(cough…cough cough…)
Excuse me. It’s been a while since I really went off around here and I needed to clear my throat a bit.
Conservative blogs are an interesting place. There is the usual punditry and ranting. The occasional valid point. The passing off-color remark.
And the times where you drop in on a conservative blog and wonder if they think no one is looking.
Over at Townhall.com, Burt Prelutsky wrote a nifty little post. You can read what it originally said at Free Republic, before Townhall did some editing. I’ll let you go ahead and guess which one of the MANY offensive lines was scrubbed:
“It’s not just the politicians, but also their mates, so long as they’re Democrats, who get the star treatment. Take Michelle Obama…please. Every time I turn around, there she is on a magazine cover. Now, normally, like the Mafia, I lay off the spouses, but inasmuch as this particular spouse attended the same racist church as her hubby for 20 years, I’ll make an exception in her case. After all, in spite of the fact that affirmative action got her an Ivy League degree and a $7,000-a-week salary and, moreover, has sent billions of dollars for no particularly good reason to Africa, she insists this is a mean country. The burning question in my circle is: if the First Family gets a female dog, will she be the First Bitch or will she have to settle for second place?
Naturally, the left-wing media is now trying to convince us that this James Brown-look-alike has all the allure, glamour and fashion sense of Jackie Kennedy. I have even heard her upper arms described in the sort of language Wordsworth devoted to flowers in the morning dew and that Keats lavished on nightingales. Frankly, if I were Mrs. Obama and the geeks started rhapsodizing about my triceps, I might consider wearing sleeves.”
Townhall.com calls itself “the #1 conservative website. Townhall.com pulls together political commentary and analysis from over 100 leading columnists and opinion leaders, research from 100 partner organizations, conservative talk-radio and a community of millions of grassroots conservatives….As a part of Salem Communications Corporation, Townhall.com features Salem’s News/Talk radio hosts, Bill Bennett, Mike Gallagher, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, and Dennis Prager, who are heard on over 300 stations nationwide. Of our five hosts, three are among the top 10 radio talk shows in the nation! Salem Communications is the leading US radio and Internet broadcaster reaching audiences interested in Christian and family-themed content and conservative values.”
Now let’s go ahead and read what Mr. Prelutsky wrote one more time…
“The burning question in my circle is: if the First Family gets a female dog, will she be the First Bitch or will she have to settle for second place?”
and
“… the left-wing media is now trying to convince us that this James Brown-look-alike has all the allure, glamour and fashion sense of Jackie Kennedy.”
I’m going to let that just hang there for a second.
Stew on it. Roll it around in your head for a minute.
…
Now. Very clearly and with no misunderstanding, I’d like to see all those “feminist” conservative women rise up. Those “Sarah Palin suffered so much sexism” women who were appalled during the election. Those “women can raise a family and run for office” conservative mothers and sisters and aunts and daughter and granddaughters.
I’m waiting.
Just as the progressive blogosphere called out sexism against Palin, and Clinton…and everyone before and in between..it’s now your turn to defend the First the Lady of the United States of America.
We did it against Chris Matthews…someone you would call a liberal, right? So surely you can handle a townhall.com guy.
I’m asking you plainly…are you in this fight only for those of your kind? Only for sexism against conservative women? Or are you in it for real? Was it all a show?
And it’s not just the conservative “women’s rights” activists I’m calling out.
Feminists of the earlier era..the ones very upset about the way Hillary Clinton was treated. Where are your voices to condemn the rhetoric being thrown at Michelle Obama?
Did you hear Tammy Bruce call her “trash” today? Do you care?
Let’s see it. Now’s your chance.
Queen of Spain, this is what makes you frickin’ RADIATE awesomeness.
I’m waiting too, feminists of all political stripes. Especially decryers of anti-Hillary sexism. Especially boosters of Sarah Palin.*
Wow, awfully quiet out there, isn’t it?
Guess I’ll just have to talk about this at the Women Action Media! conference this weekend in Boston. Oh, you bet I will.
*Elsewhere, I’ve blogged about how I expect racism and misogyny from the GOP. Once again, I’m overwhelmed by the underwhelming LACK of response. The crickets, they deafen. I’ll be sure to revisit this when Palin makes her play in 2012.
Cyn the crickets are not only loud as we wait…they are eating their young and changing their song.
Apparently they’re far too busy doing important things like photoshopping pictures of President Obama as Bozo the Clown and coming up with more new variations on the terms “Obot” and “Nobama”. You know, priorities.
Cynematic – we’ll be at WAM too, so we’ll totally rant about this with you.
It’s all pretty sickening. Thanks for the great post!
A-freaking-men. That is all.
