordon Sinclair": Via www.bradjones.com.
- RealAudio, .ram, 1.30 mb
- Windows Media, .asf, 256 kb
- Windows Media, .wma, 707 kb
- MPEG Layer 3, .mp3, 811 kb
(The text was corrected thanks to a commenter here noticing it wasn't exact, so I listened and made the appropriate changes.)
Why does it seem that it took a man from a different country to understand how great America is?
If you are one of those people he speaks about, SHAME ON YOU.... if you are sitting there after reading and/or hearing his words going "RIGHT ON"... nice to meet you friend isn't it great to be an American?
I will leave you with one more of my favorites.
America the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
From:http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2007/01/are-you-proud-to-be-american.html
Free Speech is NEVER Free! Many times it is censored by those politically correct authoritarians who claim the love freedom.
I wonder if anybody will ask Madam Obama the following questions: Were you proud when George W. Bush nominated the first African-American to be Secretary of State? Were you proud when George W. Bush nominated the second African-American to be Secretary of State? Were you proud when Geroge H.W. Bush nominated Colin Powell to the top positions in the US military?
Were you proud when in the 1980s, the most popular program on television for five straight years was the Cosby Show, which featured an entirely African-American cast? Was that a sign of racism? Were you proud that the most watched daytime show in history is produced and directed and run by an African American woman? Were you proud that an African-American woman from Tennessee knocked the venerable Phil Donahue right off television?
Nobody will ask her a tough question. She is now treated like a royal figure. But maybe someday, some reporter will dare to ask the Obamas a question that is not sycophantic.
Larraby on February 20, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Michelle Obama is from Africa? Wow! I didn't know that. I work with a beautiful African American woman. She was born in Eritrea before legally immigrating to the US and becoming a citizen.
Her race is not "African" - it's the continent where she was born. Just like my "white" associates are North American because they were born here and are not simply "naturalized citizens" of a country (Our country is technically the United States of America, not the entire continent "North America".) My white co-workers' racial designation is "Caucasian". People seem to forget that European Americans were from a continent (Europe) before immigration. I don't get to go around demanding the designation of European American because four centuries ago, my ancestors literally were "European Americans". I am a citizen of the United States of America, born on the continent of North America. My skin color defies my racial designation, and if you must know the truth, I can make people dislike me without ever having to see me - just by virtue of fearlessly voicing an unpopular opinion.
Do I dislike Michelle Obama? I don't know her well enough to have an opinion one way or the other truly, so in that respect, I'd have to say no. I don't dislike anyone until I have good reason. Even so, I can like someone but very much dislike their attitudes and behaviors. And incidentally, I don't have to live in line-item-agreement with anyone to "like" them. If that were the case, I'd hate everyone, including you, based upon this sole opinion piece you've penned. As far as I can surmise, its intent is to belittle those who don't hold your opinion (and if you're really sharp, you'll recognize the irony in my sarcastic diatribe above, but I'll identify it as such for you now, not to assume an intellect that isn't necessarily there). We, the readers, the voters, dare I say We The People are too ignorant to form intelligent, thoughtful, fair opinions without someone using shaming, race-baiting innuendo to "get us in line." Apparently, that's where bloggers are filling a void we apparently survived for hundreds of thousands of years without recognizing as vital to our existence.
Hooray for Michelle Obama for being "a strong black woman". Hooray for any strong human beings. Truly, you are as guilty as all the "haters" for feeling the necessity of praising someone's strength with the qualifiers of "black" and "woman" - as though they are few and far between and somehow more significant than the strengths of any human being.
Yes... I think I have formed an opinion. I don't think I would like you. But despite that, I hope you have a nice day anyhow. I know I will.
This White female admires Michele Obama for her intelligence, grace, dignity, and strength of character. I wish she was the candidate instead of her husband. I'm sick of the bitterness that the press and TV analysts have nurtured during this election year. Enough already!
To start with, I wish that people would stop the focus on race.
Just stop it.
Yes, Michelle Obama is a strong woman. Notice how I didn't say Michelle Obama is a strong *black* woman? In that same vein I would also have to say that Hillary Clinton is a strong *white* woman. Do you see how ridiculous that is?
One of the many reasons I won't be voting for Obama is that every time his wife speaks I get the distinct impression that we'll end up with another "co-presidency" like we had with Bill and Hillary.
I'm not voting for the spouse. I'm voting for the candidate and it is my opinion that the spouse of that candidate has a place - a role to play. Michelle Obama could learn a lot from Laura Bush on that role.
