Michelle Obama spoke TRUTH.

[Bluerthanblue]

She spoke about her own feelings- She spoke authentically and honestly.

Those who are so bothered by her words may want to ask themselves if it is really what she said that troubles them,
or the truth that lies behind those words.

She didn't say she hated America. She didn't say America was a terrible country.

She said she was experiencing a feeling unlike any other in her ADULT LIFE.

Is this something she should be unable to voice??

What kind of FREE country would demand that its citizens either lie or be silent for fear of what others will do to them?



Pride is not allegiance or devotion or trust- PRIDE is not affection. It is not LOVE.






PROUD is not something I feel when I'm reminded of the history behind these images of some of our country's past:


































































http://vwt.d2g.com:8081/illegal%20immigrant%20sign.jpg















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































http://www.ngbiwm.com/Exhibits/Lynching%20in%20the%20United%20States%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia_files/300px-Lynching-of-lige-daniels.jpg

















































































































I hope people don't silence Michelle- I hope we can talk honestly about our country, the good AND the not so good. Denial doesn't serve anyone- If we want our country to be a country where people feel justifiably "proud"- we have to work together to see that it a country where we all matter.



peace~

peace~

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. She Didn't Speak The Truth. She Misspoke The Truth. She Made An Error In Judgment. Hopefully She

learns from it, for the benefit of us all.

[Bluerthanblue]

6. No, OMC on this one you are wrong- totally wrong-

She spoke about HER FEELINGS.

The fact is, Feelings ARE.

They are neither "right" or "wrong".

They simply ARE.

She spoke about what she FELT- she is the only one qualified to speak that.

You aren't- I'm not- I can't tell you what you feel- And if you voice what you feel, I might tell you that you are wrong, but that wouldn't be true.


Please be sure that you are not confusing your fear of what others will 'think' or 'say' or 'do' as they respond to her feelings - with the legitimacy of what SHE has and is experiencing.


I cannot fault her for speaking the truth. If some Americans can't handle it, that is up to them.

What would TRULY "benefit us all" as you say, would be for us to commit to make this a country where we all can feel "pride"- more often. Talking about our problems, is the first step towards resolving them.

:hi:
peace~

[TwilightGardener]

2. Um, she just meant politics and people voting and getting involved--

she clarified that she is, indeed "absolutely" proud of her country.

[Skip Intro]

4. She meant it before she didn't say it...or something like that...

It doesn't matter what we here on DU think about it, in the context in the race for president, she has given the other side valuable material. And they will use it, you see that already.

Clarifications are a sign of not getting it right the first time. And not something Dems need to be doing as November approaches.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Only Hillary fans seem concerned here. I guess you've got to make hay while the sun shines, eh?

[Skip Intro]

9. I'm not concerned. I know what's coming. Seen it with Cleland and Kerry and other heroic patriots

slimed by the repuke machine.

You wanna walk into that fight with a teddy bear rather than a lion - well, that may be what we're looking at. If so, get back to me mid-October, after the blood-letting.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Who said anything about "teddy bears"? Nothing about Obama seems weak--

he seems to be doing fine. Your "concern", and that of other Hillary supporters, seems to lie more with beating the "Michelle screwed up" drum for Hillary's advantage, than with Obama's ability to fight back and deal with the mud.

[Skip Intro]

17. In the context of this race, she handed the repukes a weapon to use against her,Obama, and the party

It is a rediculous position to be in - trying to convince people that she, a possible future First Lady, has indeed been proud of her country, regardless of the fact that she said the opposite a few days earlier.

To think something like this won't do us harm in the GE is fantasy. Will the repukes bring it back up on down the line?

[TwilightGardener]

20. Her remark was a misstep, but taken out of context, blown out of proportion, and

later clarified and corrected. Shit happens. Blacks still haven't forgiven the Clintons for their remarks in NH and SC, and it's cost them a lot of support. I wouldn't say they're much better at this game of avoiding gaffes, frankly. And I seem to remember Hillary's "Tammy Wynette" comment more than most Hillary supporters do--it happens, and the candidate fights back, and we all move on. It isn't the first slip-up, it won't be the last.

[Bluerthanblue]

30. let the "repukes" do whatever the hell they want to do- but only YOU

can control what you do-

And when you pick up their "meme"- their dull, ineffectual knife, and start stabbing Michelle with it yourself, then YOU are the one doing the damage.

Geez, you just cannot understand that you only control yourself, and if you are going to 'jump' when "they" say "jump" or because YOU THINK or fear they will - then you aren't even in control of yourself.