I can’t even imagine what the backlash would have been had, say, Rachel Maddow said something similar about Laura Bush.
It would be nice to hear the main-stream media calling this Townhall guy and that Tammy person out for their comments, but I suppose if they did that every time something like this happened, there wouldn’t be time for any other news.
Erin, you are right. These things said about Michelle Obama are sickening, and shouldn’t be tolerated. And it isn’t just feminists that should be shouting this from the rooftops.
Unfortunately, I’m still stinging over the comment our President made on national television comparing his bowling abilities to those of Special Needs Olympians. And all the articles excusing that as being okay because he was being ‘self depreciating.’ By, you know, comparing himself to those with physical and intellectual disabilities.
The NYT article was especially incredulous, suggesting that we should all just let that comment go.
Michelle Obama has the ability to defend herself.
My son gets told to shake it off and be the bigger person. That people are tired of the PC police always monitoring what they say.
Oh, and come and bowl at the White House.
Both situations come down to the same issue. Respect for another human being.
Waiting beside you…
“…Salem Communications is the leading US radio and Internet broadcaster reaching audiences interested in Christian and family-themed content and conservative values.”
I’m really not all that interested in the Left/Right argument.
I’m not all that interested in the Feminist argument either.
I couldn’t care less what Obama said about his bowling skills. One person saying something wrong does not excuse another person for saying something wrong, either. My 6 year old could tell you that.
What I am interested in is someone explaining to me how Burt’s comments fall under the “Christian and family themed content” umbrella. I’m glad I live in a country where Burt can say whatever the hell he wants. Because that means I get to do the same. However I don’t claim to be representing the Christian community or point of view. Townhall.com, and by extension it’s writers and commentators, do. I just would like someone to explain to me where the Christian outrage is. And if there is no outrage, does that mean they’re cool with this kind of stuff? Just curious. I honestly don’t know that much about Christianity or the Bible. I just learn about them by their actions and words.
‘I couldn’t care less what Obama said about his bowling skills. One person saying something wrong does not excuse another person for saying something wrong, either. My 6 year old could tell you that.’
Kaiser, if that is all you got from my comment, then you missed my point entirely.
It also isn’t about being a Christian either.
But something tells me that perhaps you really couldn’t care less about that either.
Gah. Maybe someone better explain to me how that doesn’t fall under ‘hate speech’ because being Canadian, I just don’t have as many examples of horrific jaw-dropping racisim and sexisim as the media in the US seems to provide.
That’s just horrifying.
Tammy,
You missed my point as well. You brought up what Obama said about his bowling skillz. And while that wasn’t nice at all, it also has nothing to do with this post, it has nothing to do with Burt Prelutsky, and has nothing to do with Townhall.com. Therefore, in the context of this discussion, his words are irrelevant. And so, in the context of this discussion, I don’t care about them. Your attempt to bring non-relevant issues intto the discussion are the pork in the spending bill of this post.
We can debate the pros and cons of feminism. We can point out the good and bad of either political party or political ideology. But in the end, they’ll all just be our own opinions and no one will be able to say definitively who is right and who is wrong in those debates. Which brings me back to my point…
The face of Islam, to many people in the West, is that of the hate filled terrorist suicide bomber. That, many believe, is what Islam is all about. When one attempts to correct this image they are often met with the statement, “If that’s not what they believe, how come the moderate majority of Muslims aren’t out decrying the acts of the few? Why are they not policing their own? Where is THEIR outrage?”
This Townhall post is the face of Christianity. This is what Christianity in America, and by proxy the Conservative movement, represents. Until we start hearing Christians denounce such words how can non Christians (who make up the majority of the world, BTW) believe Christianity stands for anything else?
I have just found your blog recently and love it.
I am a Canadian who leans left of centre (or center for you south of the 49th parallel). I find the passion in American politics fascinating, and also, when reading quotes like the ones from townhall.com above, scary. It seems odd that a country that has come so far in many ways can still embrace so much hatred for others based on their religion, or race, or gender. I hope it doesn’t tear your social fabric irreparably.
Although I don’t agree with pointing out the physical attributes of the First Lady, I think we all understand any one of us could find some particular blog, pick it apart and make it look like the other side is a bunch of uneducated, racist, sexist, pigs.
Way to many negative people posting negative things. By replying, you just keep the circle going….but, whatever floats your boat. (And yes, I am into Bella Swan :))
I’m also surprised to have never seen you praise Dolly Madison for her letter to her husband. (different subject obviously)
I hope you don’t waste any time “waiting” for the outrage on the part of the conservative feminists. It’s not gonna happen : ( Afterall, if a HIGHLY educated, HIGHLY accomplished, exquisite woman like the first lady is considered “trash” and is called a bitch; there’s something else going on here.
