Only In America: Michelle Obama and the Heckler

[onpatrol98]

Last edited Fri Jun 21, 2013, 08:42 PM - Edit history (1)

Why?

As far as I can tell, President Obama and Michelle Obama have been supportive of gay rights. Our last democratic president, Bill Clinton...affectionately known as Big Dawg...gave us Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The President went out on a limb (after a slight shove by Biden) and dragged black churches, the NAACP, and other groups right along into the battle with him causing shifts in polls dealing with gay rights issues our country has never seen. A shaky initial start, but a start non the less.

I realize things are not equal yet. It takes time. Too much time. Any delay, is too much of a delay. That's just a fact.

But, to my mind, that means...you charge the hill that the enemy is standing on...not your friends. Your friends take the hill with you. But, that isn't possible if you stab them on the way up.

That's how I feel about this Michelle Obama, heckler situation. I feel Michelle Obama has been a friend. Someone willing to help take the hill. There is a known opposition. Michelle Obama can't sign an executive order. She isn't in a position to write a bill.

But, when this heckler looked around to see who she could put in check...she didn't go to a legislator. Nope. She didn't even take it to the president. Who did she choose? Michelle Obama.

At some point, when we weren't looking, Michelle Obama became enemy number 1. Why do I assume she became enemy number 1? Because people don't heckle their friends. What would be the point?

As for the race issue, I don't have any indication that the heckler was a racist. She was simply a woman wanting to see equal rights before she died. It's one thing to tell a twenty year old to keep up the good fight, your time is coming. It's something different to say it to a 70 year old. To either, it's cold comfort and like asking someone with a knife sticking in their back to wait a minute, you'll get back to them. Which again to me, means take it to the opposition in full force, not your friends. But, that's just me.

But, I admit it, I am perplexed at the notion that Michelle Obama, according to some here on DU had no right to speak, when she wanted to speak, at an event to which she was invited to speak at.

The posts go on and on about the heckler being an American hero. Her claim to fame. She heckled a friend. According to others, Michelle Obama was just wrong in her approach. But, they can't tell us what was wrong with it...other than somehow she was disrespectful to the heckler. That's a new one for me.

I don't know anything else to boil it down to. So, I come away with this conclusion. No matter what words were coming from Michelle Obama's lips, they were unworthy, compared to what was coming from Sturz. For the moment, Michelle Obama was unimportant and any topic she was discussing was unimportant as well...unless it was Sturz's topic.

Make no mistake, it was gay rights today, a worthy cause. But, I have no confidence that another topic couldn't have easily flowed from Sturz's lips and still been more important.

For a tiny, vocal minority, the President and Michelle Obama are meant to be puppets. If they don't obediently do what they are expected to do in a timely manner, then they don't even deserve to speak. That's the point of heckling. To disrupt even the words that come out of your opponent's mouth because they're not worthy of the current platform and not even their words are worthy of the current platform. So, they drown your voice out and replace it with their own.

That's where the charge of racism enters, for those who care to hear. It's that notion of, be quiet, someone else more worthy desires to speak...even though by right (as the actual invited speaker), the floor is yours.

But, Sturz got a surprise. She tried to talk over someone used to people trying to diminish her. And, she was unprepared for the result.

Michelle Obama is no Laura Bush. Laura probably wasn't accustomed to people attempting to diminish her. So, she was caught off guard. But, if you're in a minority group....any minority group. You've had it happen to you. And, one day you just get fed up. I think that's what happened. It was her day. I think Michelle Obama just got fed up. You don't have to be first lady to have it happen. Michelle Obama's just gave a lesson to all of us.

It's time to get fed up. But, when you do, have the audacity to target the opposition, not your friends.

Sorry for the long rant.

[NYC_SKP]

1. I agree. The heckler was rude and disruptive. Her cause matters not.

And this part of your rant hits home:

That's where the charge of racism enters, for those who care to hear. It's that notion of, be quiet, someone else more worthy desires to speak...even though by right (as the actual invited speaker), the floor is yours.

K/R

[rhett o rick]

13. Yes, you push the conservative point. The gay community should be quiet and take what's given them.

Shame on you. I know people that this discrimination has affected. The spouse of a gay federal employee cant get health insurance. I bet that makes you smile. Conservatives hate the gays. Well shame on you.

Of course Ms. Obama is a nice person, but that doesnt fix the fucking problem that her husband could have fixed five fucking years ago.
So the gay federal employees are supposed to sit down and shut up.

You said, "her cause matters not." What a cruel thing to say. Shame on you.

