Michelle Obama: The Perfect Role Model for Third World Women?

[JLM]

This is an angle that had not occurred to me before; it came as a revelation to me. But it makes perfect sense; Michelle is a very good role model for many third world women.

In many countries (like India), the darker the woman, the more she is looked down upon. In general women enjoy a lower status than men, but darker the woman, less highly she is regarded, the lighter the woman in color, better off she is (she will get a richer husband, will enjoy higher standard of living etc.).

But here is Michelle; she is as dark as they come. Yet she does not suffer a second class status, her husband does not look down on her for being dark.

A greater shame, ignominy a woman in the third world can suffer is to have no sons, have only daughters. This prejudice is universal, all pervading in the third world. Indeed, I remember something my Indian friend told me. He knows of two old women in his village. Both had three daughters each. Yet one looks down on the other. Why? Because one woman did have sons, but they all died in infancy (infant mortality was high in the old days). So she had both sons and daughters, but only daughters survived. But the other woman had only three daughters, she didn’t have any sons. So the first woman considers herself to be the better person and looks down on the other. Indeed, it is routine in some parts of India to abort the fetus if it is female.

But here is Michele Obama with two daughters. It doesn’t bother her, it doesn’t bother her husband, it doesn’t bother anybody. She continues to enjoy high status in the country.

So I can understand why she is a role model to third world women the world over. Those who focus on Michelle Obama's impact on America are underestimating her reach. The first lady is inspiring women of color around the globe to look at themselves, and America, in fresh ways.

"She might be the first woman of color that females in male-dominated countries have seen as confident, bright, educated, articulate and persuasive," says Barbara Perry, author of "Jacqueline Kennedy: First Lady of the New Frontier."

Reverby says this is the first time many women have seen their class and color reflected in America's first lady

Thu Nguyen, a native of Vietnam, wasn't at the London school, but she experienced a similar sense of elation when Obama became first lady.

in her native country, she says women "are not human beings." But when Obama became the first lady, Nguyen called her niece and told her that any hard-working woman could become the first.


Vietnamese women can identify with Michelle Obama, Nguyen says.
Sue Mbaya of Nairobi, Kenya, says the first lady inspires African woman to assert themselves in their personal and professional lives.


Many African women are conditioned to be subservient, she says. They're prevented from rising to management positions in the workplace, and their families often relegate them to taking care of household tasks while sending their brothers off to school.


http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/first.lady/index.html


Anyway, it is a long article, you may read it here. But it is possible that Michelle will inspire third world women like no other woman before her. Her impact will probably be bigger than the impact Hilary would have had, if she had become the President.

Not altogether true S.J. More blonde jokes than brunette jokes :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[JLM]

For all those young mind filled with mush, trying and aspiring to be great debaters, learn from the MASTER of spin, prevarifications and lies:

"Well now, that is a matter of opinion, isn’t it?"
"Now, that is a matter of opinion isn’t it?"
"Well now, that is a matter of opinion, isn’t it?"

His, and if you believe in liberal nonsense, not supported by facts, your ultimate escape from reality.

Come on Y.J. Did someone p*** in your corn flakes this morning?

 

[EagleSmack]

I know that you think that she is not a model for third world women, EagelSmack, and I respect your views (though I don’t agree with them).

And I never said that you made a mistake in holding those views. They are your views and you are entitled to them.

The mistake you made was when you claimed that I said that third world women should regard her as a role model, that third world women should look up to her.

Once again...semantics.

So you do not think women should look up to Michelle Obama?

And I did not say that, I said (go back and read my posts again) that based upon the CNN story, third world women do look up to her, do regard her as a role model. And they do that because of her various accomplishments and also because of the fact that she looks like them.

All Third World Women view Michelle Obama as a role model or just the ones they interviewed?

Now, if you think that view is racist, that is your business. But the mistake you made is that you did not read my posts properly and clamed that I said something which I didn’t.

The racist part was when you got all skippy with joy and said Michelle is as dark as they come!

