Posted by Meagan:
In the never-ending cascade of racially-tinged slights against Michelle, Bill O’ Reilly weighed in during his show last night, saying Michelle Obama resembles an “angry woman”.
From Crooks and Liars:
O’REILLY: Now, I have a lot of people who call me on the radio and say she looks angry. And I have to say there’s some validity to that. She looks like an angry woman. Did you ask her about that?
JOHNSON: Don’t they say that about you, too?
O’REILLY: Yeah, but I’m not running for — I’m not going to be the first lady.
JOHNSON: But she’s –
O’REILLY: I hope not, anyway. The perception is that she’s angry in some quarters. Valid?
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This comment is, unfortunately, a common slight against black women. It the quickest and easiest way to attack them for being born a woman, and being born black. It’s a two-in-one insult, if you will. A way for attackers to be racist and sexist at the same time.
Maybe one day, Bill will stop attacking people for no good reason. Maybe he’ll stop basing his show on hate, and catering to those who relish the politics of personal destruction. Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?
29 Comments, Comment or Ping
admin
So what does “Angry” look like? Show of hands from all the professional Black women who have been called “angry.”
Sep 18th, 2008
carol
Bill O Reilly is a perfect example of angry when people have the NERVE to challenge him, he gets defensive and calls them stupid!!!
Sep 19th, 2008
La Reyna
Bill O’Lielly has his nerve! He’s the same person who made the lynching comment back in February. It’s time to boot him from TV.
La Reyna
Sep 19th, 2008
Lynne
I was recently told that my “tone” was too harsh by my VP. I assumed that was just another way of saying I was angry. I didn’t know I was harsh or angry, but oh well…..guess I am.
Sep 19th, 2008
Nurse Snow
“So, what does anger look like?” Michelle always looks angry. She frequently frowns and scowls, her vocal tone sure sounds like irritation. There’s no sparkle in her eyes, ever when she talks about her “baby’s daddy.” Her posture if frequently slumped and closed. Anyone else who exhibited these behaviors would be seen as cranky in the least, or to be having a bad day!! And if not angry, then perpetually irritated or bored.
Did you see her during both Clinton speeches at the DNC? Even when her husband was receiving their accolades, her hand claping was limp, she rarely smiled, and the TV camera caught a few “dagger” looks at Hillary. Maybe she’s not comfortable with her required “candidate’s wife face” yet.
Dem for McCain-Palin ‘08
Sep 21st, 2008
skyguy3
Well,
Michelle O lived in my condo complex for 7 years, and I can tell u…she does look uptight and angry
Sep 25th, 2008
rhokit
Yikes! Have we all watched so much television that we can’t realize that real humans cannot be “on-stage” or “on-camera” ALL of the time? $0.50 that even O’Reilly doesn’t look maniacal all of the time…
Oct 5th, 2008
Teena
She does look like an angry woman, rarely smiles. She doesn’t look happy about her husband or life. The smiles are fake. She looks nothing like a first lady. I am glad Obama has taken her out of the lime-light, I think her negative energy pulls him down.
Oct 7th, 2008
Michelle
Okay, so i’m only 17 years old and i am a supervisor at my job, where i work with people who are older than me. Many people as they meet me they think that i’m a mean angry person. which is definitely not the case. I just take my job seriously and it’s not that i’m angry or mean….it’s just that I don’t feel like there is a need to be all jolly and smiley all the time.
I think that Michelle Obama is just simply misunderstood and people are taking her professionalism as being a “angry woman”.
Would you rather a first lady like Sarah Paliin, who all happy ans smiles all the time, which make her seem to me like she has absolutely nothing going on upstairs or would you rather a seriously focused woman who is dedicated to the job and title of being the First Lady of United States of America.
Oct 7th, 2008
darla
Michelle Obama is a class act. I think most insecure men would perceive a strong woman as angry.
Oct 7th, 2008
Jacque
I am a educated black women from the caribbean and have been refereed to by the comment of having a angry look on my face. It is about time that America start realizing that wea re are all unique in our creation and we all have unique personalities. When I am consumed by my surrounding or challenges I seem to take on the look that Michelle has on her face. To be honest we have similiar facial structure. It is about time we stop trying to fit into the American look and focus on the real problems. This is petty and immature.
Oct 8th, 2008
Lee
It’s expected and disheartening that your “label” of Michelle Obama is limited to the same two stereotypical words that have been used for years to describe educated, intelligent, talented, strong, loving, nurturing, beautiful, black women.
But, it’s really sad and pathetic that you choose to place this label on Michelle Obama for the sole purpose of justifying your support for Sarah Palin - a woman, who under different circumstances, you would without a second thought, loudly proclaim is NOT QUALIFIED OR CAPABLE of leading the U.S. as Vice President or President. In addition, you would punctuate this procalamation with the label “Forced, Pasted, Fake, Happy Smiling Woman.”
Oct 8th, 2008
PRISCILLA ANN BORDEN-PAWLIK
MICHELLE IS A VERY CLASSY POISED PROFESSIONAL WOMEN GIVE ME A BRAKE OREILLY ITS VERY CLEAR YOUR NOT READY FOR SUCH A WELL EDUCATED WOMEN LIKE MICHELLE . WHO IS ABLE TO STEP OUT OUTSIDE HER NORMAL BOUNDARIES AND HANDLE IT WITH CLASS. MICHELLE IS A CLASS ACT.
Oct 9th, 2008
ms shai
I’m well aware of the racial undertones in painting Michelle Obama as angry. However, in an attempt to remove race to from the conversation I would support that Michelle is simply too real. She isn’t like the typical politicians wife because she doesn’t have a plastered Stepford Wife maniacal grin on her face 24/7. She looks like someone who is constantly deep in thought.
