Star Jones

Star Jones
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Thursday

TELL IT LIKE IT IS: DEFINING THE PHENOMENAL FIRST LADY



What is it people? 

Is it “the reach of her arms, the span of her hips, the stride of her step, the curl of her lips,” that makes you so crazy?

Because some folk have gone “plum crazy” over the notion that this “phenomenal woman” named Michelle Obama has become the ideal of women across the world.  She’s educated (Princeton and Harvard) and sophisticated, she's beautiful and brainy, she’s competent and capable, she’s knowledgeable and skilled, she’s informed and inspiring, she’s devoted and dedicated, she’s loving and loved, and she’s BLACK. 

Yes, this black woman embodies the hopes, dreams and ideals of little girls across the world.  They want to sound like her, walk like her, talk like her…be like her.  Little boys used to want to “be like Mike;" well little girls now have their own “Mike”…we just call her Michelle.

Is it “the fire in her eyes, the flash of her teeth, the swing in her waist, and the joy in her feet,” that would make a bitter old fool hiding behind a “conservative Christian website" banner refer to the First Lady as “a James Brown look-a-like?” In an effort to insult her beauty, grace and style, this “columnist” took umbrage with a world that would liken Michelle Obama to the “allure, glamour and fashion sense of Jackie Kennedy;” as if white women had a lock on how to look and what to wear.  The saintly obsession with Jackie Kennedy (who I like, mind you) is over-the-top by any standard; especially given her relationship with her husband.  Maybe that's the problem:  you're mad that Michelle's husband, the President is fulfilled by his wife and doesn't need to seek the attention of other women to feel like the most powerful man in the world.  The "hatoration" was palpable when he referred to her “Ivy League degree and former $7,000-a-week salary” as a result of “affirmative action.”   What, your kid couldn’t get into the college of his choice because a “big bad black lady” took his spot?  

This guy must have one heck of a crush on the First Lady.  That was usually at the core of little white boys trying to pull the hair of the black girls in kindergarten.  Their momma’s told them they couldn’t play with “those colored girls” when all they wanted to do was play with those colored girls!  Come on dude…you look pathetic.  Stop fantasizing about what you can’t ever have and start celebrating what you’ve been given in this gifted and beautiful representative of the diversity of our nation.

And it is not just the white men who are tripping. 

Is it how she “walks into a room, just as cool as you please,” causing “the fellows to stand or fall down on their knees.”  Maybe it’s “the way they swarm around her, like a hive of honey bees” that is making some white women take to the prescription bottle.  From that chick in desperate need of a “two piece and a biscuit” who resents everything about the first lady’s style to that wretched excuse for a woman who had the audacity to refer to the First Lady on the radio as “trash” because she dared to tell young school children that they might encounter people in their lives who will try to block their progress if they try to excel in school by striving to get A’s in their studies.  Stop….you don’t say.  Really, I can’t believe that.  This fill-in radio host defined “trash” as a thing that “is colorblind, (that) can cross all eco-socionomic...categories;” and as “people who use other people to get things, who patronize others, who consider you bitter and clingy..." What?  Stop rambling.  You sound crazy and deranged.  

When defining “trash,”  I choose to use Webster’s definition:  “rubbish: worthless material that is to be disposed of.”  As we would say in law school, Exhibit A. 

It used to be that when a white woman was intimidated by the beauty, elegance and grace of a black woman (especially when her man started looking longingly at her beautiful long brown legs); she could sell her and send her to a neighboring plantation.  Mr. Lincoln took care of that a while back so I understand that your options are more limited.   It may be hard for “you to understand just why her head's not bowed.  Why she doesn’t shout or jump about or have to talk real loud. When you see her passing it ought to make you proud;” so ask yourself why it doesn’t .  What is it in you that is so inadequate that you can’t appreciate the “phenomenal woman” that is Michelle Obama?  Either way, you might as well get with the program because this sister is here to stay and there will be more just like her to follow.

I told Bill O’Reilly in an “Open Letter” a year ago during the presidential campaign that if he “came for” Michelle Obama, he better be ready for all of her sisters to have her back.  Consider yourself warned.  The last time you pissed off a black woman and told her to “stay in her place”, she sat in the front of the bus and caused a revolution. 

This one sits on Air Force One next to her husband The President of the United States.  Don’t mess with her.

(Special thanks to Maya Angelou for the beautiful poem "Phenomenal Woman"...it says it all.)

20 comments:

  1. Amen, Mamma! Tell it like it is! I felt so empowered reading that! They need to leave our 1st lady alone. The Election is over and they all need to just get over it, cuz our new 1st family is here to stay!

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  2. This is an awesome post. As a black woman in Corporate America I have seen how much the first lady has impacted the way I'm viewed. No longer do people assume I'm there to take notes when I enter a room accompanied by a group of white men. I LOVE IT!!!

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  3. I don't think they got the memo yet that the election is over with so therefore the unneccesary comments needs to stop also. It's like they have nothing better to do with their time but criticize our First Lady.

