On an episode of Fox News Watch this weekend, conservative pundit Cal Thomas revealed that there are no black women who aren't the "angry black woman." (Cue scary music!)
Here are a few snippets from the transcript, Michelle Obama Watch has more here and here. You can also watch the video here.
CAL THOMAS: In this campaign, we are being asked to accept three things simultaneously, the first woman with a credible chance of being president, the first African-American with the chance to being president and, whoever Michelle Obama is going to be styled, the angry black woman, first lady? This is an awful lot....
THOMAS: I want to pick up on something that Jane said about the angry black woman. Look at the image of angry black women on television. Politically you have Maxine Waters of California, liberal Democrat. She’s always angry every time she gets on television. Cynthia McKinney, another angry black woman. And who are the black women you see on the local news at night in cities all over the country. They’re usually angry about something. They’ve had a son who has been shot in a drive-by shooting. They are angry at Bush. So you don’t really have a profile of non-angry black women.
And then, I shit you not, someone is like - oh, but Oprah isn't angry! Well, thank goodness for Oprah.
To tell Fox News what you think about their coverage of Michelle Obama, email them here or call 1-888-369-4762.
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Okay, so obvious criticisms aside (because we all know how horribly wrong this is)... who WOULDN'T be angry if their loved one was killed in a drive-by shooting??? I know the obvious racism of that comment.. and I plan on writing to Fox about how offensive this is... but really, come on.
what a depressing way to start the day
we are asking people to accept the idea that anyone can be president? and he thinks that this is an "awful lot" to ask?
ugh........... thats all i can say
You know, I know plenty of black women who aren't angry, usually I'm one of them. But there are certain times, such as in this case, where the car goes into the red, so to speak. And you just want to rant and rave that OF COURSE black women have reasons to be angry. But then you realize that this is what they want. They know they can play on the obvious fears (Barak Obama's pastor is the Angry Black Man, Barak Obama will enslave white people in revenge!) of some in the white community and I'd think that were it any other race, such as Asian-American (Asian men are sissies! But their women are teh hawt!) then they'd be going after that as well. It's just much, much easier with black people. Eventually they'll be comparing Michelle Obama to a video "vixen" and we'll have to deal with that.
oh my god.
Did I miss the part where Michelle Obama made an angry appearance somewhere? No? In that picture, and in pretty much every other pic I've seen of her, she ranges from serious to happy, not so much enraged.
Keep in mind also that women never have a right to anger. That apocryphal 'angry black woman' isn't righteously angry because her child died--she's probably just on the rag.
Hey, did you know that all women of color are exactly like "Big Mamma's House"? Did you know that black people like watermelons, too?
*headdesk* Ow. I had always wondered why Republicans don't even pretend to court the black vote -- it's because they honestly believe they're all the same person.
First of all: I love angry black women. Actually, I love angry women of any color. I think that if you're a woman and you're NOT angry about something most of the time then you're not paying attention or trying to ignore what's so painfully obvious.
Secondly: Is there something wrong with being angry when your country keeps shitting on you at every opportunity? If anything, almost ALL Americans should be angry most of the time (and some angry all the time) because of the state we're in. And what is wrong with being angry in general? Why are women *never* allowed to be angry?
Thirdly: "An awful lot?" Oh, I'm sorry, are we asking too much of you? To accept people who are different? The world isn't changing, it's just that certain things are now becoming more apparent to people who would have liked to ignore all the problems.
Lastly: That link didn't work for me. Where else can I write to express my rage? (Or will Fox News think of me as just an "angry biracial woman"?)
Fox News (If you can call them news) has selective racism. They are low, they will do whatever it takes to get a Republican elected, but you know they do not feel that Condoleezza Rice is an angry black woman. But damn, didn't Maxine Waters support Hilary Clinton? Doesn't that counter their own arguement? This is why Fox News sucks.
Jessica, you are missing the last sentence of transcript, which suggests he was discussing the way Black women are typically displayed in the media - as having only one representation and the media is fitting Michelle Obama into that mold.
ACTUAL TRANSCRIPT:
They are angry at Bush. So you don’t really have a profile of non-angry black women, of who there are quite a few.
Jessica, you are missing the last sentence of transcript, which suggests he was discussing the way Black women are typically displayed in the media - as having only one representation and the media is fitting Michelle Obama into that mold.
ACTUAL TRANSCRIPT:
They are angry at Bush. So you don’t really have a profile of non-angry black women, of who there are quite a few.
Cal Thomas is pretty angry every time I see him on TV, and he usually comes across as angry in his columns, too. Does that mean old white men can't be trusted to be in power positions anymore? Sweet.
Booooo media.
I want to vomit...
Alright, here's a though.
If you're angry about this (pun totally intended), don't go to Fox... go to their advertisers.
Write letters. Boycott. Make it known you're not supporting them, and thereby Fox, anymore.
Remember how Imus swiftly fell from the top of his cowboy hat after sponsors started pulling away from MSNBC and CBS? (It was astonishing to say the least.) If you really hate Fox, hit 'em where it hurts -- the bottom line.
*Sigh* If only it were just Fox and I could avoid it (since I don't have cable)... but then there was McLaughlin asking if Michelle Obama is a "black militant" and if she has a chip on her shoulder. We have so far to go.
ridiculous. absoulutly irresponsible and i hope everyone here called to give fox a peice of their mind.