Trying using what you said at an NAACP meeting and see what kind of reception you get!

 

[EagleSmack]

As much as I respect Michelle, the article is not in the right sense. I am from India and there are so many women who influenced and inspired us from centuries. One of our great women leaders is Jhansi Rani meaning Queen of Jhansi(region). She tied her baby boy on her back and amazingly led her army to fight against the british for freedom. She was extremely courageous, brave and valiant for her country and people. In modern days, we have several women leaders in almost all fields who achieved great heights. This is just a drop in the ocean and the list is endless. Not least, most of them dont even change their maiden names to mark their identity and individuality and send a message that "they are the daughters of their fathers first". Such is the pride of all these women achievers in our male dominated society and this caused the history/traditions/culture to take a new form to an extent and accept women as who they are. Pls publish your facts right the next time.

From an Indian Woman on the article...


I think Michelle Obama is a great woman in every aspect but her being an inspiration for average or poor people in India is bunch of crap.
I can't agree more with CandidTalk there...
If it takes a political role model to inspire this oppressed gender in India, then Indians don't need look at outside world. Indian politics is full of strong and powerful women

From a woman named Ria...

CNN and it's left-wing journalists are truly showing how insecure they are with the Obamas in office. To have to sink to this level of trying to conjure up opinionated trivia - Condoleeza Rice traveled the world representing the United States with honor and she held a "real job". How dare CNN compare Mrs. Obama with the likes of Indira Ghandi, Golda Mier, Thather and other true leaders. CNN is very insecure about the First 100 days......gee, do you think????

Lucille

The real story is the fact that the most brilliant, articulate women in this country can only work their way up to the oh so powerful position of First Lady. What a privelege to be arm candy for the commander-and-chief blowhards. I'm all aflush with hope.

Pam

These are all from women commenting on the article! So much for this article

 

[EagleSmack]

Being an Indian, I find this article stupid. India has undergone HUGE changes over the past few decades. This article paints a very untrue picture of the majority of women in most cities in India. If a story is true in small, uneducated and backward parts of the country, it should NOT be generalized!!! Its like saying everyone in America are Polygamy-Practicing Mormons!!

Yet another...

FAILED!

Very refreshing seeing Indian women trash the article pointing out that they have their own role models other than the wife of a President. They have had female Prime Ministers.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

For all those young mind filled with mush, trying and aspiring to be great debaters, learn from the MASTER of spin, prevarifications and lies:

"Well now, that is a matter of opinion, isn’t it?"
"Now, that is a matter of opinion isn’t it?"
"Well now, that is a matter of opinion, isn’t it?"

His, and if you believe in liberal nonsense, not supported by facts, your ultimate escape from reality.

Why certainly, Yukon. It is useless to argue with somebody’s opinions. One an argue with facts, not with opinions.

So if somebody expresses an opinion with which I don’t’ agree, I emphasize the fact that it is just their opinion and leave it at that.

Perfectly logical, reasonable and appropriate. Debaters would do well to adopt this technique, and many do.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Once again...semantics.

So you do not think women should look up to Michelle Obama?

Hardly semantics, EagelSmack, there is a big difference between ‘should’ and ‘do’. As in ‘I should exercise regularly’ and ‘I do exercise regularly’ have almost exactly opposite meanings (the first implies that I do not exercise regularly).

As to whether third world women should look up to Michelle, that is not for me to say.

All Third World Women view Michelle Obama as a role model or just the ones they interviewed?

If one goes by the CNN story, many of the third world women do look up to Michelle. CNN interviewed a few of them, but I am assuming that they are representative of third world women. As I have said before, CNN is a highly reputable, reliable, objective news network, and if they say that these views are representative of third world women, I believe them (especially in the absence of any opposing news story, in the absence of any story which says that Michelle is NOT a role model for third world women).

The racist part was when you got all skippy with joy and said Michelle is as dark as they come!

Trying using what you said at an NAACP meeting and see what kind of reception you get!

Well now, that is a matter of opinion, isn’t it?

