Allison Samuels, Newsweek, Nov. 1, 2008
Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so. But selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man and, according to CNN’s “Black in America,” documentary, those of us who aren’t street-walking crack addicts are on the verge of dying from AIDS. As writer Rebecca Walker put it on her Facebook page: “CNN should call me next time they really want to show diversity and meet real black women that nobody seems to talk about.”
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These images have helped define the way all black women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simply to be herself.
It won’t be easy. Since her emergence on the national scene, Obama has been deemed radical, divisive and the adjective that no modern-day black woman can live without: angry. Thankfully, so far, she’s endured these demeaning accusations with a smile and shrug—at least in public. But if she does end up in the White House, continuing to dial back her straightforward, vibrant personality isn’t the answer. In the same way that Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy and Hillary Clinton each redefined what it meant to be First Lady, Michelle will forge her own path. Not only will she draw the usual criticisms, but she’ll be open to some new ones too. I eagerly await the public reaction if Sasha and Malia ever sport cornrows or afro puffs on the South Lawn. And if Michelle decides to champion a program that benefits black youth, will her critics slam her for being too parochial?
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Whatever she does, I hope she doesn’t fall victim to critics with little point of reference. Take this month’s issue of Town and Country magazine. An article—written by a white female reporter—offers advice to both potential First Ladies. The writer suggests Cindy McCain let her “personality and experience shine” and motivate others to give back.
For Michelle, the writer suggests that she avoid “popping off when your guard is down” and to be careful “about how, when and if she injects her ethnicity … into her platform as First Lady.”
The underlying message is that the last thing anyone needs to be reminded of is that Michelle Obama is all black, unlike her husband, who is mixed—as the writer points out for seemingly no reason.
{snip}
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of adoring fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. African-American blogs such as Sisterlicious, Black Girls Rock and That Black Girl Group have all written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. As contributor Felicia Jones wrote on one blog, “Michelle Obama will be the hero my little girls have been looking for. The hero doesn’t have to shake her booty or point her finger to get noticed and respected. My little girls finally have a role model.” Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intellect will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.
Original article
(Posted on November 3, 2008)
Comments
No, perhaps Michelle Obama doesn’t present the stereotypical black woman “shaking her boodie,” but what she is in a stereotypical sense is the quintessential affirmative action princess, from her admission into undergrad school, to her admission into law school, from her six figure do-nothing affirmative action sinecure at the UoC Hospital, from the fact that her salary tripled because her husband won an election.
So, the two alternatives that black girls are supposed to have is this: Shake it like they seen in a rap video, or string together five halfway intelligent words every once in awhile, and the Ivy League will take you in.
Ms. Obama can’t be any worse than fellow travelers Eleanor Roosevelt, Hitlery Clinton and Hitlery’s marxist feminazi friends such as Darth Vader Ginsburg, Janet Reno, Ann Lewis, Marion Edelman etc.
But the media will adore her just as they adore her husband.
“….showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family.”
We already know based on the billion dollar welfare budget how black women financially support their shiftless, out of work ‘men’ until they just disappear one day only to show up again in the prison system.
And raising a ‘strong black family’? Is there any phrase more oxymoronic than that? I guess the 30% of black children born to married couples might qualify if it weren’t for the fact that even a high percentage of those children also end up in trouble with the law.
Mrs. O has been deemed an angry black because she IS an angry black — quite possibly angrier and more belligerent regarding race than her husband, and that’s saying something!
I am NOT looking forward to having these people as the First Family.
“I eagerly await the public reaction if Sasha and Malia ever sport cornrows or afro puffs on the South Lawn.”
That’s all reporters ever do do. Fawn over, approve and adore the latest testament to blackness. Get over yourselves anyway.
“Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise, confidence and intellect will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.”
She is poised all right, like some Red death adder getting ready to strike!
