did I miss something?

I think that's what we're talking about.

seems as good as anything else.

We know racist language when we hear it.

But charging a person with racism? It's hard to know what's in a person's heart.

In this instance, however, I found the "racist" claims to be totally disingenuous. At least one such poster is a troll and was simply trying to disrupt.

talking back to an older white lady, as if this was The Help or some shit like that.

The act of heckling itself was good old fashioned activist obnoxiousness.

that made this claim, with supporting comments. I don't think there is anything that supports the claim and we are just losing our heads over this whole thing. Who needs the GOP when we will tear ourselves apart over this?

re: the Michelle Obama speech thing, that it says a lot more about them doing the name-calling than it does about any of the folks being name-called.

as "chip on her shoulder" and describe her as uppity etc that are the racist trolls. We can't stand those assholes.

They also say she lacks class and grace and isn't ladylike, among other things. And this is a twofer. Women aren't supposed to stand up for themselves. If they do, they're called names.

people who use those kinds of code words definitely sound racist, but it's not like they limit their trash talk to just black people. Look at what happened to Sandra Fluke. I don't think the heckler is a racist. As some others have eluded to I think she is just self important. She couldn't let inner city kids have their moment. She had to make it about her and her cause.

But, the SHOCK that Michelle Obama would actually talk back in a non-deferential way is really revealing.

While 'chip on her shoulder' perhaps isn't the best term, I do think there is something to the notion that she's never been all that enthused about being first lady. That doesn't necessarily reflect poorly on her and it certainly isn't a racial thing. There have long been stories that she has had her issues with the whole enterprise from the beginning and that there have been marital tensions over the president's career. That sounds entirely plausible to me. Becoming first lady is a monumental life change that shouldn't be taken lightly and many marriages have problems.

The 'smoking gun' (if you believe it) is her allegedly floating the idea before the 2009 inauguration that she and the kids would remain in Chicago for a while and the President would move into the White House alone. I'm sure she was aware that such an idea would horrify her husband and everybody around him, so if she did indeed float it, then it probably reflects pretty strong feelings on the subject.

Maybe that's not the case and she's always been all about being first lady. But I think it's reasonable to argue that it's possible she isn't.

Again, I'm not judging her for that at all. She wouldn't be the first political spouse to have reservations about living that life.

who happens to be in this thread, thought that Sasha was an uppity little one. Oops, no. Haughty. I think that was the word. Bet the thesarus got a visit that day. So transparent.

Because I know what you posted on this....you don't like Michelle. That's your deal, but boy, it makes me wonder what that deal is.

I think what Michelle did was great. The heckler, who to me is an idiot, but probably not a racist, was disrupting an event in a private home, and was told to settle down and wouldn't shut up and Michelle decided to handle it in a different way than Barack would. Kudos to her, and fuck the heckler.

That being said, I'm fine with people objecting to calling the heckler a racist.

But this thread is slightly META, although it applies to how you feel about people in daily that disagree with Obama, to the point they might disrespect them, and is that always racist.

Just to be clear.

If a person stands up to a certain kind of political or public figure s/he's a hero and how dare that person treat a member of "we the people" badly. Typically it's a conservative politician, a public figured deemed somehow reactionary or wrong-thinking. Then it's speaking truth to power, even if the power targetted isn't exactly the appropriate power. We identify with the truth-speaker and are affronted when the truth-speaker is put down or "put in his place" (or her place).

It's also the case that if you identify with the political or public figure then you relish having those miscreants who dare to challenge them and interrupt their dulcet words of truth humbled as befits miscreants.

There were howls of indignation when somebody testifying to a Congressional committee was sharp-tongued with HRC or some other prominent Democratic figure. They needed to learn respect for authority, and good on that Democrat for putting them in their place. There were howls of jubiliation when somebody else testifying to Congress was simiarly sharp-tongued with some Republican politician. How dare a public servant speak back harshly to a citizen that they're sworn to serve.

This is a tough call because so many people associate Michelle Obama with "we the people." She's one of them--that might be (D), female, African-American, independent, whatever. On the other hand, the LGBT activist can hardly be said to be waging a war on woman, to be an arch-conservative activist, bent on maintaining the patriarchy, or a Rove plant. That leaves her as just a heckler (albeit rude, ill-mannered, and engaged in a selfish and inconsiderant attempt to make it all about herself) or a racist.

"Racist" is an easy catch-all. It needs no proof, and is often the first motivation assumed if somebody does something wrong. If a person "knows" that the intent was racist, that's enough for a lot of people; the charge spreads out of solidarity. It's clearly indefensible. And it's hard to challenge the accusation.

She was just myopic enough to pick the wrong venue and the wrong person to heckle, IMO.

Oh, I can see heckling Mrs. Obama if she'd been coming out with some idiocy or other. I just can't see blaming any woman for her husband's shortcomings.

And yes, it applied to Laura Bush, too. She might have had lousy taste in men, but her husband's character (or lack of it) was not under her control, nor were his stupid policies.

not only to the first lady, but more importantly to the people who came to see the first lady

So my question is, after making her point, does one think that her constant interruptions will persuade the President to move her position forward, or put it on the back burner?