:shrug:

You are making this a 'weapon' with your words, and your statements that say she said anything 'wrong'.


peace~

[Bluerthanblue]

31. let the "repukes" do whatever the hell they want to do- but only YOU

can control what you do-

And when you pick up their "meme"- their dull, ineffectual knife, and start stabbing Michelle with it yourself, then YOU are the one doing the damage.

Geez, you just cannot understand that you only control yourself, and if you are going to 'jump' when "they" say "jump" or because YOU THINK or fear they will - then you aren't even in control of yourself.

:shrug:

You are making this a 'weapon' with your words, and your statements that say she said anything 'wrong'.


peace~

[Bluerthanblue]

21. so, you are just going to bend over and take it?

sorry, nothing ever changes by allowing WRONG to go unaddressed.

NOTHING that she said was 'wrong' or 'offensive'.

That is a fact.

If she is slimed- and is flamed by 'democrats' for fear of "what they will do" then we deserve to lose.

Because we have surrendered, and prolonging this crap is just enabling the inevitable.


peace~

[Skip Intro]

35. Beg to differ - I think it was highly offensive to a lot of people.

I was a little offended.


And you state that it wasn't offensive as a "fact."


The repukes will be saying, "is she not of the brave men and women who defend out contry?" "Is she not proud of the way the nation set aside it's differences and came together in the wake of 9*11?" "Is she not proud of this nation's technological and medical breakthroughs?" "Did she never once have reason to feel proud duing her entire adult life, of her nation?"

I'm not afraid of what they will do. I know what they're inclided to do. Fear has nothing to do with it. It is simply political reality.

[Bluerthanblue]

14. I disagree- it DOES matter what 'we' think- even here on DU because

we are America.

And if we jump on the media driven, 'america love it or leave it' hand-basket to hell cart, then we are doing our part in destroying this country.

We need to stand up against the false notion that anyone can honestly claim "I've never not been proud of my country".

THAT is what keeps America from fixing our problems. If we pretend they aren't there- if we ingnore them, they don't just "go away"- they grow and spread.

We have to have the courage to stop letting the fear of what others will "think/say/do" keep us from being honest. If we don't do this, than we live in a "dictatorship"- Only we are too afraid to admit that bondage even to ourselves.!

:shrug:

peace~

[superkia]

33. And if the American public makes a decision on who leads our...

childrens future by listening to mudslingers, we deserve to have a republican in office.

[paperbag_ princess]

3. unfortunately the truth is often irrelevant in politics

The goal is to win....and if you don't win....there will be even less to be proud of.

You can explain that you are right ....or you can sell yourself and your party and frame things the way the voter wants to hear. If you don't appeal to the average American voter, you lose.

This is what worries me about the Obama campaign.

The answer to her political gaffe is:

"How dare you question my patriotism. I love this country and all that it has given me with all my heart. I am proud of how this nation has led the world in the past...and I am proud of the positive changes my husband and his candidacy will make for the future. Where else in the world can the people make such a difference. We should all be proud"

This is not hard to figure out if you have paid attention the last 30 freakin years.

[knixphan]

7. I'm proud of Michelle!!

And I back her 100%

Imagine if that were LAURA BUSH spouting something ignorant and jingoistic....

Even right-wingers who think she 'misspoke' would put aside their stylistic differences and DEFEND their representative personality against attacks in the media.

Michelle has my support!

Go OBAMAS!

Texas, Ohio - let's do it!

[Catchawave]

8. She didn't speak for me or my veteran friends and

your photos have nothing to do with her gaffe, a serious gaffe...I will never forgive.

[TwilightGardener]

13. You didn't support Obama anyway. You're pretty funny. And my husband is an

active duty AF officer, and he couldn't care less. You are all trying to make something of this just to benefit your candidate.

[Catchawave]

16. I have no dog in the fight anymore....

Your husband is smart :)

[TwilightGardener]

18. He is smart. He can understand a statement taken out of context

and blown up into something it's not.

[Catchawave]

23. I hope he's not planning to make the military a career?

Michele is a Princeton/Harvard grad for crissakes, stop making excuses and hiding behind your husband. The quote was not taken out of context, she misspoke, and misspoke poorly.

The photos on this thread have nothing to do with her comment, or American Pride. It's cultish and disturbing to think WE are responsible for those tragedies, AND it would embarrass Michele see this thread attributed to her.

Stop peeing down my back and telling me it's raining.

[TwilightGardener]

26. WTF are you talking about? I attempted to correct the OP's point.

And her quote was indeed taken out of context. And yes, he's made the military his career--what of it?

