Comments regarding Michelle Obama AIBU to feel like this is a bad dream...?

[Destinysdaughter]

"A West Virginia county worker was fired after penning a racist Facebook post calling first lady Michelle Obama an “ape in heels”.

“It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels,” posted Clay County Development Corporation’s then director Pamela Ramsey Taylor to Facebook following Donald Trump’s presidential win last week.

Underneath Taylor’s post, Clay’s mayor, Beverly Whaling, voiced her approval: “Just made my day Pam.”

The racist post, now deleted from Facebook, caused an uproar, with thousands of horrified voters calling on the local mayor to be fired.

Ramsey, a well-known figure in town, was fired from her role as head of the government-funded non-profit organization." ( The Guardian ).

So, my AIBU is am I unreasonable to feel both in shock and despairing that it's ok for a respected woman to say this publically and for another influential woman to agree with this? And this isn't a private conversation in a cafe, it's the fact that they feel so confident in their views to express them in a public forum! I feel embarrassed and ashamed for them. But also really fucking angry. How dare they talk about an intelligent articulate professional woman this way, just because she's black...?

They haven't just insulted Michelle obama. She might not even care, but there will be someone, somewhere reading this and feeling shit about themselves. Racism does not just affect the one person you are insulting, but every person of that race who comes across the message.

Exactly. And people coming back with 'Michelle Obama is so wonderful and elegant' are right, of course. But also possibly counterproductive. Because this insult was about race, not about Michelle Obama. It doesn't matter if you are normal looking and acting, or as beautiful as she is, you shouldn't be insulted based on repulsive racism.

(Although, now I have read Jon Ronson's 'So You've Been Publicly Shamed' I feel a teeny bit sorry for dumb ordinary types like these women who end up completely obliterated and shamed on social media.)

Hmmm. Well sometimes I do, depends on their 'crime' and whether they are young and silly and the public drubbing they face becomes disproportionate to the the thing they did.

In this case, I have no problem with seeing these vile people taken down and made an example of.

She might not even care

Oh I think she will. She is human after all. And black.

But yes, I agree it is about so much more than just MO.

Mike Pence's views on may put the comment into republican context.
He is willing to recognise evolution as a theory but believes that humans were created divinely. Is mid american thought really that white people are divine and black people evolved from apes, were they taught this at school?
I find this concept truly nauseating.

Op but you really need to get a grip this has been happening since Obama was elected

My in laws own a home in Florida and they hung a picture of the White House with dollar sighn with hip hop type girls outside the White House very depressing

I also belive one news papper referred to Michelle as obamas baby mamma I don't think Barbra bush would have been called that and any one who thinks this vile racism is to do with true they clearly don't know any Americans and have never been to the stAtes

The rasicim is much more upfront than here any one seen the YouTube video killing black men well before trump

I have to admit that I wasn't even shocked .
Successful black people always say that they have to be better than their white counterparts in order to succeed.
As others have said, Michelle Obama has all those qualities described plus more.
She is a role model to all women as far as i am concerned, including my 12 year old white dd
She will be greatly missed.
I actually feel sorry for Melania because it will be difficult to live up to Michelle Obama.

There was a article the other day about a man who was dying on a plane this is in the us

A black doctor jumped up and said I can help they asked her if she was sure she was a surgeon and if she could show her credentials and told her thanks but no thanks they opted instead for the help of a white medical technician on the flight

This is not news or shocking if your black in the US it's news here beacuse our racial issues are more subtle and covert

These women give scum a bad name. Michelle Obama is a wonderful woman - intelligent, compassionate, classy, elegant. The absolute opposite of these wastes-of-oxygen. I just utterly despair.

Happily this sort of comment would only be made by a minority. But as a black woman it is incredibly sad to know that a woman I feel has worked extremely hard to dispel stereotypes still will get stupid comments such as these directed at her. There aren't many people in the spotlight today who haven't been associated with some form of scandal. She's done very well.

Michelle and her daughters have done a great thing for black women everywhere. I personally am so happy to see more examples of 'normal' (read that as no-drama, overly opinionated, positive goal orientated, non sexualised, etc) black women on TV lately.

Melenia could well turn out to be President Trump's anti-venom. Let's hope so.

Sorry, meant 'not overly opinionated'*

Maybe now it is the time we really confronted prejudice and racism

I think because Obama has been elected president of the US twice and we have prominent black and asian politicians we have lulled ourselves into believing it's not such a serious issue anymore

It is time to really tackle racism and prejudice. and ask questions of how it can be over come what drives people to blame others or feel their are superior (we know who fuels in media and politicians) and the most difficult is accepting it is part of our society and there isn't one answer.

And we also have to look at our own prejudices (not suggesting anyone has such horrible views as these two women) not easy we all like to think we don't have any but from stereotyping in what might seem a positive way to the most disgusting views add to the issue

What I really fear is that apart from losing their jobs they won't suffer much in the way of ostracism and shaming from others in their community. Parts of the US are extraordinarily backward, unfortunately. I don't know how victims of this kind of race hate can stand it, it must grind them down.

