Queen Michelle arrives in triumph as Africa welcomes Obama home

Jonathan Clayton in Accra

Barack Obama and his family flew into Ghana last night to a rapturous welcome as the African nation rejoiced in the arrival of America’s first black President.

“Akwaaba Barack and Michelle Obama,” proclaimed banners strung across the street of the spruced-up capital of Accra. Traditional dancers and drummers performed songs for Mr Obama’s first visit to any country in sub-Saharan Africa as the US President.

Thousands of jubilant Ghanaians waving US and Ghanaian flags braved torrential rain to line the road from the airport into the centre of town in the hope of catching a glimpse of the First Family.

To most Ghanaians and other Africans the President’s tour is seen as a homecoming rather than an official trip by a head of state to a foreign country. That unique position was set to be acknowledged today in a manner that few other Western visitors have experienced. Mrs Obama will be honoured by tribal chiefs as a “Queen” in a ceremony.

“Ghana is the birthplace of Africa — he is the first black President, we are part of him,” said Jonathan Prah, 29. Mr Prah, a caterer, was waiting in a crowd outside Cape Castle, a former Dutch slaving port, which the Obamas will visit this afternoon.

Ghana, which was the first African country to gain independence in 1957, was at the centre of one of Africa’s darkest chapters — slavery. President Obama may owe more to scholarships than slave ships — his father left Kenya with a bursary to study at Harvard — but his wife has a traditional African-American heritage.

Jim Robinson, Mrs Obama’s great-great-grandfather, was born into slavery in about 1850 and until the Civil War lived as a slave on a rice plantation in Friendfield, South Carolina.

A council or durbar of local chiefs has been summoned to a ceremony to mark the occasion at which the First Lady will be granted the title of Queen of the Cape Coast. She will be presented with a hand-made wooden stool as a symbol of family stability and rolls of colourful kente cloth.

More: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6685164.ece


U.S. President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and their children Malia and Sasha arrive in Accra


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I looove the sound of birthers' heads exploding in the morning!

to see them there. Just feels so good. :)

or "person" for that matter. Once people realize this, then maybe they will stop expecting miracles in these few short months...

He might not be a "perfect" president, but he's showing to be an awesome one, that I am very proud to have:D

well said.:D

Ain't nobody perfect but the Man Himself. :thumbsup:

After the last 8 years even with the ecomomy and 2 wars President Obama is doing a great job trying to turn things around. Only God can work mircales and he is doing the best he can with the had he was dealt.

She's not a queen, though--we don't do queens, and good thing! She's a savvy, sharp, professional woman who's married to the President.

"Mrs Obama will be honoured by tribal chiefs as a “Queen” in a ceremony".

THAT makes me very happy.

AND the fact that it makes a million little small minded Freeper heads explode, is only icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned.

EAT IT, FREEPER SCUM.

exploding is causing me distress. And I just came back yesterday from being gone for 2 months.

I find that hate is still here and it runs rampant.

yet but it's hard to imagine why anyone on DU would be knee jerkin' about our President and his family in Africa.

And, Michelle being honored as Queen of the Cape CoastB-)

the only logical explanation for it.

:shrug:

comments and it's just the usual whiners, er, suspects.

with them, but then I thought - is she flying on a separate plane in case something happens? E.g., to both parents but girls survive, there's someone who takes care of them?
Otherwise, perhaps she just doesn't like the limelight?

The girls are holding up better than most kids could be expected to. Most parents can only dream of such behavior out of their kids. I'm sure they have their moments, but not in public.

By tradition, only the immediate First Family comes down the front stairs, although that's not a hard and fast rule. I assume that Mrs. Robinson chooses to stay out of the limelight as much as possible.

The concept of royalty is repugnant to humanity.

It's their culture and they are bestowing the highest honor they can, what's wrong with that?

This is OUR culture. We're here. We're having a conversation about characterizing our first lady as a Queen. I find that repugnant. Accept it.

Whatever "this" is, it's your culture and you're there. I'm not in America right now, and neither are the obamas.

I accept that you find it repugnant that Ghanains are bestowing Michelle an honored title in THEIR country, which is what this conversation is about.


