Cigar
01-20-2014, 08:43 PM
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49525/large/graduation_hug.jpg?1379547366
The right-wing racists in this country who still haven't recovered from the two-time installation of a black family in the White House have dredged up yet another reason to hate on the first lady. This last week it was about water. When I read about the manufactured controversy at Wonkette (http://wonkette.com/528780/michelle-obama-wants-kids-to-drink-up-conservatives-now-hate-water), I thought it was a joke. Rush-bloat got into the act (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/17/1239541/-Limbaugh-Comes-Out-Against-Drinking-Water), with his par-for-the-course bigot act, and so it went ... on and on ad nauseum, from one right-wing website to another. The FLOTUS has, as part of her goal to improve our children's health, simply suggested that they—gasp—drink more water.
The comments sections to the stories on those sites were predictably slime-filled. Usually, I can just brush the crud off of my psyche, shrug my shoulders and wonder who are these people who seem to spend an extraordinary amount of time on the internet inventing new ways to degrade and demean the FLOTUS?
The problem is that they are people, who own computers, who though faceless and sometimes anonymous, live real lives in my country. And though I may be able to withstand the filth and accept that my world is still full of too many hateful folks, I began to wonder what effect of all of this has on the Obama daughters. They have computers. They probably read news stories about their mom. Their friends and schoolmates do too. I then started thinking about my young cousins, and my friend's daughters, and all the young women and girls in this country, especially the ones who are black and brown and/or "othered" who see our FLOTUS as a role model. What do they make of all this?
So much of our recent discourse has been focused on Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, stop and frisk, and all the young black and brown men who have been vilified as "thugs," and who according to the supporters of George Zimmerman and his ilk, deserve to die or be locked away for life ... we forget perhaps to question what this does to our young women and girls?
We already know—from all the available body of social science research (http://www.abpsi.org/pdf/Dark_Girls_ABPsi_ARTICLE_FINAL_JUNE_23_2013_Dr%20G rills.htm)—that young women of color, particularly young black women, are bowed down under the burden of not meeting normative standards of beauty (http://www.beautyredefined.net/beauty-whitewashed-how-white-ideals-exclude-women-of-color/). Many young women of color now suffer eating disorders (http://ealert.mysistahs.org/health/bodyimage/eatingdisorders.htm) as a result. The racist frenzy (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/16/1239347/-The-Need-to-Promote-Whiteness-in-America-Really-America-Again) that took place over the selection of an Indian American (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/16/1239169/-Seriously-White-America-get-over-your-racism) as Miss America certainly illustrated clearly that no matter if you are not black, and you get to be a beauty pageant queen, you are still not okay. Not American (read white). Even if you are America's first lady, it will never be enough. Forget the college degrees, the competence, the intellect, the class, the style, the fame ... you will be tarred with the same "you are not good enough" brush.
You will be the words they use to describe Michelle Obama. Angry, ugly, vicious words. They will look at you and be thinking (doubtful they will say it to your face—though they have zero constraints typing it out) "orangutan, gorilla, monkey, big-foot, wicked witch and angry black b***h" and more. If they can openly mock the first lady's derričre (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/136060223.html), what do they think of your curves or full figure?
I have seen these words and worse, over and over again. I refuse to link to direct quotes, not wanting to make anyone of sound mind have to visit the hate-filled websites that have proliferated since the first day Barack Obama and his wife Michelle stepped onto the national stage, but here is one link to Google Images that will illustrate exactly what I'm distressed about.
I warn you not to do more than scroll the images. Visiting most of the websites that house them will set off alarms on your virus protection. But do look. I refuse to post any of them here.
Try this—"Moochelle (https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=769&q=moochelle&oq=Mooshelle&gs_l=img.1.0.0i10i24j0i24.3375.10198.0.12730.9.9.0 .0.0.0.168.792.7j2.9.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..0.9.79 2.5X0reJEtTX4)"—the ugly name they have adopted from Limpbloat.
No other first lady in our recent history has been so distorted and reviled.
And yes—it's because she's black.
The one thing that will counteract the tsunami of hate is the power and grace of Michelle Obama herself. Her love, her commitment to young people, and her hugs.
The bigots know it, which is why the vituperation has intensified. She is winning the hearts and minds of young girls. She is a role model. And that scares the shit out of racists. It's catching! She's not only a role model for young black girls ... she's affecting the white ones too ... oh my!!!
I don't normally do photo diaries. Not to sound trite, but sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand keystrokes.
These images will illustrate my story.
There is nothing more beautiful to me than to see the light that shines in the eyes of little girls when they get to meet and greet our FLOTUS.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49531/large/Sterling_farms_grocery.jpg?1379553332
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49538/large/vegetable_garden.jpg
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49531/large/Sterling_farms_grocery.jpg?1379553332
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49532/large/children%27s_hospital.jpg?1379553928
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49533/large/Double_Dutch.jpg?1379553938
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49536/large/soccer.jpg?1379553979
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49540/large/India.jpg?1379555000
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/22/1239835/-Michelle-Obama-hugs-and-haters
My point to follow ....