 

[lone wolf]

Why certainly, Yukon. It is useless to argue with somebody’s opinions. One an argue with facts, not with opinions.

So if somebody expresses an opinion with which I don’t’ agree, I emphasize the fact that it is just their opinion and leave it at that.

Perfectly logical, reasonable and appropriate. Debaters would do well to adopt this technique, and many do.

Are you saying everyone here is completely stupid, can't read your back posts and see you are full of hot air? If someone disagrees with you, you go into a huff and try to wear them down with petty semantics and conjecture .... just so your frail little ego can declare victory. Remember the match?

SirJosephPorter I am more than a match for anybody.

BTW ... Yes, I am on your list. I like it that way because I can trip you with what you say ... when you're too ignorant to even know you've been had. :lol:

 

[petros]

Blackie O is making a difference for child labour....she wears the high-end fascions made in Haiti or Bangladesh giving children skills and factory jobs.

 

[Cannuck]

Not in the slightest. I do not believe she is a role model to third world women. She is a well to do American woman and the color of her skin in no way is a qualifier for a good role model as you claim it is.

I've made no mistakes.

I know that you think that she is not a model for third world women, EagelSmack, and I respect your views (though I don’t agree with them).

So you do think she is a role model?

(what I said is that they look up to Michelle, according to the story), you were simply inventing it out of thin air. So we are in agreement here.

So you don't think she is a role model?

The original poster said that Third World women should look up to Michelle Obama for her stature, status

EagleSmack, I never said that, show me where I say that.

Perhaps if you didn't flip-flop all the time, it would be easier to understand what the hell you were talking about.

Seems to me you agree with "the original poster". Of course the original poster was you. Why wouldn't you agree with yourself. You probably meant the "original story" but your writing skills leave something to be desired. In any event, you have basically admitted that you agree that she is a role model and have contradicted yourself for the umpteenth time.

 

[EagleSmack]

Seems to me you agree with "the original poster". Of course the original poster was you. Why wouldn't you agree with yourself. You probably meant the "original story" but your writing skills leave something to be desired. In any event, you have basically admitted that you agree that she is a role model and have contradicted yourself for the umpteenth time.

This made me crack up.

 

[YukonJack]

"Why certainly, Yukon. It is useless to argue with somebody’s opinions. One an argue with facts, not with opinions.

So if somebody expresses an opinion with which I don’t’ agree, I emphasize the fact that it is just their opinion and leave it at that.

Perfectly logical, reasonable and appropriate. Debaters would do well to adopt this technique, and many do."

SirJosephPorter, you have proven time after time, that in your world anyone else's facts are just opinions (according to you) and your opinions are facts, again, according to you.

 

[YukonJack]

Closer to the topic:

If third world countries need somebody like Michelle Obama to look up to they deserve to be third world countries forever.

 

[petros]

Or to guide Americas into learning how to be 3rd world.

 

[petros]

Closer to the topic:

If third world countries need somebody like Michelle Obama to look up to they deserve to be third world countries forever.

Which parts of the 3rd work have you been to Yukon ?

 

[YukonJack]

petros, what in the Heck does your following line have to do with anything:

"Which parts of the 3rd work have you been to Yukon ?"

Do you mean that if one has never visited Ottawa has no say in what goes on in Ottawa?

Does that mean that those who never met Al Gore can not say that he is misguided?
Does that mean that those who never visited Quebec have no say about separatism?
Does that mean that what I hear about the third world on CBC are bogus?
Does that mean that only personal experience can formulate a valid opinion?

If you haven't been to the Third World, you are no more of an expert than I am.

BTW, I know what you mean by "3rd work". I gave you far more slack than you and your ilk would ever give to those of us who dare to disagree with you.

 

[YukonJack]

Michelle Obama examplifes the Second Amendment: Every citizen has the right to bare/bear arms.

 

[EagleSmack]

"dark as they come"

 

[Cannuck]

"dark as they come"

What a racist thing to say!

 

[EagleSmack]

What a racist thing to say!

Agreed...and he stands by what he said.