[7962]

16. Has nothing to do with the gay community.

It happens constantly with any other number of groups. Hecklers are just plain rude. This isnt some third world country. Next on the list would be throwing chairs.
Good for Michelle.

[rhett o rick]

19. How cruel. You rationalize that it has nothing to do with the gay community.

So you tell yourself that she was being rude just to be rude. Whatever makes you sleep better.

Rationalization is your key to happiness.

[Number23]

35. Are you suggesting that Michelle Obama was rude to that woman because she is homophobic?

[NYC_SKP]

17. Code Pink: "long history of white women dictating how Black women should behave"

Her cause matters not to the fact that her outburst was inappropriate and counterproductive and rude. She wants attention, she uses the cause as the excuse to be abusive.

My point isn't about her cause, it's about her behavior.

Here's a good read: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022953975

CODEPINK Statement Regarding Twitter

Posted by Alli

We would like to apologize for our recent actions that displayed an undeniable insensitivity to persons of color, especially women of color.

As an organization, we strive to speak truth to power and stand for human rights for all. We respect intersectionality and strive to stay aware of the many forms of privilege among our group. We would like to make an unequivocal apology to Michelle Obama, Alicia Keys, and everyone who took offense to messages we posted on Twitter.

By tweeting about how Michelle Obama “should have” responded to Ellen Sturtz’s interruption, we behaved in such a way that reflected a long history of white women dictating how Black women should behave. Our actions were not in keeping with our own values as an organization. While yesterday’s interruption was not a CODEPINK action, it is exemplary of CODEPINK tactics, and the way we responded to it was insensitive and thoughtless.

When the process of petitioning, lobbying and writing letters fails, and when mainstream media ignores the real issues, interruptions of high-profile officials are one tactic to make our voices heard. Because it crosses the line of agreed-upon civility, this tactic is always messy.

We appreciate all the people who gave us instant feedback over Twitter and it has been and will continue to be a learning opportunity for CODEPINK. We are immediately reviewing our process and criteria for social media use, as an organization, and we invite any of our our critics to speak with us directly about issues of race and privilege in order to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

Onward to peace and justice,

The CODEPINK Staff

http://codepink.org/blog/?p=63489&preview=trueCODEPINK Statement Regarding Twitter

[rhett o rick]

20. That's the kind of rationalization I expect from my conservative brother in law. Shame on you. nm

[JustAnotherGen]

37. +1

[DonCoquixote]

40. OK CP

Thanks.

[cliffordu]

21. DING DING DING WE HAVE A WINNAH!!!!

Attacking the wife of the Prez is going to FIX the PROBLEM!!!

And, in case YOU don't know this, if he signs an executive order, the next PREZ can un-sign the fucking thing.

How about changing the fucking law instead of blabbering at the FLOTUS?

Have that troll harass McConnell or Chambliss or that worm, Cantor and I'll take her message seriously.

Other than that? Pfthhh.

Code pink just washed their hands of that dipshit, don't expect any sympathy here.

[rhett o rick]

24. Yes, shame on her for protesting in the wrong place. Maybe you should give her a schedule

of where and when to protest. Conservatives dont like protestors.

Now let's look at this closely because I almost cant believe your argument. You said, "And, in case YOU don't know this, if he signs an executive order, the next PREZ can un-sign the fucking thing." Yes I do know this, not that that matters, but you are saying that the gay community should put up with this discrimination that the Pres could easily end for eight years, because the next president might change it? You would deny them this freedom for eight years.

You dont care too much about the gay community do you? "How about changing the fucking law instead of blabbering at the FLOTUS?

Have that troll harass McConnell or Chambliss or that worm, Cantor and I'll take her message seriously." That is wicked. Blaming the gay community for not being able to get the law changed.

Your apparent disrespect for the gay community is shocking here in DU.

[SemperEadem]

43. this has nothing to do with the gay community

it has to do with the rude, "cant' take your ass anywhere" community that is confused on how to change things. All she's done is put her behind squarely in the spotlight and paint the entire LGBT community as fractious and ill mannered, even though they're not. Her ends will not get accomplished because of how she selfishly chose to go about it.

[onpatrol98]

26. No conservative posts are permitted in this forum...

No one expects the gay community to be quiet. But, Ms. Obama can't personally fix inequality. The implication of the poster, I believe is...and, I could be wrong, is that the hecklers cause doesn't give her a right to do whatever she wants whenever she wants. Life doesn't work that way. We are painfully aware of that in this group.

Also, no amount of belittling, setting up false statements about things said here advances equality. It's circular firing. And, it's an example of what many of us are sick of. You've got feelings and needs, and yet you waltz into this group as if we don't have concerns that are just as important. It's not enough for you that we support equality. We have to also agree with every methodology someone uses to get to the finish line. That's not going to happen. People have a right to disagree. With the civil rights movement, not everyone agreed. There was a place for both Malcolm and Martin.

