“She came right down in my face,” Sturtz said. “I was taken aback.”
By John Newland, Staff Writer, NBC News
Michelle Obama confronted a gay-rights protester who heckled her at a Democratic fundraiser in Washington on Tuesday, offering to give her the microphone and leave, before the crowd cheered for the first lady to stay.
Obama was 12 minutes into a planned 20-minute speech at a couple’s home when a woman standing at the front of the small crowd interrupted, demanding that President Barack Obama sign an executive order on gay rights.
“One of the things I don’t do well is this,” the first lady said before walking down from the lectern and approaching the protester, according to a pool reporter covering the event.
Obama told the woman that people gathered in the backyard tent could "listen to me or you can take the mic, but I'm leaving,” before telling the crowd, “You all decide. You have one choice.”
At that, the crowd began chanting for Obama to stay as one woman told the protester, “You need to leave.”
The woman was escorted out, shouting that she was a “lesbian looking for federal equality before I die.”
Obama then returned to the lectern and finished her speech, getting loud applause as she did.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/05/18769606-michelle-obama-confronts-gay-rights-heckler-at-fundraiser?lite
I really don't have any sympathy for any these god-damned hecklers, whether they be on the right or the left.
All I can wonder about is whether or not these people would be so bold if they didn't have the first Black First Family currently occupying the White House to scream at.
Kudos on Mrs. Obama for handling this disrespecting Ellen Sturtz person with class and intelligence. Ms. Sturz obviously tried to bite off more than she could chew… And then some.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'm actually glad that she got a little heated....
First lady and the President.
The "royalty" and the "common" people.
It's as embarrassing as it is stupid.
The Obama haters are really showing they ass as racist scumshits over this one. They were waiting for an opportunity to pounce on "uppity" (or "chip on her shoulder"
Michelle Obama for years now.
To quote my man Ice Cube, "Nothing but a come up / But ain't that a bitch / They hate to see...." (finish that line, and you'll have a good sense of the haters' mentality).
I guess the new approach to gin up anger at the POTUS/FLOTUS is to paint them as economic "others", despite the fact that they both came from poverty and earned what they have...the very antithesis of the welfare stereotype the Right wants to advance, and one more thing the Right can't pin on them, driving THEM crazy.
...and here they're portrayed as some imperial king and queen, even though the President won't govern like one.
Apparently some need to figure out how to channel their hatred, anger and resentment at the Obamas while trying to fly under the radar.
Obama Derangement Syndrome abounds all over.
Going to the root - Teahadists - would be hard. GWB wouldn't have allowed any of them in the door to begin with.
Can't figure out if his was a Libertarian (Koch funded) effort or Log Cabin (also Koch funded, like the entire GOP) incident.
They'll use it to fire up the RWNJs with the 'see, blacks are getting out of hand' tactic to get them to vote. It's the only thing to top the 'angry black people' and the Obama royalty/dictator pictures they post on the net:
Those images don't leave the subconscious. So the non-verbal cue filters the words that follow.
Their other tactic is much more effective. By ratfucking DU they demoralize Democrats and get them to not show up to vote.
They win either way.
There are many pictures of the 'angry black people' on the net. They will be used for this event today. This is just one:
That will be used for this event today.
If you believe that you have 'masters', that's wholly on you and your own decisions in life. However, it may be less than accurate to casually apply that nom de'plume to everyone else...
Because as you pointed out so well, it can be a humbling experience in real life.
I'm always amazed and humbled by the patience and graciousness of the Obamas. Michelle has had her patience worn thin after years of being mocked for her body and every single idea she dares to put forward which is her right as FLOTUS and an intelligent, hard-working professional woman.
Who just *happens* to be black, which some believe means she should 'just take it' as that is what they expect from blacks, to just put up with whatever white people dish out at them. We see this in the arrogance of O'Reilly, Rush, Boortz, and most of the GOP. I want those days to be over with, right now.
The people she was meeting to get support for the millions who are suffer and die who represent generations who have been held back by race for centuries, and are still dying long after the 'peculiar institution of Negro slavery' was said to end, are in a learning curve. Most have never dealt with the implications of a belief system that their social destiny was based on the color of their skin which they have been unable to escape. You cannot hide being black and it shouldn't be a crime, but in this country, it is in most cases.
The people she is working to help are disenfranchised by a poverty that those who can afford $500 to attend a meeting cannot begin to understand. They are weary of being treated as if they don't exist. I believe Michelle wants to keep the promise their hope in her and Barack that their day has come after centuries of race hate. And although she has achieved much in this life, she still feels their disappointment keenly.
JMHO.
i.e. heckling, and then being taken aback by the lack of civility after she heckled. Pretty funny line. 
"Fuck it then, we'll do it live."
Since you like to assume everyone is a bigot:
It might actually do some good for that chip on your shoulder.
of course I remember at the beginning of the tea party scourge many here argued that racism had nothing to do with their antics & appeal
and perhaps,...still think that
I try to stay out of these DU frays on display in this thread.
Not judging, not blaming.
I'm a white, heterosexual female. I can try to empathize but just don't feel I can offer an informed opinion.
