Minorities At Risk For Drowning
Obama Honors Fallen Troops
For some reason, Michelle Obama's recent trip to Shake Shack warranted a story in the Washington Post, and a poll about whether or not the First Lady, an advocate for healthy eating, was a hypocrite.
Ta-Nehisi Coates at the Atlantic called it "the dumbest story ever written in all of human history." But Salon's Alex Pareene sees something darker both in the choice to run the story and the reaction it received in the right-wing blogosphere.
"The Post probably just ran the stupid story to begin with because they know Obama's anti-childhood obesity campaign is catnip for the right wing," he writes. "Matt Drudge is obsessed with Michelle Obama and his weird fantasy idea of her as a threatening, angry, anti-white black woman (who is also a liberal nanny-state tyrant). "
Added Pareene, "the tone of the Michelle Obama coverage, and the commentary it generates, is pretty unmistakably racially tinged. (In addition, obviously, to being usually blatantly sexist.)"
Presidential wives have come in for criticism when they waded (or were thought to have waded) too far into shaping policy. (Think Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton.) Laura Bush focused on childhood literacy, which is pretty innocuous and the kind of pet cause that's hard to politicize. Who's for illiteracy, anyway?
One might think that fighting childhood obesity would be the same kind of cause. Apparently it isn't.
One might think that fighting childhood obesity would be the same kind of cause. Apparently it isn't.
Comments: (88)
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By: Gail on 7/13/2011 3:51PM
These people are ridiculous. She can eat a burger if she wants to. She's not fat and a burger is not fattening unless you put a bunch of stuff on it.
This is racially tinged and I'm so sick of it. I guess my President and his wife are use to it and knew that they would have to deal with racism and jealousy during the course of his presidency.
How petty is this article!!!!!!!!
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By: LARRY on 7/13/2011 6:20PM
Is this Gail King?!!!
IF SO YOU BUTT AND GUTT LOOK LIKE THEY RETAIN A COUPLE TONS OF BURGER.
That's right it is the lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard that makes you fat, not the burger or thee bunn!
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By: Downeaster on 7/16/2011 7:50PM
Who cares if she ate a Burger.
But the said part is what you wrote.
Why is it if anyone says anything Negative about the President and his family, the first thing out of your type of People is it all about Racism.
If it was Bush or Clinton no one would say boo. It is Time to Drop the PC crap, if your feelings get hurt suck it up and move on. We all need to remember to respect one another no matter your Color, Age Sex and what ever. Just please stop crying Racism every time some does not agree with your President.
This is racially tinged and I'm so sick of it. I guess my President and his wife are use to it and knew that they would have to deal with racism and jealousy during the course of his presidency.
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By: mike on 7/20/2011 3:15PM
how is this article about her racist? so quick to pull the race card he has been a horrible president that cant stop spending nothing to do with his color... moron
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By: girlking on 7/13/2011 4:10PM
It just shows how well poeple DON'T listen. She NEVER said do eat sweets or burgers. She said herself that she eats what she wants. What she did say was "get moving", eat sweets etc. in moderation. Like I said, it goes to show who well people DON'T listen. And because those on the very far right are banking on people not listening, they can and will print whatever they want and know that their base will believe it.
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By: mshollywood on 7/13/2011 4:52PM
these people are so busy trying to convince themselves that we as black people are ignorant that they can't see their own ignorance but when you think you are above everybody else what else can we expect...just let them have their say it only shows how jealous they are..yeah she can eat a burger and anything else and still look better than any other first lady that's ever been in the white houst!!!!!!!!!!!!
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By: FZ on 7/14/2011 3:30PM
Get over it. The only time race is ever raised as a defense is when there is no defense of the action to begin with - and this goes for all colors, not just blacks. This is a classic case of "do as I say, not as I do," plain and simple. Nobody cares what color you are - only if you have integrity.
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By: blahblahblah on 7/17/2011 8:11PM
Ignorance is making statements like yours, insinuating that there's no such thing a right-wing black person. Gee, that's not racially tinged at all.
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By: Morgan Snyder on 7/17/2011 9:53PM
First off, it is White House not White Houst...second Jackie Kennedy was a beautiful, thin, and well dressed first lady. I am not jealous of this Presidency at all and she can eat what she wants, but don't push a concept your not going to follow.
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By: Euallia on 7/19/2011 3:33PM
Yup! I agree you're smarter than most - in the "white houst".
Quit taking everything so hard and EXPECTING racist comments....there's white trash, yellow trasn and black trash. There are also very bright black, white and yellow PEOPLE!
Should anyone not feel good about themselves, they blame everyone else BUT themselves. It's not always everyone else!
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