also going on this week: trash talk about one of the 1st daughters

[netmouse]

On Thursday the DailyKos pointed out that people were criticising Malia Obama for wearing t-shirts, especially one with a peace sign and talking trash about her in general. The freerepublic.com discussion thread has been pulled, but a number of the comments were captured on the DailyKos site.

I appreciate abydosangel's comments about this, and the connections she gives to other hateful things going on. I've been reading about this trash talk for a couple days and feeling really sad that there are so many cruel and stupid people in this country.

One cynical part of my brain looks at the picture of Malia in the peace T-shirt and wonders if part of this disgusting reaction isn't because she was walking next to a sexy (darker) black guy. "Of course she's a ghetto whore - look who she's hanging out with!" *shakes head*

She's a not-quite-11-year-old girl.

This country, man. It is *so* messed up.

Comparing her picture to one of the pictures linked to in comments of Sarah Palin and her daughter Willow made me laugh though. Such a stark contrast to the collected, tailored style and grace that Malia displays even in her shorts and t-shirt.

Comments

[supergee.livejournal.com]

The Freepoid babble about Malia is repulsive, but I fail to see where white feminists discussing rape culture are just as bad.

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

I'm glad this comment recognizes that you are failing to see something, but I am concerned that you are saying this intending to imply that because you fail to see it, it probably isn't true.

I suspect there may be a history of feminist discussion of which you (and I) are not aware, but which has informed the author's statement. You could ask her if she can clarify her comment, because you don't understand it. I encourage you to do so, if you think you can phrase that question in a respectful, non-dismissive way, recognizing that it's not her responsibility to educate you in order for you to ackowledge that she may have a valid point you don't have sufficient grounding in the topic to appreciate.

I have seen references to a lot of instances to feminist discussions in which white women have discounted the value and voices of women of color, and the experiences they have. Those references tend to lend validity to abydosangel's allusion, in my mind, even though I'm not sure specifically what she's referring to there.

"rape culture" sounds like a specific, almost academic term to me. There was a panel at wiscon about it but I was unable to attend it.

[theferrett.livejournal.com]

As someone who doesn't always dress well, I can tell you that I've looked quite a bit like this picture of Palin and company at times just before I go for a run. I'm not particularly graceful, and I don't always look smooth or suave, and the implication I get from this final fillip here is that "looking stylish and comporting yourself with grace == greater wisdom and intellect."

It seems to me to be just another form of -ism that you should work to avoid.

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

I wasn't reacting to the posture, I was reacting to Willow's tight short-cut jean shorts and girl-stud belt. And T-shirt, but that's fine. this whole girls in a t-shirt thing doesn't bother me and I don't believe it should bother anyone, but I found Malia's clothes and deportment more appealing.

The Palin family was at the fundraiser run as a political move, not just to go for "a run".

Did I say something about wisdom and intellect?

Could you put a title on this ism? because it's just "carrying yourself with poise and style = carrying yourself with poise and style" to me.

No one should be expected to do it all the time, but that doesn't mean it's an 'ism' to admire someone when she does do it.