Some silly ones, perhaps, might think that.

Others want precisely to usurp another's "air time." It is selfish, for you or by extension for your cause. You speak on your point and pre-empt their message. Their message isn't pre-empted if things go back to normal after 3 seconds.

Sometimes it's harrassment. You interrupt and spoil whatever argument they've made, whatever mood was set. You don't like them or don't like their complacency and want them to see your anger.

Sometimes you heckle and protest enough to shut down their speech entirely, or take control of the topic. Then it's not a matter of your speaking, it's a matter of silencing them and exerting your power over the proceedings.

Sometimes it's an attempt to engage an otherwise distant interlocutor. You want to draw the President into an argument, you can't waltz into the Oval Office. You have to wait for him to come to a meeting or give a speech--then you infiltrate and try to get him engaged. Seldom works, but sometimes you get nice heated exchanges that make the news. You hope might even hope to place the person in a negative light. You're in it for the soundbite and photo-op.

Sometimes it's an attempt at civil disobedience. Then the goal isn't the speech or the interruption, its the arrest and apparent abuse of a citizen merely exercising his 1st Amendment rights (granted, at the expense of another's). All in the interest of drawing attention away from the person the press came to see and instead having them focus on what's really important, your cause.

All hecklers are rude. All but the most docile persist in their interruptions. If they interject one utterance and that's drowned out in the proceedings, they have not made their point. They haven't demonstrated their power. They haven't really gotten publicity for their cause--if anything, it's been marginalized yet again. They've merely met the minimum definition of "heckler."

No evidence.

I swear, it's hard to tell them from the teabaggers anymore. ODS has fused the two, and now they're just one insufferable glob.

Because I'm seeing some ugly BS posts trying very hard to say it without saying it and that pisses me off. Not at me, but directed at others. Please tell me I'm wrong.

and it is pretty low. This latest incident where people aren't agreeing with them about Michelle being divine and hating on the protester is making them lose their marbles apparently.

to hate on the FLOTUS.

Sadly, we do have racist trolls here.

The fact is there are hecklers and protestors who are racist and are motivated by racism that is simply truth. This particular event was not motivated by racism, and if it was, not a single, NOT ONE, person has given anything that would remotely prove it was racially motivated. However, some are certainly using this to their advantage to claim racism, but by in far more are using it to express their own homophobic crap. People claiming GetEqual is responsible and won't "get their money", as if they would ever donate to the group. People using this to make claims the entire gay community is racist (or selfish). I don't think racism was in play at the even, but bigotry certainly is in the aftermath!

I have no idea if the lady was racist. I wouldn't think so. I wouldn't think most supporters of equality would be racist.

Do I believe there are people who say racially motivated things on DU? Yes. I do. We're not blind to the code words. But, I believe they are a tiny minority.

I believe most people have prejudices, but make every effort not to act on them consciously. I think sometimes when certain stories emerge, you can see it. I think it's a sign of growing pains in a diverse country.

We have plenty to learn from each other.

I think many of us wonder if some of the general disrespect shown to the President and the First Lady isn't something more than just disappointment. I was young with Bill Clinton, but not that young. There was disappointment there, but the tone was definitely different.

But, then again. I'll admit it. I'm sensitive.

But, I'm not unique. I haven't found a DUer yet who isn't sensitive about something. I don't like it when non-minorities or other minorities, put minorities in a box. So, I found it disturbing that all it took for Michelle Obama to do to be called disrespectful was to expect to speak at a function that she had been invited to speak at.

That's a darn low bar.

Did Hillary Clinton get heckled as a first lady BY LIBERALS? And, her husband gave us don't ask, don't tell.

Unless someone legitimately believes she thought it was okay and only had the temerity to do it because Michelle Obama is African American.

My point being that if this woman was for pushing an investigation of Benghazi, or the IRS nonsense, or any number of other things considered conservative causes (not involving race, mind you)....you can bet there were be stream of posts*...."I am so sick of these racist fuckwads!"...."Bigoted assholes think they can disrespect the first family!"...."Were they wearing a hood?"....etc. etc.....no one would object....

*By the way, I admit....I'd be one of them....

Honestly, that is at the crux of this issue. Michelle Obama was speaking in a very emotional way about kids "who are consumed with staying alive ... who are doing everything they can to break the cycle ... and that is why we are here tonight." And more. This is what was being talked about when this woman decided her cause was more important.

A person is racist when they treat other races of people unequally.

Ms. Sturtze was being a racist? How so?

You tell me....

Sorry, I did not mean to imply you thought it was.

If she did not say something racist she was not being a racist. According to a post above apparently since Mrs. Obama was speaking about the horrors of life for a lot of kids the interruption was racist? Hardly.

That is all I am going to say about this.

whether it's said about progressives or non-progressives.

A gay person calling to task this administration on issues of gay rights being called a racist is ironic indeed.