From what I have observed, this woman will be nothing more than Hillary Clinton with a rather dark tan; she is arrogant and self-absorbed, which would put her in good keeping with most other black women I have known. She will also advocate for the sweeping Marxist agenda of her husband and expect that the media will continue to fawn on herself and her family, while they endeavor to smash this country with their hammer of “hope” and sickle of “change.” As he inevitably sinks into failure and thus reaps the public’s contempt, she will lash out at Americans for their hateful “racism” and “ignorance” that is destroying their dream of a utopia.
It will be a case study in what happens when two narcissists destroy themselves and quite possibly a whole country, while blaming everyone but themselves for the disaster they have caused. Won’t that be “Sisterlicious” of her?
As always, God help us all!
“As contributor Felicia Jones wrote on one blog, “Michelle Obama will be the hero my little girls have been looking for. The hero doesn’t have to shake her booty or point her finger to get noticed and respected. My little girls finally have a role model.” Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task.”
Why isn’t Felicia a role model for her little girls. Does SHE shake her booty, point her finger, gyrate her head and bellow like a wounded water buffalo?
The fact that this writer enthuses about the opinions on an “African-American” blog called, “Sisterlicious” pretty much speaks volumes about the depths America is about to sink to. This election may indeed be the final nail in America’s coffin.
Michelle Obama is a walking bundle of angry.
And she won’t be able to keep the volcano inside under wraps.
She will erupt, count on it.
So she will serve a good purpose despite herself: raising white consciousness.
“…just a little of her poise, confidence and intellect will go a long way…”
Man, isn’t that the truth? Michelle Obama is an angry, whining, affirmative-action millionaire who benefited from race quotas all her life and still sees herself as a victim. The thought of listening to her self-righteous lectures and seeing her smug, arrogant face on TV every day for the next four years would make me sick to my stomach if I actually watched TV. Luckily, I gave it up years ago and they haven’t made any laws yet requiring me to pay attention to our glorious leaders.
If Obama wins tomorrow, which he probably will, I’m planning to go to extreme lengths to avoid ANY exposure to ANY media outlet where the POTUS and his nasty wife might appear—even for a few seconds. Some people don’t want to expose themselves to violent or pornographic images. I don’t want to expose myself to Barack and Michelle Obama. I don’t want to look at them; I don’t want to listen to them; I don’t want to read about them or hear anything about them. To quote Barbara Bush: “Why would I want to waste my beautiful mind on something like that?”
I will be switching them off, thank you very much. The same thing goes for “Bomb Bomb” John McCain if he somehow manages to con enough voters to squirm his way into office, but I doubt if that’s going to happen. Maybe I’m wrong, but it really doesn’t matter. Personally, I’m hoping for some big riots and disasters over the next four years, no matter who gets in, though it’s hard to think of a bigger disaster than Michelle Obama strutting around the White House.
” And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.”
And, for the first time, people will get to read and hear much nonsense that comes out of her unintelligent mouth, because after the election they’re going to take the gas mask off, and remove the duct tape from her mouth.
I’m looking for a book of idiotic quotes attributed to her, just like the one published about George Bush’s verbal gaffs, only she’ll be more hilarious than he is.
You know, I think this entire debacle is going to be filled with a lot of humor from a ship of fools. And rather than increasing black stature in the world, the effect will be the reverse. I doubt that many dimwitted blacks will catch on and will be beaming with pride everytime the country is laughing about something they did or said.
If anybody wants to attack the US militarily, the next four years will be the best opportunity they’ll ever have.
Dear me, playing the race card already, before Obama is even elected, heaven forbid. Like it or not Allison, there are not too many Black women as you describe yourself and Michelle to be. Who are these classy Black women anyway? You? Michelle Obama? or how about Maxine Waters, Jocelyn Elders, Oprah, Whoopi? WHO? We are waiting.
The thing I find odd about this is that apparently it’s a huge deal for Michelle Obama to model and promote behavior for black women - behavior that seems to just come naturally for some other races.
