Michelle Obama: "The issues facing Black America are the same ones facing rural Idaho" What?!

Michelle Obama still doesn't get it.

I was watching an interview with her on ABC World News Tonight, and she said "The issues facing Black Amreica are the same ones facing rural Idaho."

Uh....sorry Michelle, NO THEY ARE NOT.

There are some issues very specific to Black America, that need to be addressed:

- The current African-American unemployment rate (for January 2008) is 9.2. The overall unemployment rate in this country is 4.9. That DOES NOT suggest to me that African-Americans and people in rural Idaho are being affected the same by the unemployment rate.

- According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) website, the number of AIDS cases in the African-American community in 2005, was 20,187. The number of cases for 2005 in the Caucasian community was 11,780.

And let's not even begin to talk about what has been done by the Supreme Court to try to dismantle affirmative action.

Lets' not talk about racial profiling.

Let's not talk about the poverty rate.

So no, Michelle Obama, the same issues affecting the African-American community are NOT necessarily the same ones affecting "rual Idaho."

Even though Michelle Obama is not the candidate and her name will not be on the ballot, this is precisely why I say that we in the African-American community CANNOT assume that one of our own, will be better at addressing our issues. Just because someone looks like me, doesn't mean they represent my interests or values.

There are a lot of African-Americans voting based on emotion, and the belief that in order to show your racial pride, you need to vote for Barack Obama.

As an African-American, I wholeheartedly reject that notion.

We have issues that need to be addressed in our community.

And I believe Michelle Obama's comment serves as a stark reminder that African-Americans are not always the best to address African-American issues.

And I believe that goes for every group in our country.

Awesome post by you, though, and I couldn't agree more with you. :thumbsup:

Michelle will cause the same problems for candidate Obama that other spouses are accused of. Cindy McCain doesn't speak does she???( just a question-not a point)

So it's a lot closer to the unemployment rate for the AA community than for America as a whole.

...does it? :shrug:

congratulations on coming out as such a divisive partisan.

:puke:

What I am saying is that while there may be some issues in common, the African-American community also has some very specific issues of its own, that need to be addressed, such as racial profiling, affirmative action, etc.

And we need a President who understands that.

too fucking bad.

I am pretty sure Obama and Michelle are cognizant of the unique issues facing African Americans.

Jayeesus!!

overwhelmingly share the same problems--which they do.

the ONLY way to interpret that is Idaho and black Americans do NOT share similar problems.

How else could anyone find fault with what Michelle said?

You think the Obama family isn't aware of problems facing blacks?

It's inappropriate to suggest that blacks and people in Idaho share problems?

...people are really upset at the Obama campaign's attempt to move the discussion away from "identity" politics.

:shrug:

You cite the OVERALL unemployment rate, compared to the unemployment rate for black people. What is it for those rural areas? A lot higher than average. Also a lot worse than the national average is poverty, drug abuse, education, and yes, AIDS too.

I live in a rural area, and I can tell you that the problems faced out here do have a lot in common with those faced by the poor, largely minority population of inner cities. It's vastly less intense out here, because of the reduced population, and a lot of the problems that come from the crowding--like gangs and gang violence--don't arise. But to blithely dismiss the connection between two types of poor, underserved communities strikes me as jumping to a bad conclusion.

You're funny.

:rofl:

poverty... unemployment...

:shrug:

We will all have to educated our self to fit into this new world that is here. Country or city people. It is all the same. I do family history and so read many cen. reports. Let me tell you, that right now I know few carriage makers, harness makers, spinners in mills, farmers in my family and those old, 1930 and back, reports are full of those people. We all must move from the status que. Hope I sp. it all right. These eye operations are really a pain in the butt trying to read and type.

Health care system's in crisis. That affects everyone.
The economy is stalled. That affects everyone.
The subprime mortgage debacle affects everyone.
The thinning of the American job market affects everyone.
The war in Iraq affects everyone.
The climate affects everyone.
Gay rights affect everyone.
Education affects everyone.
Rural areas have high drug usage rates, and high unemployment rates. So do urban areas.

There are issues that are urban-specific, and issues that are rural-specific. But most issues are shared.

... and 21% of children live below the poverty line. And unemployment is at 7%. That county's per capita income is less than $14,000. Drug abuse is an increasing problem that's leading to record incarceration rates and disrupted families. Peoples' jobs are increasingly insecure.

I'd imagine that's what she's talking about. I assume she's trying to run with Edwards' "two Americas" idea.

There's a lot of poverty and hopelessness in America's rural areas. Appalling poverty. Whole towns dying off; people with no economic prospects and no sign of getting any any time soon.

Journalist needs to correct this immediately and apologize. Michelle said "rural Iowa." I saw the interview she did on ABC and she said Iowa.

Just my opinion, but people of all stripes and colors seem too quick to pounce in cases like this. Isn't it more believable that Michelle Obama's intent was that "there are issues that rural Idahoans and Black Americans have in common?" Do we know what the context of the question/answer was? Was it a situation where the questions were dealing with the economy, health insurance, etc.? These people are out there giving so many speeches and interviews - is it really shocking that, on occasion, what comes out of their mouths is not exactly what they intended to say? Remember when John Kerry misspoke about Iraq and U.S. soldiers?

:rofl: More like a fiction writer.

Michelle said nothing about Idaho in the entire interview. And think about it, why would she even mention Idaho when she hasn't even visited there? Barack went there once, not Michelle. She said "rural Iowa." I know it can be easy to mistake the two states, but because Journalist used this inaccuracy to attack Michelle, she should come back on here and apologize and issue a correction. If she refuses, then she should provide a transcript or the interview.

It would be so much better if she went around saying that black Americans had absolutely nothing in common with rural Iowans.

:sarcasm:

lots of meth labs springing up all over the place and more disaffected youth than ever.

Is that enough for you?

Beyond which, how powerful is it to have a black public figure delivering that kind of message of unity in a place like Idaho (or Iowa or wherever)? Or maybe you would prefer we keep treating each other like space aliens?

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=owyhee&_cityTown=owyhee&_state=04000US16&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&show_2003_tab=&redirect=Y

High poverty, low academic attainment, high housing vacancy rate, how much more "ghetto" do you need it to be? I'd be willing to bet there are gang and drug problems too.

What's good for the gander,....