[Bluerthanblue]

29. so, America only "owns" the

good that happens?

We will claim an "Athlete" makes us "great" and "proud"- And parade the individual or small group actions of those who have done things that we believe makes us the "greatest" nation on earth.

But those indviduals who do things which bring us shame or sorrow, or anger well, they are only "tragedies" that "we" hold no 'responsibility' for???

It SHOULD be "disturbing" to understand that if we want to take credit for the "good" that Americans do- we need to bear the uncomfortable responsibility for the 'bad' that is done as well.

Anything else is disengenueous.

You make the mistake of speaking for Michelle again. You may assume you know what she might feel about this post- but that is all your words are. Ass u me ption.

Stop peeing down your leg and saying you are dry.

peace~

[Bluerthanblue]

19. WHEN did she ever claim to speak for you? or your friends? or

me?

Your response is exactly what I'm talking about- Are you angry because her 'experience' doesn't resonate with hers?

What was her statement?

Read it- or listen to it, and really ask yourself what you are offended by- please. Don't just slide into the "oh she hates this country" shit- it is too easy to do that. Just listen to her words, and let them stand without any of "your" stuff added in. And ask yourself, what is so wrong about what she said.

The pictures I posted, are ones that voice some of the things about our country that do not give me the emotion of "pride"-

I'm not saying they are Michelles- They were assembled by me, to illustrate my own lack of pride in some of our history.


You say you will never forgive her gaffe- Is she supposed to simply lie about some of what she may not be willing/able to simply overlook? Things which may have impacted her life in ways far more profoundly than an 'offensive comment'????

Please do think about this-

:hi:

peace~

[Cheeseburger Walrus]

25. That's a bit much...

don't you think?

[citizen snips]

27. I am glad DU has the ignore thread function.

[my2sense]

10. Thanks for this reminder

We need to face what America has become and do everything within our power set this country on the right path.

As far as Michelle, she spoke the truth - unfortunately, folks in this country don't want to hear the truth.

[jzodda]

12. I don't care what she says

Its a non issue. First off if that's how she feels then so be it. But the point is I am not voting for her, I am voting for her husband. The gaffes of the spouse, or the VP candidate don't mean that much when all is said and done. Did Dan Quayle prevent Bush from winning in 1988? Do you remember how he was treated by the media, laughed at all the time? The only gaffes that really matter are by the candidate, the one I would cast a ballot for.

[Bluerthanblue]

28. That is fine, and even if you did 'care' about what she

says or feels, that shouldn't be something that anyone should be allowed to manipulate into a tool to try and gain power or advantage over a Obama with.

The only way "they" can use this, is for people to GIVE them credence- It is like a game. And when people respond with (oh, she never should have said that) they are forfeiting.


peace~

[islandmkl]

15. Great OP!! By the way, mis-spoke IS NOT mistake....

it is amusing, at best, to see the kinds of people who want to make this a mountain: the haters on RW radio and their 'followers', dems who are deathly afraid that the change we (most of us, anyway) want will not happen with Obama and the WH will be lost, and ....the Hillary crowd looking for any gloom-and-doom they can find with Obama.

[Bluerthanblue]

24. thank you- we need to BE the change- and that change starts here,

now, with you and me.

You get it.

thank you!
:hi:
peace~

[greyl]

22. Thanks. nt

[WinkyDink]

32. She can say what she wants, and did. But she can't demand that every auditor LIKE it.

NOR can she demand that her listeners KEEP SILENT, if they have opposing views. Indeed, any complaining about opposing views' being expressed (not about their content, which is fair game) shows a woeful ignorance of American values.

That's the way the Free Speech cookie crumbles.

She pays her money, and she takes her chances.

[Flabbergasted]

34. I think the left needs to drop that statement as an "out of context" gaff. nt

[noiretextatique]

36. i agree with you...i have no problem with her voicing her feelings

and i don't think she "misspoke" ( :wtf: does that mean anyway) nor was her comment taken out of context. i still have no problem with what she said.

clearly, some people will try to use her comment for political purposes, but she is entitled to her opionion.

[noiretextatique]

37. i agree with you...i have no problem with her voicing her feelings

and i don't think she "misspoke" ( :wtf: does that mean anyway) nor was her comment taken out of context. i still have no problem with what she said.

clearly, some people will try to use her comment for political purposes, but she is entitled to her opinion.

[Leo 9]

38. Before she was proud. Now she's really proud. When Barack wins, she'll be...

...really really proud.

Nuff said.