I'm Voting For Michelle

When I need to be rescued, And I need a place to swim

I have a rock to cling to in the storm

When no one can hear me calling, I have you I can sing to
Sade “Lovers Rock”

The last few weeks have been tough. I’m tired. The events that have transpired as the race for the White House heats up have been, well…..disheartening. Why? Because I have found myself in battle royals with individuals who question everything about Barack Obama from this mythical “lack of experience” (because the job you’re supposed to have before you become President of the United State is…………*crickets chirping* ) to “well he’s not pro Black!!”…huh? No seriously, I’ve had these trifling conversations. I think I could handle the criticism of the frontrunner, (which he is, don’t believe the Clinton hype) fine…..but where I have found myself upset to the point of reaching for that glass of wine (ok, Gin and Cranberry juice…..ok Gin….whatever) is the criticism of his wife and MY first lady (I don’t give a damn who the hell is elected, or PUT IN as the case may wind up being).

I don’t know what anybody else sees when they look at Michelle Obama, but I see the very embodiment of a Queen. You know, for the past few years, I thought what protestor after protestor and message board after message board and summit and meetings and songs and – oh dear GOD! Everyone has hollered and screamed about the image of black women in the media, we’ve discussed and dissected and insulted each other over derogatory images and black women using their bodies instead of their minds…and black men using and abusing us and here we have the anti-all that. ALL THAT. But yet, Bill O’Reilly makes an off the cuff remark about lynching her and the only person to take him to task is Star Jones. What say you Enough is Enough? What say you Rev Shapton? Jesse? Hell, anybody?? What the hell? I don’t expect a march….keep in mind, this is politics at its finest..too much of an uproar and Lord knows white folks might get a little antsy…but can I get a condemnation of O’Reilly in a brief statement?? Damn.

Can you even go to any message board on a site such as blackvoices.com or blackplanet.com without the ensuing forums on “whose fault is it?” Black women have messed it up….Black men are trifling…..Sistahs only want thugs…..black men disrespect black women…the black family is in turmoil, dying…..dead. But here you have a black family that could actually move to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. You have a man and woman who look like US….and they aren’t fighting….they aren’t dealing with baby mama/daddy drama on front street, they didn’t rise to these levels by some nefarious activity that the mainstream media would have you believe is all we’re good for. This is the potential President and his First Lady. And this potential First Lady is the epitome of all that I am told a black woman is not. She is proof that we DO stand by our men, that we can encourage and help him achieve his highest goals. That we can take care of our families while juggling who knows what. That we can be strong enough to be weak, just for him. Dammit! What better image IS THERE?

So, I’m not going to justify why I’m voting for Barack anymore with the usual issues diatribe. If you ask me about his positions, programs, whatever….you won’t get my point of view on that stuff, nope. For me, I realize he made one choice that has sealed my vote and he did it long before an announcement in Springfield, IL last February. He sealed my vote by choosing the woman he calls “his rock”. He chose Michelle.