Jermaine Courtney: What the hell does the shooting at the Tatse have to do with Michelle Obama?
I think Mrs. Obama is a wonderful woman and the way she is being portrayed is unfair. It has been stated that black me who date white women do so because a white woman will support her man through thick and thin and a black woman will tuck tail and run. Well, Mrs. Obama is clearly in this for the long hall and that is very commendable. I'm a young woman so I was just a child when Clinto was elected, but I'm wondering if Hilary was portrayed in such a negative light while supprting her husband. Believe me... she didn't get all that "experience" she brags on by being a submissive "typical" First Lady!
Jermaine Courtney: What the hell does the shooting at the Tatse have to do with Michelle Obama?
I think Mrs. Obama is a wonderful woman and the way she is being portrayed is unfair. It has been stated that Black men who date White women do so because a White woman will support her man through thick and thin and a Black woman will tuck tail and run. Well, Mrs. Obama is clearly in this for the long hall and that is very commendable. I'm a young woman so I was just a child when Clinton was elected, but I'm wondering if Hilary was portrayed in such a negative light while supporting her husband? Believe me... she didn't get all that "experience" she brags on by being a submissive "typical" First Lady!
You are correct J Milam, I think the first lady should remain in the backgroung like JFK wife, but we live in a era where the public has a lot to with it.
Mary,
Please stop stereotyping white people. I'm a white Democrat woman and I can assure you most Democratic whites do NOT share the same view of Michelle that conservative Republican whites have of her.
At the risk of stereotyping myself, it just seems that Republican candidates' wives are all cut from the Pat Nixon/Nancy Reagan mold - quiet, deferential to the point of invisibility, shutting their mouths and concerning themselves with looking nice, making White House dinners pretty and gazing adoringly at her Man throughout any public appearance. Pretty Cindy has it down, so she's upheld as the role model. Gag me.
Democratic men tend to choose livelier, more interesting women who are equals and partners - and the Repubs hate it.
They want women to shut up and be ornamental - unless it's someone who sexes it up and eviscerates liberals, like Ann Coulter. Betcha if Ann somehow became a Repub First Lady, she'd be quickly schooled in the quaint arts of Republican ladyhood PDQ.
I do not care for Obamas wife because she was a rude person attacking Hillary Clinton. And she envoked the race card first. And she wrote a poor crazt thesis. And she is now proud for the first time in her Adult life... no ty.
Michelle Obama is being judged, by some of us, by her words and actions. On that score I feel no need to decide if I like, dislike, admire or approve of Michelle at this time. But, in considering Michelle's "finally proud to be an American" remark, I feel we're no longer talking about race -- we're simply evaluating a remark by the wife of a presidential candidate and finding it pretty lame. As for perceptions, we are so quick to fawn over public figures, especially women, if they have nice hair, dress nice and are fashionably thin, etc. It's similar to the Princess Diana worldwide cult of devotion-- She was tall, thin, had great hair, a big wardrobe and millions adored her. She also was not that bright, had multiple partners outside her marriage but was not judged harshly for that; apparently the men who "shagged" her were the real cads. Right. I believe that present day Americans judge their leaders by looks more than many other countries do. Would we elect a totally bald man, or one with a large ink blot on his forehead? Would we support a large, horsey-looking woman (when we do, inevitably, elect a woman president), a black man or woman with very dark skin, or someone of either sex who is noticeably short? I seriously doubt it. And guess what, these discriminatory traits are ones practiced very much within the races themselves. Many blacks may not vote for an African American with skin as dark as, say, that of actor Wesley Snipes. Winston Churchill was fat, bald and homely and ran around his estate with no clothes on -- but he's one of the most heroic figures in history. Let's face it; in the US we make too big a deal of putting family first, not because it's unimportant, but because it's more of a private matter -- even for public figures. I'm an early Baby Boomer, blessed with fine, moral parents, but my parents' generation considered being strong, moral examples to their children a given, not a cause to alert the media. Yes, Michelle Obama is running for public office but I don't really care if she goes to her daughter's soccer games or would rather stay at home and play the NY Times crossword puzzle. This entire idea of a person being a great parent because he or she attends their kids' soccer games, or spends a fortune on birthday parties is what helped create the "Me Generation". Back to Mrs. Obama, what I do notice is that for all her education, she doesn't use proper grammar...There still are some of us left who judge others by their command of the language. In that regard, comparing Michelle to Jackie O is a bit off the mark; Jackie's English was excellent. At least Barrack, last I heard, has stopped saying "most importantly".