(edited to take out an errant apostrophe)

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You disagree with me. Leave it at that.

PB

Mrs. Obama is an American. She's not a queen. She's never going to be a queen.

I reject the concept of royalty and think it's sad and pathetic. You don't. That's all that's going on here.

However, what I think about the concept of royalty is another matter. It all depends on context.

By the way, the discussion we're having stemmed from this article. If you have a problem with the way it was written it, take it up with The Times. If you're so disgusted with Michelle taking this title, write to her about it.

The American Revolution is long over, deal with it.

I'm sure Michelle does NOT want to be Queen of anything, but I don't see that she can do anything more than be gracious about her reception there.

Everybody in the world knows that the U.S. doesn't "do" Kings and Queens and this is just the Ghanian way of honoring her.

:eyes:

focus

You wouldn't be talking all this shit if this werent' an African country they were visiting.

:eyes:

I don't care what country they're visiting. I think the Queen of England and the royalty of UK are absurd, too. Stop trying to find a reason other than that which I've stated: Royalty sucks, and pretending it matters only exacerbates the problem.

any more than she would become a royal after the ceremony. After reading the OP's article, I didn't see an insult in the labeling, since she really is to receive the honorary title.

Now if the thread was about 'Queen Michelle' as a snide reference to the way she interacts with other people, for example, that would be a different matter.

view of life.

I agree with Turboarama. If this is their culture's way of bestowing honor and respect, then don't belittle them. Back the fuck off and allow people their joy.

You don't have to be joyful if you don't want to. I am. Don't piss on it.

There are many ways that honor and respect are/have been shown over time in world history. Taking an argument to an absurdity, what if they wanted to make a human sacrifice to honor the First Lady?

No, as Americans one should not be accepting royal honors. I'm very anti-royalty so I think it is wrong for an American to accept any award from a royal of any sort.

complain about, I guess. :shrug: :eyes:

Ghana is honoring our First Lady as Queen of the Cape Coast and I say ..how excited they must be to bestow their tradition of honor on the USA's First Lady.

Very cool imo. :D

Good looking family.

what the HELL is the problem?

They have tribal chiefs and queens in Ghana. Does it really need to be explained that the title will not travel with her back to the United States when she returns home? Personally, I think it's pretty damn cool and I hope that she accepts and recognizes this as the great honor I'm sure it was intended to be.

And I can't stand the horrible irony of Michelle's great-great grandfather being named Jim Robinson. Oh, the humanity! ((hangs head))

it doesn't mean anything other than that is their way of honoring and showing appreciation for the person.

gosh almighty, this place turns into a pissing contest sometimes.

Furthermore, they have neither respect nor understanding of cultural differences. :eyes:

You have hit the nail SMACK on its head. Bingo.

Nothing else can describe the wailing and breast beating over what is supposed to be an HONOR and a symbolic one at that.

Ghanaians dubbed her 'Queen.' It is an honor bestowed upon a black first lady of African descent. Quite appropriate, imo.

that had belonged to an African princess. It was a gesture of love, acceptance and respect. These are Ghanian traditions. What's NOT to get here? Michelle is gonna get ROLLS of their FINEST!!! What's not to LOVE about that, especially for my fellow fabric freaks out there. I hope she displays them. :bounce:

Ran into a young, West African neighbor on the street yesterday while wearing my newly acquired hat from Kenya (IT IS BOSS!!) and my favorite giraffe shirt. He greeted me, "I was wondering who was that African queen but now I see it is an AMERICAN queen." I giggled so hard I 'bout nearly bust a gut! :blush:

for telling us.

acquired some beautiful African garb. I have a beautiful full length, satin lined swing coat with matching hat all made of mud cloth. I get oooooo's and ahhhhhhh's every time I wear it! My husband LOVES it!

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"zipper head".

I'm inclined to forgive it as a diplomatic nicety, but a royal title bestowed on Michelle Obama because of her husband's electoral victory rankles.

It is cool on some level, but that's another reason why I'm determined not to fall for it.