So many ugly disgusting, heartless and cruel comments have been made about Michelle Obama and I don’t expect them to stop any time soon…
As a woman (and a minority woman) I can feel the sting of these comments as they are uttered by the right. It’s unfair that Michelle Obama has to bear the brunt of the racism AND misogyny that seems to thrive in those circles. When they put her down, they put all of us down. ALL right wing women should be ashamed of their association to this bullshit.
Those comments are exactly what’s wrong with us as a country!
All the conservatives were so proud to say now that we have an African American President racism no longer exists.
Has it really gone away?
How can you say racism does not exist when OUR FIRST LADY is being called a bitch and heads are not rolling. Don Amus lost his job for making similar remarks about a women basketball team and yet this receives no press time!
This is a slap in the face to EVERYONE who thought the feminist movement meant anything or that civil rights is a thing of the past. Those comments are EXACTLY what she was referring to when she said I can finally be proud of my country. No other FIRST LADY has ever been treated with such disrespect as Michelle Obama.
How can we preach to other countries about tolerance and democracy when we do not respect the first family. Attack the President on his performance is one thing…but saying his wife is a “James Brown look-a-like,” how dare you!
Like it or not Obama IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and his wife, Michelle Obama, IS THE FIRST LADY and they should be treated as such.
Four more years of people playing the race card. Can’t wait. Just like President Obama is half white, my grandfather was black. So yes I am sensitive to the race card. As forthe First Lady, I think she is beautiful and to hell what others say. Haters will always hate.
so i’m not the first canadian to comment, but wow, suddenly our stephen harper criticism (or even our michaelle jean criticism) seems a lot nicer. then again, at least you have a black president, or a woman running for one.
once i ran a protest against the status of women offices being closed by the federal government (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/11/29/status-women.html). my favourite comment from men passing by was ‘what?? women totally have the same rights of men in this day and age!!’.
to answer = “…First Family gets a female dog, will she be the First Bitch or will she have to settle for second place?”
I am here via a link from a blog that I keep up with…Not by searching for comments on comments made about Michelle Obama. With that said I have to say that as a right leaning christian I take what the mainstream media says and sort through it for grains of truth and weigh it against other info out there just as I do with right wing media info. Try it, if you don’t mind having your beliefs challenged.
Town Hall.com is NOT the face of Christianity. I am a Christian and haven’t heard of it until now. If you want to hear the views of Christians ask one. Talk to their face you’ll be surprised what you will learn. Its a much better exercise than wasting your finite amount of time and energy on worrying about what Christians are NOT getting excited about. You might find you are passionate about the same things. Helping the orphan and speaking up for those who have no voice. You don’t have to be a Christian to help your neighbor. Isn’t that what socialism is all about anyway.
As a conservative Christian, I am appalled by what this man has written. Unreal what some people think they can get away with in the name of wit. I want to point out, though, that I don’t believe Townhall.com is the face of Christianity as someone mentioned. I’d never heard of it until I read this post. Most Christians I know would be as shocked and appalled as I was to read such viciousness. I did not vote for Mr. Obama, nor do I agree with many of his policies, but he is my president and I will respect him because of the office he represents.
Tara, Townhall.com is the self-proclaimed “#1 conservative website” and also claim to represent the so-called Christian Right. Like it or not, they are speaking for YOU. So I’ll wait for the PUBLIC outrage from the christian right as well as wait for the PUBLIC outrage among the right-wing feminists….I won’t hold my breath, though…
angienextdoor,
do all liberal writers speak for you?? all left-wing leaners share your every thought and belief? It is unfair and naive to say that townhall.com, because they CLAIM to speak for the “Christian Right” then, well by golly, they DO. To use YOUR quote, they are “self-proclaimed.” There are untold numbers of people claiming to speak for others. Just like Tara, I had never heard of townhall til I stumbled on this site. I am sickened by the comments found on that site, and PLEASE DO NOT SAY THEY SPEAK FOR ME. I will not waste my time by ever going to that site again. And just in case some of you may have missed this point, there are many, many other just as sick, mean-spirited “liberal, leftwing” sites out there as well. When we lump people into stereotypical groups and make assumptions about them, we do nothing to further understanding and acceptance of each other.
Lisa, I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right. I got carried away and used a sweeping generality against ALL conservatives. Of course, not everyone thinks the same or feels the same about all issues. I apologize. And I’m glad we both agree that the negative comments around the first lady are dispicable. Ironically, they too use sweeping generalities against minority women. Truce?
Absolutely. Thank you for your gracious response. I have an idea we have much more in common than we have differences. Thank you again.