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  4. This is an awesome post, Star! I could not have said it any better myself. I love the way your incorporated the "Phenomenal Woman" excepts into your prose instead of making them paragraph lead ins. Dig!

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  5. Yes, Ms. Starr Jones we do have our First Lady's back. They must not realize what century we're in. Keep spreading the word and fighting the fight sista. Love Ya!!


    Tona Michelle

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  6. Thank you! Thank You! I saw this when you put it out on twitter and I was so appaulded. I wrote all my friends and had them complain as well.
    This doesnt make up for the horrible things that was said... but it's warms my heart and it dims that sucker punch that the writer tried to throw lol
    Dee
    Twitter: 9dd

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  7. Well Said,Ms.Jones,very well said.

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  8. Wow, this was an amazing way to pay homage to First Lady! I really loved this and thank you for sharing!

    www.missjia.com
    www.twitter.com/missjia

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  9. Was delighted to see you on Oprah, am following you on twitter and reading your blog. Today I was very disappointed. I totally agree with you about Michelle Obama but I am so saddened that you found it necessary to demean the memory of Jackie Kennedy. You demand that readers respond in a positive manner that "must elevate...not denigrate." Am wondering how your references to Jackie Kennedy were positive and elevating.

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  10. Talulah,
    Thank you for your kind words...and I very much appreciate your support and criticism; but I disagree with you in this situation. It was not my intent in today's blog to demean the memory of our late First Lady Jackie Kennedy...as I am actually a great fan of her "grace under pressure" style. My comments were designed to highlight a key difference in the relationship between the women and their respective husbands. That difference (without being vulgar and nosey) is a historical fact. A fact that I would have been remiss in not pointing out given the praise and accolades being heaped upon Mrs. Kennedy by those seeking to diminish Mrs. Obama. The comments were designed to make you think about the hypocrisy...and clearly you did; so I accomplished my goal.
    -Star

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  11. Star, you are just wonderful. I've always admired you so much since waaaay back during the first OJ Trail. You always held yourself with so much grace and style on television. I absolutely love this post. Michelle is a awesome woman and the media, conservatives, political pundits are hating on her beauty, breed and elegance. They can't stand that a sitting President is this in love with his wife. You can see the love on his face and people are intimidated by that so they try to tear her down. Much of it is motivated by racism. It's so sad that people feel the need to nit-pick her for everything. Her clothes, her body, the way she raises their little girls. It's disgusting and hypocritical. Thanks for this post.
    -T.Thompson

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  12. Wow...just WOW! This was so well written and the Maya Angelou tie in was genious! I love our First Lady. She is the pillar of excellence!

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  13. very well said....i have been telling you to get back on tv...the world needs to hear what you are saying.....what's up?

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  14. I have lived long enough to see blatant racism and hidden racism. To me this is subtle, insidious racism which infiltrates itself into the psyche's of the uneducated, un-opinionated, and un-aware.

    The rich and educated hide their racism because it may affect their financial and popularity so, they make these sneaky attacks on the First Lady. We should always do our own thinking, testing the waters for duplicity and prejudicial prose.

    When my children were young, I taught them about Faith and with that came honorable choices. I did not want them to be empty vessels waiting to be filled with lies and deceit by other less moral people with selfish values.

    I have been upset by the lack of respect for our First Lady Obama since the blogs, news media and others started their assault on her bare arms, for pete's sake!! Her ARMS?!

    Who cares about that stuff?! I care that she is a good mother, loyal wife and upbeat First Lady who embraces life and is not afraid to give a few hugs to the general public. She is for real and doesn't need to hide her choices and who she is from anyone! She is good.

    First Lady Obama is an example to all women from all walks of life, not just the African-American community. I have lived long enough and lived poor enough to understand what this prejudicy is all about. We have to fight it and not buy into this rhetoric, promoting further racism and hatered.

    I for one can't wait for four years to pass,so we can vote President Obama as President of the United States for another four years.

    Keep your eyes open and don't buy into the HYPE! This First Family is the best we've had ever. No lies, no spies, no nasty goodbyes - just sweet and lovin' "Apple Pie"! They represent what America should be all about.

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  15. Hello Ms. Jones, the problem is...the world has no idea of what to do with a educated, strong willed, not hood all day, Black Woman. They are floored by her and will think of anyway to knock her down. And we're just not having it.

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  16. Thank you Ms. Jones. Every day I come to your blog and always leave a little bit more proud. Your posts are intelligent and heartfelt. It makes me proud to be a woman of color. I will continue to follow you and look forward to more words of encouragement from you.

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  17. Star: Your thoughts provoked another take on this situation inside of me. Check out my blog at dougrittenhouse.com (Conservative/Christian Media:"Funny" Crosses Over the Line)

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  19. Thank you Star for this post! We love Michelle Obama and we love you too! :)

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Your comments are welcome as long as they are in keeping with the spirit of this blog. They must be positive about your life, your community, our nation or our world. They must elevate...not denigrate...and if you criticize me or my position...state your name and email address so I know who you are and can address you directly. My blog...my rules. Star