:crazy:

PB

same as you. you want to pick a fight with me, but sorry, I have a lot to do, as I work six days a week. I've got to get out to the herb garden, then the kitchen garden. I've got to bake vegetable tarts, make salads, pick strawberries for a strawberry tart, bake dozens of scones, and lots more. and then when that's over, I have to start all over again. That's how I pass my time, honey.

The U.S. is not a monarchy and that is what I am speaking to.

The hero worship here on DU has become beyond ridiculous.

Obama works for the people. WE pay him to do his job.

Not play pretend "king" or have his wife called "queen".

When Obama is out of office, people can call the Obamas whatever the hell they want.

I could give a shit.

in your hatred.

Say it again, and again, and again. TRUTH.

You are obviously too big a groupie to see them honestly.

What policies of Michelle's do you hate? I thought helping military families and encouraging people to eat healthy were uncontroversial issues.

Otherwise, it's easy to assume she agrees with him and what he is doing and probably helps him make decisions.

Isn't that what most wives do?

To assume that she agrees with everything her husband does and is somehow responsible for his actions is absurd. No couple agrees with everything their partner does. I’ve disliked Bush and his disastrous policies, but I never blamed Laura for them. I prefer to judge people by what they do and say and not by the actions of their SO or anyone else in their lives.

I don't approve of anyone who either ignores or justifies shitty behavior-I don't care who they are.

These people are paying politics with millions of peoples VERY lives and it's wrong as hell.

And FYI-Laura Bush was the worst of them all! What a fucking airhead!

At least Michelle has a brain-she should use it!

You can sit there and justify what both Obama's are doing until the cows come home, but it doesn't make it right and it's NOT what people thought they were getting when they voted for Obama last year.

Not by a long shot.

I knew exactly what I “was getting” when I voted for Obama last year, because I researched his positions before voting for him. Although I don’t agree with all of his positions and policies, I’m happy with my vote and would do it again, because there is more that I agree with than oppose.

As for Michelle, what “shitty behavior” of Barack’s has she justified or come out and supported? I really do not understand this irrational hatred some people here have for her. At least I can understand the hate from Conservatives. She’s a black Democratic woman—everything they hate, but what excuse do liberals have? To hear some tell it, she's Lady MacBeth and Marie Antoinette rolled into one. It’s as silly as the hate-on Repukes have for Hillary.

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into woo-woo territory.

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Because apparently you think we're doomed no matter what. You think nobody is as liberal or as smart as you are. Got news for you, hon, there are LOTS of people here who are extremely intelligent and are way far to the left. We simply don't agree with your "Obama is evil" bullshit.

Seriously, get a grip.

Unless you are conservative, where in my post did I claim that you care what color they are? And who are you to tell me who I am or what I believe in? You don't know me. This is my first time ever coming in contact with you. Just because I don't think the Obamas are some evil Corporate shills out to destroy America doesn't make me a fucking conservative or a worshipper. Hell, I thought that made me a sane Democrat.

Sheesh. All this over an honorary title.

:crazy:

And I'm astounded that anyone would think that was civil discourse. And all in a thread about an African tribal chieftan calling Michelle "queen."

And you're a sane democrat in my book. :hi:

:hi:

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get shit.

:sarcasm:

your ass.

what a load of shit headline that is.

Obama is NOT from Africa, he has relatives there but he was not born there. Therefore, Africa is NOT his home...

"I want to express--as we are about to leave here--to you of this country how much this visit has meant. It is strange that so many years could pass and so many generations pass and still some of us who came on this trip could come home and--here to Ireland--and feel ourselves at home and not feel ourselves in a strange country, but feel ourselves among neighbors, even though we are separated by generations, by time, and by thousands of miles. "

John Kennedy, upon accepting the Freedom of the City in Galway.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=9320

that people on here need to have that explained!

Though they are not from Africa, many other American blacks still refer to Africa as the "homeland" for the same reason. I swear some people look for shit to bitch about.

be progressives.

b/c like Chris Rock, I LOOK for it, EVERYWHERE!! lol!

exponentially.

near Ghana. That is like saying someone is English because his father is from Estonia.

someone "home" to Spain who is Italian because they share European heritage. They are treating Pres. Obama as a fellow African. And certainly if Michelle's great-great-grandfather was a slave it's possible she has ancestors from the area.