“The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man and, according to CNN’s “Black in America,” documentary, those of us who aren’t street-walking crack addicts are on the verge of dying from AIDS.”
Don’t forget overweight. That pretty much sums up the vast majority of black women in this country.
May God save us from what has happened in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The bleeding hearts will come to realize that voting for a black man will not give them favor among the black community. You are whitey to them and when you live next to them and not in your gated elitist community you will find this out.
Here’s the info on this wonderfully objective writer:
“Recently, Samuels was asked by talk show host Oprah Winfrey to travel to South Africa with her to report on her process of choosing girls for her leadership academy.
Samuels joined Newsweek in 1994 as a researcher, and was promoted to reporter in January of 1996. Before joining the magazine, the Georgia native worked for producer Quincy Jones and at the Hollywood super agency CAA. She also was a reporter for the Los Angeles Times.
Samuels graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 1988 with a B.A. in Mass communications. She is a member of the Association of Black Journalists … a past member of the UCLA Black Studies Department Board of Directors. She is currently a contributing editor at Essence Magazine….”
Don’t confuse her with Claire Booth Luce.
So we must put B. Hussein Obama into the White House either to show that we’re not “the Jim Crow Nation” or to give dimwitted black mothers something at which to point their daughters to serve as a “role model.” Both admirable grounds for voting for a candidate.
i wonder if we’ll finally get to see that ‘whitey’ tirade that’s been threatening to surface
I think she makes a great leader for the hate whitey blacks. I could see in her eyes the true hatred she has for white people. This will not stay hidden long!
“What Michelle Can Teach Us.”
Well, the two times I saw her on television was once when she told everybody that she was finally proud of her country…..but first she briefly picked at her nose. Then kind of moved it to the side along with her mouth. She makes some strange facial contortions.
Then I saw her again via a video clip shown on the Fox News channel, and she picked her nose briefly again before starting to talk. Then she twisted her nose and mouth again to one side by using her facial muscles.
Check out the clips on YouTube to see what I mean.
If all she can teach us is how to pick our noses and wiggle them, does that really rise to a level we would consider great accomplishments?
From the looks of her she seems to be heavily medicated, watch her eyes in the lighting she is exposed to. No wonder she is off the campaign trail save for some short intro work.
To Ms. Allison:
“CNN should call me next time they really want to show diversity and meet real black women that nobody seems to talk about.”
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Hmmmmmm. The fact is Allison, CNN would NEVER talk about “REAL BLACK WOMEN”! CNN is nothing more, or less, than a liberal genuflecting slug at the alter of the risen Messiah! Just who are you kidding?
It is not the small percentage of the IWSSAA [Individuals with Sub Saharan African Ancestries] i.e. African - Americans, i.e. Blacks, who are relatively intelligent that concern me. You Allison, write relatively well even though your argument revolves solely around the term “real” as in: “I be keepin it real bro”
So what are all the other black women then? Artificial? Perhaps YOU are artificial and THEY are real? Moreover, the underlying, implied, pettiness in your article, Allison, is a psssst b-l-a-c-k trait, which is more in common with your race as a whole than the one in which you are now trying to project!
If, the majority of blacks were as educated,sophisticated, erudite, urbane, and continental, as your Obamas would like us to believe them to be, there would not be the overwhelming statistical evidence, indicting their’s, and your, race to the contrary.
The bottom line to this site, which I’ve always appreciated (a long with the fact that there are far more knowledgeable people here than I),is the fact that the people here only want the truth! I, for one, feel insulted every time I am forced fed an abnormality [as in your article] and then be expected to believe that it somehow represents the class, any class, as a whole. Ever had a course in logic Allison [ I think it is called the fallacy of converse accident or something like that - its only been forty years since I sat though the course - and I can’t remember now if I were lucid when I did]?
The simple fact is this Allison: There are far, far, more black women who are dramatically undereducated and overweight,far more AIDS infected females, far more drug addicted females, far more criminals, far more violence, far more broken homes, far more sexual promiscuity,far more antisocial conduct etc. etc. etc.
