Detroit Free Press Columnist Rochelle Riley: “Where’s the Respect Our First Lady Deserves?”

Detroit Free Press Columnist Rochelle Riley: "Where's the Respect Our First Lady Deserves?" (Wikipedia)

Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley asks in her latest column, “where’s the respect for First Lady Michelle Obama?” She said it’s time to deal with this notion of an angry black woman and enough is enough. Speak it sista! President Obama and his wife have been denigrated by elements on the right for no other reason but because they are black. But there were other criticisms that were legitimate, on President Obama’s side and not his wife. I can’t say that Michelle Obama is being treated any worse than Nancy Reagan or Hillary Clinton, who were too very strong-willed and independent women. It hits a nerve with Michelle Obama because she is black and we are all protective of our first black president and his wife. But the reality is some people just can’t stand a strong woman and a strong black woman is an even bigger threat. But I digress. Let me get back to Rochelle Riley’s column. Actually, here’s an excerpt:

And the juvenile attacks on the first lady go too far. Here’s the real truth: No one trying to portray Michelle Obama as an angry black woman has probably ever seen one.

I’m talking the kind of anger that comes from having to be the soul of your family because America is used to trampling on your husband’s.

I’m talking the kind of anger that comes from lowered expectations for your children, which makes them have to work twice as hard.

I’m talking about a glass ceiling that impairs all women, but drops to the right so that black women hit it first.

I’m talking the kind of anger that comes from seeing racism — true, 1950s-style racism — play itself out in Washington and America in the 21st Century and you, as was done millions of times during this country’s Jim Crow era — smile stoically and rise above it. Source: Detroit Free Press

I guess I can’t really top that, other than saying, damn, Rochelle Riley is coming off as that “angry black woman” she’s saying she has had enough of hearing about. There will always be books written about presidents and their wives. Just ask Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush. Barbara Bush was mocked repeatedly for looking like a frumpy mess with a string of pearls around her neck. There were many, many hurtful things said about each of these women’s husbands and even about these first ladies. So, while I find some of the treatment towards the Obamas deplorable, I won’t go as far as to write a screed about why Michelle Obama has been wronged. The reality is that it comes with the territory. An Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at former president George Bush. That was the ultimate sign of disrespect, but you didn’t hear the president or his wife complaining about it in public. Michelle Obama is a strong woman and she can take care of herself. Yes, she deserves a lot of respect, but there will always be haters on the prowl to muck things up.