But even then it's a different ball of wax because ALL of our past presidents have been of European descent. None of our past presidents have been of African descent. So this is a big deal for a continent of people who have never seen anyone of color in such a position of power.

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Nice picture too. I don't really get why people are on about so many nitpicky things though. I mean this is just a thread on the internet... oh nevermind, it's the internet. *slaps forehead* :rofl:

Oh well, live and let live I guess. :)

:shrug:

such as knighthood from the British Crown. Accepting a Parliamentary honor is something different. Accepting the title of Queen of the Cape Coast is entirely different.

I've always felt that there is a bit of condescension when Americans receive honors form the British Crown, a sense of we've managed to meet their standards.

This award of title Queen of the Cape Coast is an expression of love and respect, as well of solidarity between people handed the short end of the stick who managed to overcome obstacles to achieve greatness.

:puke: -inducing.

Of course, it's the usual band of merry hand-wringers.....so it's nothing new.

But how can one miss the awesome symbolism of this HONORARY title.

The British colonized Ghana. Took them over. Ran the place. Desecrated their heritage and pillaged their resources. But they overcame it, eventually.

Slavers kidnapped the First Lady's ancestors and sold them into slavery.

Now, this SOVEREIGN country is giving an honorary title to THE FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES, the great, great grandaughter of slaves.

It's an amazing moment. I simply can't imagine for a minute how some could have a problem with it.

They do it every single time to Obama or anyone. SMH. Yawn. :boring:

end of the stick who managed to overcome obstacles to achieve greatness." How cute.

I'd be just as against it if it came from the Ghanan Parliament- or any parliament for that matter. All forms of nobility and monarchal rule are far, far beneath even the lowliest Democratically-elected official...anywhere.

Monarchy is divine selection of a person or family for rule which passes via blood lines. Democracy is the election of representatives by the majority within a group.

PB

to tie the recipients to the monarchy. This title is nothing more nor less than an expression of respect and love.

Why should it matter if the title is offered out of love and respect or for any other reason? It is a title granted from un-Democratic rulers who operate separately from the elected Parliamentarians.

I can't think of any compelling reason why a U.S. President or anyone officially representing the United States should accept that as a valued currency.

It's not like the tribal leaders don't somehow understand the concept of Democracy- they just choose not to practice it for their own, heredetary, benefit.

Accepting titles of nobility from those groups only harms the value of real Democracy in Ghana and similarly harms the rejection of all forms of monarchy that the existence of the United States represents.

PB

... is declare all the women of Ghana to be queens. That is what it means to be an American, to accept royalty only as equals to the lowest of the low.

If it were inside a quote, it may have send a message that this is someone else's opinion.

But, hey, this post is getting a gazillion "R" (while more serious ones get the "U") so clearly there is a strange comprehension - or lack thereof - on DU.

That's the quote. Glad to be of help.

But its a term of endearment.

:eyes:

anymore. So it really makes them look foolish.

suspects who are so freakin' obvious with their poutRAGE.

make up this stuff!

Michelle's great great grandfather is Jim Robinson!

I love her.

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My God.

I wish he would have known that 159 years later his family would be in the White House. I know it took too long.. but I also know that he probably NEVER thought it would happen. I wish he could have known somehow.

It's awesome.

who owns that misguided site.....


Oh, life's little ironies....

Don't call our wonderful First Lady a queen.

Thank you.

turn the US into a monarchy, huh?

No. I'll call her a Queen all I fucking want.

....does that mean my dog is really a Princess?

The answer is no, Same thing here, just because Michelle Obama is given the honorary title of "Queen" doesn't mean she is really a Queen and therefore this whole made-up controversy over this is STUPID!

:kick:

Great article but I don't understand the subthreads. Of course she isn't an actual Queen but it's an honorary title she received much like Obama never attended any classes that I know of at Notre Dame but yet he has a honorary degree.

Like Obama said at Arizona State in which I will say to those objecting to Ghana giving her that title "Much ado about nothing."