Michelle Obama Tells Black Grads That White People Make Life Tough

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

It has since been proven as a specious argument, by numerous posters who shared the transcript of the First Lady explicitly saying "s# happens, but don't use it as an excuse"...

Glad to see she is encouraging to not make excuses, but it doesn't mean she didn't stereotype either. In today’s world majority of people think racism is a from of ignorance.

Why put focus on racism when referring to S# happens when in likely hood: wealth status. education, and culture probably has just as much if not more of an impact on their hurdles to overcome.

money and education are much bigger problems in today’s society when it comes to inequality.
When you got green its doesn't matter what color you are.

a reply to: wanderingconfusion

Listening to her comments, you’d think we were still living under (the Democrat-supported) Jim Crow laws before the Civil Rights Act (which more Republicans supported) and are not far from the days of slavery (which a Republican president worked to abolish).

No you wouldn't unless you wanted to race bait.
Most level headed people would realise it's 2015, let that sink in, & since MLK was murdered by the government not much has changed socially in terms of authoritative oppression.

She chose instead to recount her own personal struggles with racism.

All the while emphasising numerous times that it's no excuse to shirk from personal responsibility.

Why does she continue to do this?

Use the 1st Amendment to empower people...
God only knows!

Right now, her husband is one of the people who is making it hard for People. He doesn't care if you are white or black he has been and will continue to do things that are not in our best interest . Her husband has done more to hurt people than he has to help. ...well, unless you are an illegal immigrant .

originally posted by: Onslaught2996
So stating facts is wrong?

She is talking about her own life experiences and then tells them to not use it as an excuse.

So how is that bad?

Her own life experiences? Like her going to prestigious multicultural schools like Princeton and Harvard Law School, while talking to graduates of Tuskeegee most whom will never be as privileged as her?. Like having four of multiracial grandparents. Like being first lady who's husband was elected twice with the help of whites? Ya, she really has suffered at the hands of the white man. Like a few years ago when she was in Target and a little old white lady asked the much taller Michelle to get something down off a shelf for her, and Michelle made it racial? My heart breaks for that racist, divisive b!tch.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic]

I completely agree. And I think Michelle was telling these black people to do their part to take responsibility for their lives and choices, in the face of the difficulties they will surely face. It's actually a very empowering message.

It really was a very good, positive and empowering speech.
I truly cannot believe that the OP and others can twist and turn this into something negative and offensive.
It's beyond me how anyone can see this as anything other a great speech to inspire young minds.
What a sad, poisonous and impossible situation we're in - when those with an agenda and those with so much hate can portray this the way they have in this thread.

You guys get a big

a reply to: stargatetravels

It really was a very good, positive and empowering speech.

That it was , but depending on the target audiences so could KKK speeches .

Why can't you be empowering and positive without vilifying another race or stereotyping?

a reply to: UnBreakable

Oh boo hoo.

Love how you guys are turning this into a black women against poor whitey when it clearly isn't.

She was talking about how racism still exists and to not use it as an excuse for your failures. There was no white people are out to get us in that speech, regardless of how you people are pretending there is.

a reply to: interupt42

The thing is interupt, that wealth, education & culture can all be hindered under the bracket of racism...

It's a catch all in that sense.


It's not hard to see that the title of the thread is wholly deceptive.

originally posted by: interupt42

That it was , but so are KKK speeches.

You find KKK speeches empowering, good and positive?

originally posted by: TonyS
t if you want to participate in the "real" world, you'd realize there's no "healing" the divide.

That's not real world, thats old world. same reasoning behind keeping segregation. irrelevant, proven wrong, and without hindsight, much less foresight

People like Michele Obama aren't interested in healing the divide.

You cannot speak for a persons thoughts, only actions. You can debate on if their actions are aimed at the spoken intent, you cannot tell others what she is thinking unless you are a wizard.

well intentioned white people with minds full of mush voted Obama into office thinking that electing the first "Black" President would heal the divide.

Discounting an entire political spectrum out of your own projected racially motivated reasoning is invalid..at best you can only suggest why you personally would vote for/against him, and accept other peoples reasoning at face value. Some people are liberal who voted for the liberal issues (although Obama is about as liberal as Reagan). Some people voted for Bill Clinton after all for similar reasons they voted for Obama.
surely you see the flaw in that statement

If that didn't heal the divide...nothing will and...nothing will.