There's a lot of suffering and anger all around. Hell, I'm angry about the myriad injustices but can only speak intelligently about what I've experienced or witnessed directly. I just wish things were different, with true equality and social justice all the way around, but we all know we're far from that.
I appreciate seeing links like you shared though, for even more perspective.
Obama is king--he can enact any law he wants to without Congress! He is just being his usual sellout, spineless moderate Republican self.
Our First Lady expressing her role as a mother first and foremost. She handled this like a mom with a rude and unruly child... not that this Sturtz woman was not advocating a worthy cause (I am not up to date on the issue but still) she was disrespectful to the cause Mrs. Obama was speaking about and to claim that "getting down in her face" was unexpected, well it makes me laugh. If you are going to be confrontational in an erratic fashion, you should anticipate an unusual response. Mrs. O certainly handled it well and with class and intellect. Good on her. As for the heckler, I hope she learned something of value from the experience with regard to respect and staying on topic.
I still do. INFURIATING!!!!!
who's giving a speech. It's just disrespectful, period, and I don't care who's speaking.....
She's been attacked since Day One and I am amazed she has held it together in the face of an army of hypocrites attacking her, her children and husband.
I am tired of teabaggers of ALL persuasions, who demand to be addressed immediately, just stop every damn thing, and to hell with every other person around them, or else they pitch a fit and scream repression.
And you are correct, she has no say-so on law. It was just venting on the FLOTUS, since human rights are not a matter of pillow talk and opinion between her and Barack, but law.
I believe this was not an honest act on the part of the protestor, but done to divide Democrats. It will work, too, just watch.
First Lady Michelle Obama at a fundraiser before a heckler interrupts. Photo by SJSB.
http://mahoganie.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/flotus-the-heckler-south-side-chicago-in-the-d-c-house/
And, a blogger who 'splains the South Side of Chicago..
Michelle Obama Let a Protester Have It and I Approve!
http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2013/06/michelle-obama-protester.html
An unrelated pic of Michelle looking like “AND?!? Whatchu gon do?”
And why don't we all go and interrupt speeches? We can keep those big shots from ever saying a word. Let's just all go and yell at them from the audience. It can be a cacophony of yelling, all of us demanding Executive orders.
The President should immediately sign an EO allowing all immigrants to be citizens! He should sign another one nationalizing the banks! And another one creating the death penalty for rape! Another one promising Julian Assange he will never be prosecuted by the USA! Another one stopping the war in Syria! That no Chinese imports be allowed! No more H-1Bs! No more pollution! Raise taxes on corporations now! Don't wait for Congress!
I remember when that Hillary supporter freaked out and called then Sen. Obama an "inadequate black male".
Sid
Nothing but shamed submission would have been the proper answer for a heckler. Although I have never heckled, as it's not effective in the long run. It's a cheap thrill many are addicted to and they want to see drama.
until she was finished, and respect all those who were there to hear her, or leave?
Absolutely no reason to say anything but BAAAD things about HER!!
Who does she think she fucking IS anyway, donating her TIME, raising MONEY to ELECT MORE DEMOCRATS???? THE MOTHERFUCKING HORROR OF IT ALL.
You mean to say that she was actually out there looking for Democratic politicians who will actually motherfucking vote for gun control?
That's a tall order. Us moho's had best shut up until that little project is completed.
I just watched video of this. Mrs. Obama's voice and face was not angry as she walked to Sturtz and her stance wasn't aggressive.
But before Sturtz began yelling, as she was talking, I could hear the strain and emotion in her voice over the topic.
This talk was also about gun violence and the hopeless of inner city youth that go into gangs as they see no way out. They are handicapped by years of poverty and being demeaned in our country.
Children have been killed near the Obama home in Chicago. She was emphathic, to impress people how serious it is and what a disaster it is for all of us.
She and her daughters attended the funeral of the young lady who had just been honored a week before at the White House, gunned down in a senseless act of gang violence. The girl was not in the gang or with gang members, but she was killed and all of her hopes gone.
Hadiya Pendleton was a 15-year-old honors student and a majorette who took part in events at President Obama's second inauguration.
Michelle sounded emotional as she talked about saving the lives of the children and tired. Too tired to deal with a woman who came to an event hosted at the home of a lesbian couple who wanted to raise awareness of the plight of children and funds for the DNC. So I question this action, too. And she's not PBO, who is in charge of politics.
Obama is working at this time with Eric Holder (a staunch advocate for civil rights for gays, minorities, voting rights and changed laws on charging drug cases that disproportionately affect people of color) on codifying into law what Sturtz asked for, the long term solution to discrimination.
Some will pick sides according to their own filter. I have gone to too many meetings as as citizens go to tell our representatives what we need and get reports back of progress. At times our open meetings are disrupted by Libertarians or LaRouchies who despise Democrats and what we are working for, but of course they don't tell us before they come in to raise hell. The time of everyone gets wasted and then people figure it's not a good use of their personal time and energy if they are allowed to derail us there.
So I tend to filter my opinion of these events from experience. Nice talking to you here.