But, by some strange sense of superiority, you waltz in here...and actually proceed to have an argument, with no one. You're mad and looking for enemies. A bull in a china shop hoping to break something. Your version of heckling. I guess you deserve the microphone in the African American group?

[NYC_SKP]

41. You've stated it perfectly well. The cause doesn't justify the method.

And saying that it does leads to division.

Thanks again for your OP.

[Iliyah]

30. Negro(s) were hated

and marched, had no voice, but they did it anyways. It took time, and are still hated to this day.

Of course Mrs. O being a nice person, hubby should fix the fucking problem today.

The US Supreme Court 1965 voting rights may be overturn, i.e. Negro's having protections in order to vote in one county in the south which will be a storm.

Shit, I will fight for civil rights always but this type of shit seriously pisses me off.

[Champ50]

2. Amen

You are 100% correct and for the first time I have been moved to post on DU!!! I am sick of all the bull I have read today trying to put our First Lady in her place. Fools better wake up and see who the real enemy is out there because it certainly isn't our fellow democrats!!! Great post!!!

[hrmjustin]

5. Welcome to DU my friend!

[Champ50]

9. Thank you hrmjustin!!!

I felt nervous about posting, so I really appreciate you welcoming me!!!

[hrmjustin]

11. Your welcome! DU is happy to have you!

Don't be nervous and enjoy the site.

[Number23]

3. Do I think that this criticism of Michelle is racist? No

Would I have liked for her to have handled the situation a bit differently? Yes.

Do I think the heckler was being INCREDIBLY rude and needlessly obnoxious? Yes. I agree with you that this woman has every right to be a hell raiser on this issue. I fully support that. Protesting is the American way and I don't think that anyone would begrudge her that right.

But that doesn't mean that you heckle the First Lady at a private fundraiser at someone's house when she was invited to speak. As someone perfectly said in that thread, "I wish this woman would direct her anger at the Republicans instead of at the First Lady." That would go a hell of alot further in my opinion. And if this woman and others do choose to go that route, that's their prerogative. But they just need to be prepared that there will be alot of people who won't in any way agree with their methods. Which is what you see up and down that thread.

[onpatrol98]

10. Yep, redirection would be good.

Last edited Thu Jun 6, 2013, 11:27 AM - Edit history (1)

[Number23]

46. Whoops. In my earlier post I said that the negative reaction in response to the woman's actions

are what we were seeing "all up and down that thread." I should correct that. That woman is getting her ass handed to her all up and down the Internet.

MADem pointed out several times in threads yesterday that the entire function was being held by a gay couple and the vast majority of attendees were gay. So that honestly makes the heckler's behavior that much more baffling and pointless. She could LITERALLY have not been in a more sympathetic room and yet, she still decided to show her behind. FLOTUS handed it right back to her too.

There has been a ton of coverage on this and by about 600:1, the overwhelming majority thinks the heckler was an ass.

[jaysunb]

4. Excellent post k/r

And, as to Laura Bush...she definitely wouldn't have been caught dead or alive at a LGBT affair.

[Scootaloo]

6. I DO think it's an issue of race

I can't judge whether Ellen Sturtz is a "racist" or not - that's a heavy term that involves action, intent, and a whole lot of stuff.

But it's clear to me that Sturtz felt that she was singularly privileged to interrupt a speech being given to raise funds for inner-city children, by falsely accusing Mrs. Obama of being her enemy on the issue of GLBT rights. And the rhetoric about Obama's response - including that from Sturtz herself - is shock an hurt that instead of meekly accepting that nonsense, Michelle Obama "talked back"

For you see, "talking back" is not allowed, if you are a black woman. In the arguments I've seen, Sturtz had the right to speak (and sure, she did, ill-advised as it may be) but Obama had no right to reply - at least, in anything other than a thankful, gracious, forehead-knuckling manner. She is owed no respect, but is supposed to be obsequious towards her heckler anyway.

As I said, I have no idea what may lie in Sturtz' heart and mind. But I can see perfectly plainly what the response to this confrontation is all about; anger that a black woman "got uppity." Sinking into this mindset, this assumption of privilege, doesn't necessarily make a person a racist - it means they are expressing a meme instilled in them by a racist culture. They may not even be aware of it, and indeed many seem completely oblivious.

But when you tell me that a white person gets to talk over a black person, and the black person is condemned for speaking back, don't tell me there's no race issues flexing there.