Time and familiarity heals all. as did with the irish, japanese, italians, etc. takes about a hundred years (give or take) for a former "subhuman" race to be seen simply as an equal..this is old estimates though, we are more connected now, so leaps and bounds are being made. I think in about 25 years, racism will be pretty rare. Still will have communities and stuff, but more for token remembrance..like chinatown in a city, or mexican restaurants/fiesta holidays, oktoberfest, or st paddy's day.

lone idiot Jew in Nazi Germany that wanted to join the German Army and be a Nazi...the message he got was "not wanted, not allowed, get on the train to Auschwitz"!

I see your issue. you equate social equality to nazi's, and white people as jews.

I think there is not really much reasoning here..a full deconstruction is in order I think
First off, "social justice" is a terrible term. justice is a perception, not a marker..social "justice' would be to enslave white people for a few hundred years...no, what is being worked on is social equality..a person should feel the only thing that slows them down in their goals will be their drive and a bit of luck, not how their skin color looks, or their gender, etc...but if they are qualified.
Is this currently the case? well, no laws prevent a black or white man from becoming whatever they can..so legally we are good..but their is still a issue of perception..and that goes back to the familiarity thing..which is (both intentional and unintentional) racism in the minds of people
and this is being stomped out quite effectively..and speeches like this, with Michelle saying dont let it get you down, you can do it..is helping. She is saying take personal responsibility..she isn't discounting the struggles that were, and that may still be.

Now, question..do you see yourself and your mindset as part of the solution, part of the problem, or just not caring (and if the 3rd, why are you posting)

a reply to: wanderingconfusion

So why post a thread about how this helps the divide ans draw more attention to it?

All while only using a source that completely mis interprets the speech which furthers the divide?

Where are the Mods..they have deleted my threads for less. Does this not fall under race baiting..since the OP is making crap up.

Michelle Obama Tells Black Grads That White People Make Life Tough..not even close to being the truth.

Gotta love the reactions, oh poor
Us white people
Lol,
I love it

originally posted by: interupt42
a reply to: stargatetravels

It really was a very good, positive and empowering speech.

That it was , but depending on the target audiences so could KKK speeches .

Why can't you be empowering and positive without vilifying another race or stereotyping?

Nobody was vilified.
As she was saying, unless you've had people cross the street on you or suspect you of something or security follow you a little closer in stores, or seen fear in some old lady's eyes as you ask her politely the time - then you probably won't ever understand her message.
Although if you think that the speech was mostly about race then you missed the point anyway.

a reply to: stargatetravels

I truly cannot believe that the OP and others can twist and turn this into something negative and offensive.

I can.

We've witnessed it almost non-stop since Obama took office. The right-wing propaganda machine went full retard and hasn't skipped a beat since. Actually, it's been real bad since 9/11, but Obama's election made it worse.

This thread, this source article is proof of that. There are too many brainwashed fools out there and they are easily manipulated through media garbage like this.

That's why I fear Clinton may actually win in the next election because the Republicans are so brainwashed any real conservative voice that may actually do real work for the American people are drowned out by the establishment buzz.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I understand that to a point, but it has been apparent to me that leaders putting focus on the color of skin has now outlasted its positive purposes and now causes more harm than good.

Leaders bringing color to the equation has become a catalyst for racism. From what I observe it has caused some parts of the black community to flourish in hate ,while some parts of the white community to take back steps and lean back to racist thoughts.

Leaders putting focus on skin color creates a victim and villain scenerio and no one wants to be either one.

Look at what it does here on ATS when a topic of white vs black or vice versa comes up.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

Explain why I should feel shame for what people who lived and died before I was born and had any chance to do anything at all about any of it.

And let's not bring skin color into the conversation.

originally posted by: eisegesis
Absolutely disgusting. She can use here power to unite and serve as an example, but chooses to play the victim and focus on what separates us.

I'm at a loss for words.

Maybe it's part of the the strategy to ensure the historic nature of her husband's presidency by making sure he's the first and last black president. If electing blacks to the office means they are all going to behave like she does, I won't be making the mistake, ever, and I hope my fellow Americans are learning their lesson good and hard.

originally posted by: stargatetravels

originally posted by: interupt42
a reply to: stargatetravels

It really was a very good, positive and empowering speech.

That it was , but depending on the target audiences so could KKK speeches .

Why can't you be empowering and positive without vilifying another race or stereotyping?

Nobody was vilified.
As she was saying, unless you've had people cross the street on you or suspect you of something or security follow you a little closer in stores, or seen fear in some old lady's eyes as you ask her politely the time - then you probably won't ever understand her message.
Although if you think that the speech was mostly about race then you missed the point anyway.

And when you read the other half of the posts about how now half of you hate us just because of who we are ... maybe you'd understand why we feel that suspicion.