Post by Champs Elysees on Jun 5, 2008 15:23:27 GMT -5
I’ve been taken aback by the scrutiny over Michelle Obama. Reading the ghoulish comments on YouTube are disturbing and never in political history has a candidate's wife been used in a political ad. "Why is there so much venom towards her?" I asked a friend of mine and he said, "Michelle Obama is unmistakably black." He said everything from her appearance to even the way she talks -- that is a black woman.
I wondered, what if Obama’s family had a little more Halle Berry and less Michelle? No one is debating Michelle's back ground and she isn't a mammy figure (like some critics say Oprah is). Michelle Obama doesn’t represent what people want black women in America to be—America is used to images of black women like Halle Berry, Rihanna, and Beyonce (by no fault of their own). Even with all the deadly Condoleezza Rice mistakes, she is still respected. Is Michelle’s biggest problem being unmistakably black?
Don't get me wrong, if Obama were married to a white woman that would be more of a problem—the way black women feel about black men dating white women is the same way hetero white men feel, but with angst and the toxic superior male ego. So, it is a necessity for his wife to be a black woman… like a non-threatening episode of The Cosby Show.
In no ways do I think this is solely about skin tone, a Halle Berry image is just one example. Michelle’s other problem is she is slim, educated, and attractive—a black woman who has a brain and isn’t pandering to whites. If she were fat, stumbled her words and sang "Amazing Grace" before every Barack speech people would love her.
Still, do you think the potential First Lady would get a better reaction if she were more Halle Berry and less Michelle?
I wondered, what if Obama’s family had a little more Halle Berry and less Michelle? No one is debating Michelle's back ground and she isn't a mammy figure (like some critics say Oprah is). Michelle Obama doesn’t represent what people want black women in America to be—America is used to images of black women like Halle Berry, Rihanna, and Beyonce (by no fault of their own). Even with all the deadly Condoleezza Rice mistakes, she is still respected. Is Michelle’s biggest problem being unmistakably black?
Don't get me wrong, if Obama were married to a white woman that would be more of a problem—the way black women feel about black men dating white women is the same way hetero white men feel, but with angst and the toxic superior male ego. So, it is a necessity for his wife to be a black woman… like a non-threatening episode of The Cosby Show.
In no ways do I think this is solely about skin tone, a Halle Berry image is just one example. Michelle’s other problem is she is slim, educated, and attractive—a black woman who has a brain and isn’t pandering to whites. If she were fat, stumbled her words and sang "Amazing Grace" before every Barack speech people would love her.
Still, do you think the potential First Lady would get a better reaction if she were more Halle Berry and less Michelle?
claycane.blogspot.com/2008/05/what-if-obama-family-looked-like-this.html
Whites are embracing Barack, but they are weary of Michelle. Have you noticed this??? Is Michelle too "black" for 25-20s?? Would the be more receptive to Michelle if she were of the "Halle Berry" type??
