COMMENTS: 17
Michelle Obama Moves First Lady Role into 21st Century
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The first lady role has always been an expression of a particular ideal of womanhood: demure, soft-spoken, sexless, harmless. First ladies who deviated from that narrative -- Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton -- suffered endless derision. Michelle Obama, with her impressive accomplishments, deep intelligence and confident presence will no doubt agitate the same sneering chorus of frightened men.
That's before we even consider our national pathologies around race. To begin with, the attributes ascribed to African-American women by our media and national mythology stand in direct opposition to the demure, soft-spoken, sexless ideal. Add in Michelle Obama's physical stature and unaffected mannerisms, and the chorus of scaredy tomcats who today make their home in right-wing media will no doubt be driven to an elevated level of madness.
But last night's speech by Michelle Obama to the Democratic National Convention should go a long way to reassuring Joe Average, if not Joe Wingnut, that Michelle Obama has figured out how to be a first lady for her time. Never before in recent memory has a potential first lady seemed so confident and comfortable in the glare of the spotlight. Not only did she deliver a speech with an effective message (family, family, family), but she delivered it flawlessly. In her delivery (if less in substance), Ms. Obama revealed a great deal about herself -- not least of all, her unwillingness to diminish herself and her gifts to fit a sexist ideal. Yet, her message proved the perfect foil to her strong and flawless presentation, much as, in her sense of style, Michelle Obama's evocation of Jacqueline Kennedy does the same. (I want that green/blue dress.)
Michelle Obama last night set out to convey to the American people a set of values reassuring in its evocation of traditional notions of family: Michelle Obama raised by a father who was "our provider," a stay-at-home mom and a protective older brother. Still, a glimmering of our transitional moment in gender roles and relations is found in Ms. Obama's expressed appreciation not only for her mother's caring nature, but also in her assertion that she saw in her daughters' eyes her mother's intelligence. And she permitted her father's finer qualities to be attributed, in her brother's introduction, to her.
Michelle Obama last night also spoke a truth that has yet to be addressed in the story of this historic election: the unique situation of African-American women in the 2008 primary. Every insulting remark with a racial tinge aimed at Barack Obama, and every sexist depiction of Hillary Clinton -- all these were felt by African-American women in ways not imaginable by those who have not endured those harms as their own.
While Ms. Obama did not address that very particular situation head-on, she did allude to it in a more celebratory guise:
It is because of their will and determination that this week, we celebrate two anniversaries: the 88th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, and the 45th anniversary of that hot summer day when Dr. King lifted our sights and our hearts with his dream for our nation.
I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history -- knowing that my piece of the American Dream is a blessing hard-won by those who came before me.If you look at Michelle Obama's valedictory last night, you can take it at face value , and hear a message about the value of traditional family, laced with the sort of mythologizing with which political storying is rife. But read a bit between the lines, and you'll see something more nuanced, something a little paradoxical, a little mischievous.
Hillary Clinton, whom Michelle Obama rightfully appreciated last night in her speech, cleared part of Michelle Obama's path for her: an educated woman, a career woman, an attorney, no less, serving the nation as helpmeet to the man in charge. But there's a good bit more of the brush to be cleared, and Michelle Obama last night left the distinct impression that she's up to the job.
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Posted by: mnstra on Aug 26, 2008 2:42 PM
Current rating: 2 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In this era of over population, peak oil, endless famine, corn for fuel and poverty around the world.... To hear any major figure emphasize family family family, is a very ominous sign of further overpopulation. It is a dire warning to all of us who want to slow down growth to save the planet we shudder when we hear those values, family!!!!!!! What will her husband to about reproductive rights; ?about contraception? Will she encourage restraint in child bearing or will she encourage unbridled reproduction. I am really scared about this family stuff. Leta's see if we can vote in a rational leader like Ralph Nader. A true leader for these times.
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» RE: BA
Posted by: kungfuma
» Uninformed
Posted by: benzene
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Posted by: When In Doubt on Aug 27, 2008 4:34 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Another Americasn is terrified and sees "unbridled" overpopulation!
Here is a Woman who may well be the best First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt.
A woman who will set the standard for what women CAN do that the men of this nation has been unable to do.
Set the standard so high for Public Service that anything less in that once Noble Cause will be unacceptable.
We will find out in no uncertain terms, the losses we have suffered by terrified men afraid of the inate managerial skills of American Women that I have seen wasted in my near nine decades of life.
I stand here rejoicing at the potential of an America finally realizing our great "Lost" treasure; the underrated resource of the caring, nuturing,nature of woman down the ages.
It is the 21st Century and there are changes coming.
If you are scared, step aside and let this "new" resource get her work done.
And men?
You will never be stronger than when you join in a time that will put us back to finding the self-respect that the current adminstration has tried to destroy in their fascistic drive for power and self-anihilation.
I repeat:
Rejoice in the possibilities!
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» RE: Joy To The World
Posted by: mandy
» Barf
Posted by: 6399
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Posted by: jrmart on Aug 27, 2008 5:32 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In antebellum America, it was the Black "nanny" that cared for the little white children. In modern America, where the Black Man has too often discarded his paternal responsibility, it is the Black Woman that has raised her children.
If we are finally going to realize the racial superiority of the Black Woman, i say Hooray. It is a start.
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» Are you F'ing insane?? And who gave this turkey 5s?
Posted by: 6399
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Posted by: maxpayne on Aug 27, 2008 7:49 AM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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» RE: VEN AFTER 52 YEARS, A SINGLE, MAN OR WOMAN, IS GIVEN NO RESPECT TRYING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT !!
Posted by: jmooney
» RE: VEN AFTER 52 YEARS, A SINGLE, MAN OR WOMAN, IS GIVEN NO RESPECT TRYING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT !!
Posted by: maxpayne
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Posted by: VZEQICVA on Aug 27, 2008 7:58 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Posted by: mtc on Aug 27, 2008 9:15 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
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Posted by: When In Doubt on Aug 27, 2008 11:02 AM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
" I will not sit here and let you stomp on the Constitution of These United States."
That Senator's name was
Senator Barbara Jordan.
I thought then that she should run for President because she sounded like what i thought a President should sound like.
Later she left Washington,DC to return to teaching at her university in Texas. She ended up un a wheelchair and later died. I have mourned her passing ever since.
So when this campaign started 19 montha ago, and i had the embarrasment of riches of a Black And a Woman running, I thought miracles happen.
As this overlong campaign has lasted I have gone through many permutations as to what to do.
Frankly I was unhappy with both of them for many reasons, none having to do with race or gender.
I didn't like certain attitudes.
Then another miracle happened:
Michelle Obama.
I hear her first speech when she entered the process and a day or two later another 1 hour speech. I wanted her to be running. Since that wasn't possible, I signed, reluctantly, on because I felt that Michelle would, out of her strength and sense of purpose, her crowning common sense, A rarity in today's world.
Senator Clinton is a fine addition to our Senate. I felt a sense of deparation at times in her approach to campaigning.
That happens. It's fair standard way.
Michelle Obama has all her targets in a row.And her aim is pure and just and based on family values...the real family values, not the kind the Republicans claim and do not live by.
So if I left Senator Clinton out of the equation, it was more because my focus was on this remarkable American Woman offering her services to this country.
Hilary Clinton is my Senator here in New York State. I admire her and will vote for her again in that position.
It is just that right now I see the first sense of hope that I have had since John F. Kennedy left the scene.
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» Cong. Jordan
Posted by: jmooney
» RE: Cong. Jordan
Posted by: When In Doubt
» RE: Joy to The World
Posted by: bcontent2b
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