[JustAnotherGen]

38. Excellent

I was so angry yesterday I wasn't expressing it correctly!

For you see, "talking back" is not allowed, if you are a black woman. In the arguments I've seen, Sturtz had the right to speak (and sure, she did, ill-advised as it may be) but Obama had no right to reply - at least, in anything other than a thankful, gracious, forehead-knuckling manner. She is owed no respect, but is supposed to be obsequious towards her heckler anyway.

This just happened to a member who is a frequent posted in the AA Group this past weekend. And then too - I saw red. Just as I saw red for the First Lady.

[SemperEadem]

44. Well said

it is, as I say often in this forum, another battle in the war against black women.

It is indicative of the attitude that a black woman is never innocent--she was never born innocent--and as a result, is not owed respect.

[KT2000]

7. BEST post on this topic!

and thank you for the rant - it is spot on.

[emulatorloo]

8. Thank you!

[Cha]

12. thanks for your perspective, onpatrol98. Very good points..

..That's how I feel about this Michelle Obama, heckler situation. I feel Michelle Obama has been a friend. Someone willing to help take the hill. There is a known opposition. Michelle Obama can't sign an executive order. She isn't in a position to write a bill.

But, when this heckler looked around to see who she could put in check...she didn't go to a legislator. Nope. She didn't even take it to the president. Who did she choose? Michelle Obama.

At some point, when we weren't looking, Michelle Obama became enemy number 1. Why do I assume she became enemy number 1? Because people don't heckle their friends. What would be the point?

The more I read about this confrontation the more I'm thinking it really was not the smartest move by Ellen Sturz to get her point across.

The first lady shuts down a protester and triumphs over rudeness

"I believe in vigorous debate and fighting with all the passion we have for the issues that matter. And that is not possible when we are selfish, self-appointed arbiters of what the person in the front of the room with the microphone ought to be talking about. There is plenty to be pissed off about in this world. I’m in the Yes to Equal Rights, No to Rape camp too. I think that Rick Santorum actually looks better covered in a sparkly dusting of glitter. But the moment we play the “I just couldn’t help myself ” card we shut down meaningful conversation. Yelling at someone is not “interaction.” Sure, we get noticed, but it’s easy to get noticed. A no-nonsense mom like Michelle Obama could tell you that any 2-year-old in a WalMart can get noticed just by throwing herself on the floor of the sporting goods aisle. That doesn’t mean anybody is going to take her seriously."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251309974

[Merlot]

14. This is a really good post you've written

You get right to the heart of this issue. I have been loosing patience with the LGBT community and their demands. They've made a lot of progress - and it wouldn't have happened without Pres. Obamas' help. But it can't be all about them all the time.

I"m happy that the LGBT community is having so much success in such a quick time. I don't want to live in a country that discriminates legally against any group. But I'm feeling like there are other issues - rape in the military - that right now need a lot of attention.

For the heckler to do this at an even that wasn't even about LGBT, but a charity for children shows a level of selfishness that is embarrassing to witness. I'm not going to pass any judgement on MIchelle's response (although I was happy she didn't put up with it), but the heckler was in the wrong place and heckling the wrong person.

[BigD_95]

15. The Heckler was rude

Glad Michelle put her in her place.

[cliffordu]

22. What you said.

[7962]

18. Who the heck brought race into this?

I guess I missed something. The heckler was rude regardless of what color the person was being heckled.

[MrScorpio]

25. There's an underlying thread of discussion that I figure that you're not aware of

One thing that I suggest is that you seek out the viewpoints of queer people of color and the dynamic that they have with their white queer counterparts.

In a nutshell, a post by a person that I follow on Tumblr highlights this:

The fact that this white woman was taken aback by Michelle Obama refusing to be disrespected says everything you need to know about the engagement between white women and black women, especially in political spaces and discourse.

You disrespect us but then simultaneously expect us to cater to your whims, needs, and desires. Without backlash or consequence.

The white neo-liberal politic at work here, especially the white queer feminist neo-liberal politic. Where brown bodies are not important until they have something to be gained.

(I’m not even going to get into how short sighted executive orders for civil rights have historically been in terms of sustainable social change)

http://navigatethestream.tumblr.com/post/52222483293/first-lady-michelle-obama-confronts-gay-rights-heckler

[patrice]

29. If the issues in that context had been reversed, we would likely have seen a different reaction.That

has also been a historical theme here all day.