That’s the way it is Allison! Doesn’t mean that it is true for every black, doesn’t mean that it is true for you personally Allison, it does mean, however, that it is true for members of your race in general!
Your argument is kind of like me saying that since I am a tall blond, blue eyed, MENSA, every white person, is, Ipso Facto, one also. That statement assumes two premises: (1) I am who I say I am; and (2), that the population is who I say it is as well! If either prong fails it all fails! And furthermore, while it isn’t your fault for the actions of a race to which you were born Allison, it sure as hell ain’t somehow my fault either!
And while I’m at it I think it safe to say that “Affirmative Action” absolutely nauseates everybody in this site! You realize, I’m sure, that for every black person who has been “affirmed” throughout his or her life, i.e. Barry and Michelle, there has been a white or Asian person who was similarly “dis affirmed”!
If it were the other way around Allison, I feel quite confident, that YOU would be one of the very first of your race screaming discrimination! [It’s kind of like, Allison, the fact,that any white person who DOESN’T vote for Senator Obama is a racist, while any black person who DOES vote for Senator McCain is an “Uncle Tom”]!
Don’t you know Allison, that if your black race were to divide proportionally to the white race today, election day, your Senator Obama would NOT be elected. But, of course, that ain’t gonna happen is it Allison?
Allison, you may indeed be a wonderful, honest, intelligent, attractive, hard working, stable woman. You may live in an upscale predominately white neighborhood. You may be driving your upscale, black BMW to work every day while listening to Mozart, and are, in every way, or at least “appear” successful. If so, good for you!
Contrary to what you may think, the majority of the readers here are NOT jealous of your success (providing you didn’t unfairly cut out some other more qualified person in the process - which is but a rebutable presumption - or move next door to them to live); but rather, the majority here would only wish that every person in your race were more like you rather than the way we know the vast, vast majority of your race to actually be!
Have a nice day!
MoMo
“The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man”
obviously incorrect and certainly wouldn’t catch on.
Yet there is a strong and time-tested “stereotype” that black women are angry, loud, racist, selfish, materialistic, promiscuous, and disinterested parents who spend more time looking for a man than reading to their kids. Why hasn’t this belief died out if it’s not based in reality?
“And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.”
Oh really? Oprah Winfrey broadcasts the world over and they haven’t had a look?
So much for the “thinking before you write” aspect of the “typical Black woman.”
What Michelle can teach us. “My little girls finally have a role model.”
By her own admission she teaches us that there are not any black female role models. First, I think the kids should look no further than her and her husband.(she did not mention a husband)Why has she been waiting for a role model for her kids when that is her responsability. I would like to say that I have noticed that all black politicians somehow get into trouble. I think that Obama will win the white house. America will see first hand the cultural differences between the two races. We have already seen how Blacks worship (or lack of worship). I really believe this will be an eye-opening experience for the people who are not surrounded by blacks. I am from Louisiana and already know first hand.
Sorry, she reminds me of Bibi Titi Mohamed, Tanzanian M.P. until she was thrown out of parliament for treason. I shall never forget her immortal speech to parliament: I want a fire from here to Magomeni, her district. Swahili is a language based to a large part on Arabic and whilst the lingua franca of Tanzania, was not at the time the official language, in parliament they spoke English. In Swahili, moto is hot, fire, or electricity. She wanted electricity in her district.
Will a black First lady change the HIV stats among black young women? Will a black First Lady also change the fact that most of them are profoundly overweight, and tend to have their children out of wedlock? Seems to me, most will remain fat and promiscous, and continue to blame whites for their own hedonistic behavior. These same females will continue to raise males who do not know their own fathers, and who will spend more time in a prison cell than a college dorm, and black women will continue to fault whites regardless of who is in the White House, since blaming others is far easier than self-reflection.
