First lady Michelle Obama is challenging assertions she’s forcefully imposed her will on White House aides, saying she’s tired of people portraying her as “some kind of angry black woman.”
Mrs. Obama tells CBS News she hasn’t read New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor’s new book that characterizes her as a behind-the-scenes force in the Executive Mansion, whose strong views often draw her into conflict with President Barack Obama’s top advisers.
If she doesn’t want to be stereotyped as a “angry black woman”, than she needs to stop acting like one. Seems pretty simple to me. This book just reinforces what all of us non Obamabots have thought since the campaign.
Maybe it more to do with her use of phrases like “for the first time in my life I’m happy to be an American.” Maybe it is a result of past colleages and classmates stating that race seems to be an issue that always comes up with her. Maybe it is those same people said she was not easy to get along with and when it was brought to her attention, race was thrown in their faces. Maybe she also reminds some of us who had so-called strong black women as teachers who harbored racist views themselves and viewed their positions as teachers to be equalizers. My worst grades in high school were all under “strong but angry black women”. Some of my best were under “strong but happy black woment”. These “strong but angry black women” always had time to help black students and even white female students, but a white male? Forget about it. Maybe that is why the stereotype exists and thrives. Condoleeza Rice is a strong black woman yet this stereotype never applied. Maybe there is a reason for that.
I didn’t read the book, I read the article about here complaining about the mischaracterization. So why does it matter. If the book was taken out of context, it would then not reinforce previously held beliefs. But she is the one complaining, I’m just of the opinion regardless of what you think about yourself, if people think you are just an angry black women as previous peers stated, you probably are. I might also add the angry black woman characterization is consistent with a somebody who would attend Jeremiah Wrights racist church for 20 years. If Obama says he didn’t share those racist views, and we believe him, does that not support that maybe his wife does? Which is it?
Little things keep coming out that don't help her case. This is from the last couple days:
WASHINGTON-- When Michelle Obama worked in Mayor Daley’s City Hall in the early 1990s, she was “distressed” by how a small group of “white Irish Catholic” families – the Daleys, the Hynes and the Madigans – “locked up” power in Illinois.
Are you confusing “angry black women” with angry people?
Where did the angry black woman stereotype come from? Was it OK to be an angry black woman? Maybe… sometimes… assuming that you didn’t get angry when raped or sold. in fact, Hollywood glorified that type of stereotype. What about if you were an angry black man? Under slavery: chains, whips, gelding, worked to death. Post slavery: chain gangs, KKK, prison, worked to death.
The only black man that was considered “safe” was the old, white haired black man. Angry black women were kind of cute, in a “You come on now and eat your apple pie, Miss Charlotte!” kind of way.
How can one race systematically subjugate an entire race, using legislation, religion, the law, moral outrage, scientific theory, and on and on and on for hundreds of years, and expect them to wake up one day and say, “Hey, thanks for the chance to participate finally. I have absolutely no hard feelings, and I totally trust you now.”
I didn’t read the book, I read the article about here complaining about the mischaracterization. So why does it matter.
I’m just of the opinion that you should read a book and form your own opinion instead of basing it on the opinion of a few people who wrote an article.
I might also add the angry black woman characterization is consistent with a somebody who would attend Jeremiah Wrights racist church for 20 years.
So every man or woman who attended this church is angry? That doesn’t sound right.
If Obama says he didn’t share those racist views, and we believe him, does that not support that maybe his wife does?
No, it means he didn’t share those racist views. He wasn’t speaking about his wife.
So your one of them? I see. All your sorry statement suggest to me is that the Republican Party (which I’m not a part of) is not as accepting of the Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson race pimp crowd. Maybe he has less to do with being a Republican than the fact that she doesn’t view herself as a victim. If drive and determination based on merit and not being a victim makes or attracts people to the Republican party than so be it.
I can play this game to. Maxine Waters and Corinne Brown are both racist angry black women and guess what they are both Democrats.
Are you confusing “angry black women” with angry people?
no, there's an "angry black woman" thing that is not shared by black guys. Picture the black woman screaming at her man, head going back and forth, all that stuff that has become a staple for comedy. It is funny because of the basis in truth. There are also several real world results; lots of black women that are pissed at black men because, "as soon as a black man gets successful, he gets a white woman", (remember some of the shit that black women said about Nicole Simpson after she was killed?). I've also known black guys that admitted/complained about how much black women argue and fight. Not sure why all this is, and in general I think Black women are some of the stronger among us, as they've had to be, but maybe this strength makes it harder for them in some ways.
I didn’t read the book, I read the article about here complaining about the mischaracterization. So why does it matter. If the book was taken out of context, it would then not reinforce previously held beliefs. But she is the one complaining, I’m just of the opinion regardless of what you think about yourself, if people think you are just an angry black women as previous peers stated, you probably are. I might also add the angry black woman characterization is consistent with a somebody who would attend Jeremiah Wrights racist church for 20 years. If Obama says he didn’t share those racist views, and we believe him, does that not support that maybe his wife does? Which is it?
Seriously, surrounded by hate and vitriol for 20 years will make anyone a crusty bitch–black, white, red, green, or otherwise.