What Michelle Can Teach Us

Which Jerry Springer have you been watching? From what I reacall, Jerry Springer had toothless trash people whom barely have any clothe on. Hmm. I am Asian and whenever I see Michelle Obama, I am stunned by her beauty and grace. She's somebody whom I definitely picture as First Lady. Inspirational, intelligent, well spoken, achieved, fair, kind hearted and confident. I voted for Barak but Michelle is the one who really helped her husband to earn my vote.

Dear Floridave anf efo51550:

As an African-American woman, I see you both are lacking understanding of the important issues, of which I do not have time to elabrate on at this moment. However, it should be noted that Michelle Obama is an Attorney with an Ivy-league education and a Black woman who is able to run circles around the ignorance you both share.

On the cornrows an afro puffs WHO CARES!!!!!!!

I am saddened by some of the comments expressing such hatred. It's very easy to criticize and pull down, which accomplishes nothing. Being positive and working toward for a brighter future is much more difficult That's a choice we all make daily to build each other up or to tear down.
As for Michelle, I think she's a strong woman who will make a wonderful first lady. May God bless her and her family.

I was just telling my husband that not only has Barack become a role model, but so has Michelle. She has definitely set the bar for us to try to reach. She is a highly educated mother, sister and daughter. But what stands out most to me is her role as wife. When you see her and Barack together, you can just feel the love and respect generating from them. It gives me encouragement to "stand by my man". To be his "rock" and "love of his life".

She is showing us that you can be all those things with grace and dignity. But not backing down for what she believes in.

Michelle Obama. My new role model. And I love her name, too. :-)

I''m not an African American either but I am a woman and a wife and a mother. Michelle has made it quite clear that her first priority everyday is her family. THAT is what I'm looking for in a First Lady. I know she can and will do wonderful and important work during her time at the White House but she'll do so the way so many of us do...while juggling being a wife and mother first. I am in awe of the poise she has shown thus far and am happy that my daughter will have the experience of having such a great lady to look up to.

Though I'm NOT an African American woman, I think Michelle Obama is a wonderful role model. God Bless and keep the Obama's.

I'm not an African American, but I can't imagine a finer example of an educated professional, devoted to her family. God Bless and keep you Michelle!

I hope she injects her "ethnicity" into her platform as first lady. I hope she goes all Eleanor on the country and shines a big bright light on the inequality and suffering that has been growing in the shadow of the rich since Reagan. Its about time! - White lady from a seven sister school.

Very Well Written...thank you!

As a white, lib female, I have enormous respect for Michelle (what I've seen so far), and hope she will just be herself. I will have her back when she is inevitably criticized by the by the usual suspects, and I won't be alone. The progressive blogosphere is enamored with Michelle and we'll raise holy hell when need be. Michelle won't feel alone.

i am delirious that Michelle is "all black". Had she also been mixed - there kids would be relegated (I said it right) to less than black ethnicity. He woudl have ridden into the white house on his wife's and his own racailly mixed heritage. As it is, I ook forward to her leadership and will use her as the most shining alternative to all those others that make opresentiing white a right of passage for educated black women.
PL Gatton you don't need to defend your mixed relationship. The author never attacked nor made any evluative judgements about any who has decided to date outside their race. Obama just knew what he wanted in a woman and he found that in all black, all beautiful and all capable Michelle - who still presents herself as an educated black woman with a Harvard degree and can damn well hold her won inide and outside of Wahington D.C. And she certanly doen't need Town and Country to pick up any slack (cause there ain't non). Aint't shakin my head and waggin my finger. I am being definite. Town and Country didn't get her where she is and she certainly don't need their imput the rest of the way. .
DCCrooms

Personally, I have problems with either side, here. With both the author and the commentators. Firstly, you don't have to be black to be a strong woman, and i think that the 'advice' given to Michelle Obama from the journalist in Town & Country was valid! Whites have a majority in the US- interjecting ethnitcity from anyone during this election would have been fatal for the candidates based on resistance or fear alone. More importantly, Barack Obama, her husband, decided he did not want to have any sort of racial platforms in his campaigns. At least, not until Rev. Wright started getting out of hand with damning America and all that crazy mess. Also, since you know you don't have to be black to be a strong woman, your story seems to imply that maybe black men in interracial relationships are wrong for doing so? As one half of an interracial relationship I'd like to say, "I'm proud. And I didn't take anything from you. My boyfriend didn't do anything wrong, and definitely does not betray his race by being with me. Dont be as closed-minded as some of the commentators here. Go out and date a White guy."

And lastly, but definitely not the least of my worries- You people who are here to censure and demote any kind of person, be them white, black, male, female, rich, poor etc, you are an Embarassment to Our Country. So I pray that you didn't vote this election. If you did, you have done a major injustice to your candidate. Floridave, I'm kinda worried about your thought process... You showed a Newsweek article to illiterate people? If you're looking to help anyone, try helping yourself, first. All you did here was embarass yourself.

This is directed to Floridave:
Yes, your comment did help; it showed me and the other readers the type of company you keep. Maybe you would be a happier person if you socialized with women that are not in prison.

I had several women read this article, I will post each of their comments separately below is the fifth:

That???s just stereotyping that shows they really can???t not put a finger on. The truth be told. This journalist has no idea what type of woman Michelle is. She can only go by what she has seen in passing of certain black women. I know and see that Michelle will be herself because she is proud of whom she is and that if an issue arises that she needs to speak on there would be no ghetto moment to prove her blackness, she only has to state her opinion on her point in any issue. She is a woman of class and etiquette, that she knows when to let it go, hold it, or fold it, or speak on it. It comes naturally.

I had several women read this article, I will post each of their comments separately below is the fourth:

It seems they are still trying to put all black women in the same category. I got the sense that the writer was saying that eventually the real "black woman" Michelle will come out sooner or later because how long can she keep up this facade? This statement " 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" leads me to believe they just don't believe a black woman can behave in public and become a public figure. I don't agree with the word parochial at all? I do not believe her out look on life is limited or narrow, however, we will get a chance to remind everyone that this country was created on the backs of Africans (later know as African-Americans) and without us the world they know today would never exist.

I had several women read this article, I will post each of their comments separately below is the third:

That was a very good article in my opinion.

The journalist is correct, there isn't a lot of positive "African American Female Role Models" shown in the media or anywhere else for that matter; other then your topical Entertainers, Athletes, Actresses and Talk Show Host .

When a African American receives a Grammy, think about the roles that they must play to be appreciated as a talented actor or actress.

This will be the first time ever that "All walks of life in main stream" will get to observe the behavior of a African American woman that's married to a African American Man in the highest position in America .

Sure we're familiar with woman of her caliber but we also have more friends that's not.

Other then Girlfriends, Grey's Anatomy, My wife and kids and Everybody Hates Chris est.

If you didn't have cable that's it. All other Races judge us solely by their day to day interactions with us in the work place, the News, Music Videos and Documentary's.

I'm not saying that she should hide her BlackNess, just use it in a graceful way while maintaining her ethnicity.

I'm proud to say that Michelle will be the role model for other races to judge us against.

What better representative to have, giving a first impression for the world to see then being the "First African American Lady of the white house of America! "

This isn't a black thing, Michelle has to represent America now and appeal to all races, not just Black Woman. It goes without saying that she is representing all black woman first.