The right-wing racists in this country who still haven't recovered from the two-time installation of a black family in the White House have dredged up yet another reason to hate on the first lady. This last week it was about water. When I read about the manufactured controversy at Wonkette (http://wonkette.com/528780/michelle-obama-wants-kids-to-drink-up-conservatives-now-hate-water), I thought it was a joke. Rush-bloat got into the act (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/17/1239541/-Limbaugh-Comes-Out-Against-Drinking-Water), with his par-for-the-course bigot act, and so it went ... on and on ad nauseum, from one right-wing website to another. The FLOTUS has, as part of her goal to improve our children's health, simply suggested that they—gasp—drink more water.
The comments sections to the stories on those sites were predictably slime-filled. Usually, I can just brush the crud off of my psyche, shrug my shoulders and wonder who are these people who seem to spend an extraordinary amount of time on the internet inventing new ways to degrade and demean the FLOTUS?
The problem is that they are people, who own computers, who though faceless and sometimes anonymous, live real lives in my country. And though I may be able to withstand the filth and accept that my world is still full of too many hateful folks, I began to wonder what effect of all of this has on the Obama daughters. They have computers. They probably read news stories about their mom. Their friends and schoolmates do too. I then started thinking about my young cousins, and my friend's daughters, and all the young women and girls in this country, especially the ones who are black and brown and/or "othered" who see our FLOTUS as a role model. What do they make of all this?
So much of our recent discourse has been focused on Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, stop and frisk, and all the young black and brown men who have been vilified as "thugs," and who according to the supporters of George Zimmerman and his ilk, deserve to die or be locked away for life ... we forget perhaps to question what this does to our young women and girls?
We already know—from all the available body of social science research (http://www.abpsi.org/pdf/Dark_Girls_ABPsi_ARTICLE_FINAL_JUNE_23_2013_Dr%20G rills.htm)—that young women of color, particularly young black women, are bowed down under the burden of not meeting normative standards of beauty (http://www.beautyredefined.net/beauty-whitewashed-how-white-ideals-exclude-women-of-color/). Many young women of color now suffer eating disorders (http://ealert.mysistahs.org/health/bodyimage/eatingdisorders.htm) as a result. The racist frenzy (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/16/1239347/-The-Need-to-Promote-Whiteness-in-America-Really-America-Again) that took place over the selection of an Indian American (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/16/1239169/-Seriously-White-America-get-over-your-racism) as Miss America certainly illustrated clearly that no matter if you are not black, and you get to be a beauty pageant queen, you are still not okay. Not American (read white). Even if you are America's first lady, it will never be enough. Forget the college degrees, the competence, the intellect, the class, the style, the fame ... you will be tarred with the same "you are not good enough" brush.
You will be the words they use to describe Michelle Obama. Angry, ugly, vicious words. They will look at you and be thinking (doubtful they will say it to your face—though they have zero constraints typing it out) "orangutan, gorilla, monkey, big-foot, wicked witch and angry black b***h" and more. If they can openly mock the first lady's derričre (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/136060223.html), what do they think of your curves or full figure?
I have seen these words and worse, over and over again. I refuse to link to direct quotes, not wanting to make anyone of sound mind have to visit the hate-filled websites that have proliferated since the first day Barack Obama and his wife Michelle stepped onto the national stage, but here is one link to Google Images that will illustrate exactly what I'm distressed about.
I warn you not to do more than scroll the images. Visiting most of the websites that house them will set off alarms on your virus protection. But do look. I refuse to post any of them here.
Try this—"Moochelle (https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=769&q=moochelle&oq=Mooshelle&gs_l=img.1.0.0i10i24j0i24.3375.10198.0.12730.9.9.0 .0.0.0.168.792.7j2.9.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..0.9.79 2.5X0reJEtTX4)"—the ugly name they have adopted from Limpbloat.
No other first lady in our recent history has been so distorted and reviled.
And yes—it's because she's black.
The one thing that will counteract the tsunami of hate is the power and grace of Michelle Obama herself. Her love, her commitment to young people, and her hugs.
The bigots know it, which is why the vituperation has intensified. She is winning the hearts and minds of young girls. She is a role model. And that scares the shit out of racists. It's catching! She's not only a role model for young black girls ... she's affecting the white ones too ... oh my!!!
I don't normally do photo diaries. Not to sound trite, but sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand keystrokes.
These images will illustrate my story.
There is nothing more beautiful to me than to see the light that shines in the eyes of little girls when they get to meet and greet our FLOTUS.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49531/large/Sterling_farms_grocery.jpg?1379553332
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49538/large/vegetable_garden.jpg
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49531/large/Sterling_farms_grocery.jpg?1379553332
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49532/large/children%27s_hospital.jpg?1379553928
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49533/large/Double_Dutch.jpg?1379553938
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49536/large/soccer.jpg?1379553979
http://s3.amazonaws.com/dk-production/images/49540/large/India.jpg?1379555000
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/22/1239835/-Michelle-Obama-hugs-and-haters
My point to follow ....