People who are thinking typically don’t look deliriously happy. Furrowed brow, contemplative visage, are markers of intellect. Unfortunately, these markers are only respected and recognized in men. When a woman does this the reaction is, ’smile, baby. You’re too pretty to walk around thinking about important things.’ A phrase I have heard all too often in my life. I’m very happy. But public happiness always seemed to be a waste of energy. Maybe it is a cultural difference but I think it just makes sense.
Oct 9th, 2008
linda
she looks angry because she is - she gets a break because she is a woman of color - it is politically correct to make excuses for her and her baby daddy
Oct 10th, 2008
donaldreddy
She not only looks angry but acts it too.
Oct 16th, 2008
Bluejay
I think that O’Reilly’s comment about Michelle looking like an “angry woman” is just pathetic. Obviously it’s just an attempt to fit her into his little frame of reference. He obviously knows very little about African-American people, and African-American women in particular, so he doesn’t know how to see her. He figures he needs to give her a label so he can claim to understand her. And he labels her an “angry woman”. Now he thinks he knows her. He probably doesn’t really interact with people of color on a regular basis,(which is probably why he made that equally retarded comment some time ago about how surprised he was when he ate at Sylvia’s restaurant in Harlem, how civilized and calm and normal the people of color were, no fighting and all that). We need to stop listening to Bill O’Reilly. With that kind of thinking, he obviously has nothing of value to offer. He’s just stupid.
Oct 16th, 2008
Stewart McMulan
Bill O’ looks and acts like an asshole.
Oct 17th, 2008
Stewart McMulan
Bill O’ looks and acts like an a–hole.
Oct 17th, 2008
Alina
I think we are missing out on the whole issue with this comment…and that it is inherently sexist. Women, regardless of race, are brought up in our culture to be pleasant, agreeable, and to get along with everyone. If your don’t stand behind your man, smiling pretty for the camera in the right clothes and with the right hair, you can be perceived as being “angry”. Just ask Hillary Clinton…she was called cold, angry, manipulative, etc. People are not used to seeing a strong woman who doesn’t relish being used as a prop (not that I think Obama is guilty of this, but that is the duty of the politician’s wife…to reaffirm the politician’s commitment to God, country, and good ole’ American values)…If she looks pissed sometimes, I give her credit for being human. My husband is in the military…we have 3 young children…I look pissed off a lot, I am sure. It is stressful doing most of the child rearing, it requires professional sacrifices on her part, and believe me, it’s pretty normal to feel resentful. However, I disagree, I think I’ve seen a lot of very positive photographs of her than any that could be construed as being negative.
Oct 24th, 2008
Alina
Just reread my comment and realized that I didn’t mention that I think O’Reilly is attacking Michelle Obama has a very troubling racist undertone. It’s especially troubling given the tone of the McCain ads against Obama which continually underscore how he is “too risky” and not “pro-America”. I don’t think people would go after Cindy McCain using the same negative adjectives (if she were able to convey an emotion, that is)…I think one of Michelle’s great strengths is that she seems genuine to me, not like she is trying so hard to prove that she is likable…she seems comfortable with who she is and that is a great thing to see.
Oct 25th, 2008
Fawn Chelios
Y;all are so freakin defensive. Did you even read the very first line of what Billy O said? WELL, READ IT!
Oct 26th, 2008
tee Benny
i wish her well, and would not want to hurt her feelings, however,
more often than not, she does come across as an angry woman.
Given her background, this is puzzling. O’Reilly is simply stating
what he sees, and frankly he is reflecting what many people feel
because of this you want to attack him. Her “proud to be an
American for the first time….” smacked of many things…
this woman may be our first lady… and prior to the nomination,
she could not recall felling proud to be an American… hmmm
what’s wrong with this picture. I can’t believe all the comments
about understanding a “woman of color” … frankly Scarlet….. .
I want to look at our first lady and see her displaying our colors
thought the dress was ugly, did not do her justice, and really
no need to wear the hood colors… she is more American
than I am my parents were immigrants… Barack needs to
have a sitdown with First Lady. Jesse Jackson had it right
Rainbow Coalition. And then the comments about Cindy
McCain, who by the way, is a strong woman, invovled in
global charity work for many years, however, as wife of
nominee her function is to support her husband, Attacking
Cindy and Sarah is not going to change sentiment about
Michelle, only Michelle can do that. She needs to relax.
I want her far away from Barack when he is thinking okay !! lol
Ok here’s my constructive advice to Michelle- We all
would like to like you… but need to show us u like us
When I listen to Conde Rice, I know she is representing
and promoting US interests. And further, if someone
disagrees with her view, critics would never ever interject
her nationality… it would not fly … she is US.. American
that is success …
,
Nov 6th, 2008
Mamma4ObamainWa
Michelle Obama looks smart and unafraid. Don’t mistake that for angry…or should I say “Uppity N—–”?
Nov 6th, 2008
Carrie
Michelle does indeed look angry most of the time. Problem is — whether it’s natural or created by a make-up artist — her eyebrows are too arched, making her look “severe.”
Nov 19th, 2008
Galen
It is shameful of Billl O’Riley.
Fox News and him are off the wall and twist things for the Republican Conservative base. Shame on fox news! Shame on rascisim.
- Galen
Nov 28th, 2008
Judy
I dont care what anybody says if you watched the Barbara Walters interview she seemed at bit overbearing. This might not bother some men and I am sure that he loves her but he seems to have a gentle spirit. I shutter to think of how that overbearing personality could affect him at a crucial time!
Nov 29th, 2008
Terri
Some of these comments are sickening.
Nov 30th, 2008
b
Tee Benny: I’m sorry “hood colors”…? What the hell does that mean, and where is it coming from?!!!! I can take a pretty good guess, but I want you to try and explain it!
Dec 4th, 2008
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