Looking at those pictures of the best of the Obama years on Facebook has actually made me well up a bit. The thought of what the world is losing ... and what is coming in their place . Horrendous.

Thefishewife I think this is a really important point. This sort of disgusting racist abuse is not new in the states.

Mission said earlier

It's horrible. The far right and the nasty racist/sexist/homophobic fringe feel vindicated by recent political shifts. Its given them the impression that their views aren't just ok and tolerated but acceptable and mainstream. Makes me feel sick

I think this is very true and it is important to be clear that this type of racism comes from a minority and is unacceptable to the vast majority of Trump voters (and leave voters since Brexit has been brought up a few times on this thread). One of the ways to fight racism is to be clear that it is not acceptable to the majority or mainstream. Racism will not be defeated by fighting between factions of the anti-racist majority. I understand that people lash out when they are angry but to characterise people who say "don't fight hate with hate" as worse than this sort of despicable racism is really unhelpful.

This sort of vile racism is fought by demonstrating that is an unacceptable, extreme and minority view.

Nauseating views from vile people.
The important thing is to stamp on them each and every time to prevent them being normalised.

I agree bibbity and it's not even necessarily about the politics, it's just about the people. Whatever side you lean towards, you need to have something statesman-like about you, you need to inspire confidence and know that it's not always about what you think, but how you say it.

Trump will barely be able to open his gob without his aides tensing up and checking he knows his script and doesn't inadvertently cause WW3 just by blurting out something crass and stupid. And Melania just looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights. As First Lady I am sure she'll make a great Miss World.

It will be a very interesting few years and I am glad I am observing from a distance. I was with an American friend yesterday and she is absolutely crushed. She's grieving.

Michelle Obama is tall, slim and beautiful. She is also very stylish, married to a very attractive man and clever.
The woman who made the comment is fat and ugly and porcine. The one who agreed with her - unbelievably a "mayor" lol - is clearly a dense racist too with little to offer the world.
I think we know who the winner is here.

It's horrifying

Trump's latest wife does not appear - at least on the surface - to possess any of Michelle's attributes.

And yes, Trump being in that position is actually unbelievable. Can we please wake up now?

"My in laws own a home in Florida and they hung a picture of the White House with dollar sighn with hip hop type girls outside the White House very depressing"

Am I reading this correctly? Your in-laws did this?

It's disgusting but I can't say I'm surprised sadly.
My husband is half Iranian, has an Iranian surname and so does our son. Throughout his life he has had people taking the piss out of his name and has been called a 'paki' on occasion. I fear it's only going to get worse.
I'm terribly worried for our baby son. When I was pregnant I was saying to my husband something along the lines of that our son could do or be anything he wanted and has such a bright future ahead of him then I remembered that his surname would hold him back in some circles

"Pfft. I definitely want to meet that hate with some hate of my own. I actually cried a very angry tear of frustration when I read it.

I wanted to meet their hate with my friend, the hammer and pan their fucking racist cunty heads in"

Christ on a bike- you genuinely need psychological help. 2 people you've never met express an opinion you don't agree with (no matter how abhorrent) and that's you're response?

Terribly crude and reveals a depth of racism. MO is beautiful and elegant.

Christ on a bike- you genuinely need psychological help. 2 people you've never met express an opinion you don't agree with (no matter how abhorrent) and that's you're response? At least they can actually voice their opinion on what they would do to a racist. A lot of people feel the same but only helpless and hopeless because it's something that is not going a way. Something that eats up at them every day.
This one might be extreme, but a lot of people are met with racism on daily basis and choose to walk away from it because you cannot voice. Why would you want to play the race card? Racism doesn't exist or isn't not as bad. Your not being hanged and burnt on a tree. Those where the days. You can't possibly harbour any form of anger towards racist.

Your comment is actually shameful. Am glad you can put up with constant abuse and not think of worse things you could do to that person to make it end.
I don't think you would say that to a woman or person in an abusive relationship with no where to turn, ever! In their life time. No, we wouldn't approve of breaking the law but we if anyone did that I could understand.

It's like standing on the sideline while watching a woman being beaten up and abused and there is nothing you can do to help. They know you are watching and not condoning the act but the kicks and punches continue. They still constantly feel the pain and expect to continue. They try everything in their power to make it stop but it still goes on.

This is not about a political party, religion, school that you can change and move on from if you wanted to.

On a serious note, you wouldn't know what the poster experience has been. They probably do need psychological help from those constant abuse and it could have easily come from a tv show they are watching. Yah! It's not real life, right ?

Mynestisfullofempty Wed 16-Nov-16 11:35:00
"My in laws own a home in Florida and they hung a picture of the White House with dollar sighn with hip hop type girls outside the White House very depressing"

Am I reading this correctly? Your in-laws did this?

Sorry the People next door to my in laws 😳