[JustAnotherGen]

39. Thank you MrScorpio

[SemperEadem]

45. Code Pink

[MrScorpio]

23. Thanks for your post nt

[wundermaus]

27. With all the shit going on ith the world - this is a topic of discussion?

Is there something I am missing?
Really?
This is NOT news.
This is smoke and mirrors.
Arguably the most powerful woman in the world gets in the face of a citizen that is brave enough to challenge that power.
Do you know what would be news worthy?
The most powerful woman in the world invites this very brave citizen into the White House to formally address her concerns.
That would be news.
Ever gonna happen?
Never.
That meeting would be News.
This confrontation is Nothing made into something.
NOT news.

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. "the most powerful woman in the world"? Whose world? I didn't know Angela....

Merkel attended this event. Please enlighten us, o wise one. Michelle Obama is the unelected, unpaid spouse of Pres. Barack Obama. Had Ms. Sturtz had the guts to get in the face of the legislative leadership, she might not be coming out on the losing end of PR mess. She's now claiming that she wasn't prepared for the backlash from her fellow LGBT attendees. She bit off a helluva lot more than she could possibly chew.

[patrice]

31. If she had gone after legislative leadership, there would have been wild national CHEERING.

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. Exactly. What we've got now is people choosing up sides. It was a divisive move....

on the part of Ms. Sturtz, and now she's bemoaning the surprising backlash she's getting from the LGBT community, and Code Pink has had to issue an apology for the ridiculously racist remarks they made about black women, in their initial response. I don't expect much from Code Pink these days. I have been trying to tell people that there's a racist streak in the Paul groupies, especially the ones who are part of Occupy.

[Tarheel_Dem]

32. Love the "long rant". In this forum, we know exactly what it means to be.....

the first "black" anything. We know the history, and it's never been pretty. This is no different. I think that knowledge is why we, in the AA community, are so protective of the President and his family. We all heard the horror stories from our parents and grandparents of women having to protect themselves & their families from the haters, because their husbands and sons might be taken away, and possibly never heard from again. We've internalized that.

I don't know that this particular incident has racial implications, but I do know that the strenuous objections to the notion can be too easily dismissed by those who don't even acknowledge that LGBT AA's have voiced this concern before.

I'm not really sure what Ms. Sturtz hoped to gain from this, besides publicity, but the media's still not talking about the issue. Instead they're talking about her as a "heckler", and Michelle Obama's response to it, NOT THE ISSUE.

[ReRe]

34. K&R

Great OP, onpatrol98. I wasn't logged in today when this all blew up. The first I knew of it was late this afternoon from a news report. Glad I wasn't around when it blew up here on DU.

If a person gets to where they don't know who their friends are, she/he might need to get some counseling, ya' think? It would seriously take a person who was totally out of their ever-lovin mind to heckle Michelle Obama, no matter WHAT the issue. Maybe Michelle did discern a racial aspect from the heckler, and if so that just breaks my heart.

[JustAnotherGen]

36. Thank you

No matter what words were coming from Michelle Obama's lips, they were unworthy, compared to what was coming from Sturz. For the moment, Michelle Obama was unimportant and any topic she was discussing was unimportant as well...unless it was Sturz's topic.

And this -

That's where the charge of racism enters, for those who care to hear. It's that notion of, be quiet, someone else more worthy desires to speak...even though by right (as the actual invited speaker), the floor is yours.

But, Sturz got a surprise. She tried to talk over someone used to people trying to diminish her. And, she was unprepared for the result.

Michelle Obama is no Laura Bush. Laura probably wasn't accustomed to people attempting to diminish her. So, she was caught off guard. But, if you're in a minority group....any minority group. You've had it happen to you. And, one day you just get fed up. I think that's what happened. It was her day. I think Michelle Obama just got fed up. You don't have to be first lady to have it happen. Michelle Obama's just gave a lesson to all of us.

Just because I'm a woman - doesn't mean I have to play patty cake.
Just because I'm a black woman - doesn't mean I have to defer to everyone else.

[SemperEadem]

42. MRO was disrespectful to the heckler?

a heckler, by definition, is disrespectful--- not to mention the fact that the heckler didn't have to stones to take her issue to Capitol Hill and barge in on her representative/senator and do the same thing to them.

Where was that woman when Laura Bush was speaking when she was FLOTUS? LGBT rights hadn't even advanced to the point where they have now when she was FLOTUS; there was no legalized gay marriage when Bush was president--in fact, he ran on taking away that right, so where was Sturz then? Now, there is forward movement toward total integration of LGBT folks and this is how Sturz acts? Ingrate.

You are so on point when you write "you charge the hill that the enemy is standing on...not your friends. Your friends take the hill with you. But, that isn't possible if you stab them on the way up."


Excellent essay!

[politicasista]

47. Kick

[freshwest]

48. Great rant.