Heaven help us. This election has brought out the worst in people. If I hear one more stereotype regarding "whites" or "blacks" I think I'll puke. First of all, there is no such thing as race -- period. It's a term wholly constructed by modern society that is designed to divide folks and promote supremacy. As long as we hold on to it, we're owned by the concept and the divisions it sews regardless of color.
Second, Michelle Obama is getting the same treatment every strong political wife has gotten. Wrapping race around it undermines that reality and prevents society from examining and breaking free from gender stereotypes. You keep all women (and men) from breaking free from stereotypical roles by insisting that it is race rather than gender that is restraining her. So many folks can't even acknowledge that the US needs to come to grips with gender expectations and those same gender stereotypes and expectations hold down men too. We need to learn to allow people to be who they are instead of who we want them to be or expect them to be -- once we do that we free everyone, men, women, and children of all colors to pursue happiness and find their place in our society. Now, isn't that what the great American Experiment is really all about?
Hiding behind skin color again! If I were to say everyone MUST be nice to me, and like me, and approve of everything I do, just because I'm a white woman you would call me racist. Yet, if we white women don't wholeheartedly approve of everything Obama ,were still racist? The majority of Americans aren't as shallow as you've accused. The reason so many people don't like Michele Obama is because of the things she says and does. Not to mention what her husband is trying to do to this nation.
J Milam,
There is nothing that you could possibly point to that remotely indicates a ' co-presidency'. Just name one thing.
I honestly think this article is in really bad taste. I am one of those that is not fond of Michelle Obama for a number of reasons which I would be happy to share. I frankly do not know Cindy McCain since nobody let's her speak. I dislike the fact that Michelle speaks all the time for her husband. I also disliked it when Bill Clinton did the same for his wife. He is not running for office and neither is Michelle. What is really annoying is that both spouses talk too much and get into trouble and then the candidates have to defend their comments. Barack really upset me when he asked everybody to lay off his wife. If my husband was running for office and I decided to stump for him with my voice and opinions, I would feel very offended and frankly very weak if my husband felt he needed to come to my rescue. I guess I would have to disagree then that Michelle is a strong woman since she is only a strong woman when she is allowed to say anything without defending her very own words. I also think that Michelle needs to stop lecturing the voters as if they have until now been casting their vote for all the wrong people and for all the wrong reasons. See Mary, it has nothing to do with race.
Pressing4truth. I can answer for Michelle, yes she was proud of all the appointments and events you mentioned. She never said that she was not proud to be an American, she said REALLY proud which refers to previous times. By the way, who are you or anyone else for the matter to determine when and why a person feel a sense a pride? You just don't get it. We, blacks and whites view our history through different lenses. Whites just do not understand that and never will. Michelle was proud when her dad who had MS would go to work every day to support their family. She was proud when her brother graduated from Princeton. She was proud, when her neighbor graduated from the the eighth grade and she was proud that for the first time in her adult life, it seemed that America was truly voting for a man who happened to be black because they were focusing on the collective issues, coming together, black, white, asian, latino and native american. I got to tell you Pressing4truth. I was really proud of my country that night Senator Barack won in Iowa because this was a glimpse of the perfect union our founding fathers wrote about. WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF EVIDENT THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. Michelle saw her country like many in the black community treat her husband as an equal and vote for him because they truly believed in him and did not hold his race against him. That was one of her proud moments. Live with it and if you want to use this against Barack then so be it. You were just looking for an excuse anyway.
Like Michelle? Not a clue as I haven't met her. I question her decision making from what little I have seen. Most significantly raising children in a church that preaches hate to other races. Other than that I haven't seen enough about her to know.
I know she made a statement about being proud to be an American for the first time when her husband declared his nomination. She's kind of old to not have had a reason to be proud of being an American before that.
What did the poll say about blacks opinions of McCains wife?
If M.O. is strong and tough, good for her. If she has been stereotyped and experienced prejudice I can relate to her very well.
As a white male over 40 I am the most hated demographic in America by virtually every minority in America. I am personally responsible for: lack of jobs, weak welfare system, horrible race relations, lack of medical care for the poor, and every other problem in our society.
And shockingly we both belong to the same society. But, 2 different cultures.
Like her I am proud. Proud that my culture has unlimited amount of neighborhoods and cities that are safe, clean, and where parents are focused on the family.
The only difference between me and her. She has made millions off the people she is "supporting" while my taxes continue to increase to pay for a culture that has less concern for human rights than Idi Amin.