Wait a Minute, Babe.
So yesterday First Lady Michelle Obama was at a private home fundraiser in Washington, DC. A female heckler interrupted her about 12 minutes into her 20 minute speech.
Ms. Obama confronted the heckler, leaving the podium and walking to her in the crowd.
” ‘One of the things that I don’t do well is this,’ replied [Obama] to loud applause. She left the lectern and moved over to the protester, saying they could ‘listen to me or you can take the mic, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice.’
They chose Ms. Obama.
I am a strong support of gay rights, but to heckle the President’s wife is just a tad of what we nicely refer to as freekin’ damn rude.
Here’s the catcher.
The heckler, later identified as Ellen Sturtz from the campaign that advocates for lesbians and gays, told the Post that the first lady “came right down in my face. … I was taken aback.”
So you think the First Lady of the United States of Damn America should politely let you interrupt her speech that other people donated money to come hear? Babe, you are way out of your league.
Ms. Sturtz, there is a difference between guts and gall. Both were exhibited that day. Ms. Obama has guts.
Thanks to Pam for the heads up.
Michelle in 2016!
1she is a class act all the way.
2One can be a successful advocate, or one can be rude. It seems unlikely that Ms. Sturtz accomplished anything other than the disdain of those who had to listen to her and the embarassment of those who agree with her goals.
3I blame on the Rethugs. Their constant disrespect of this President and his wife has seeped into the general public–just like a deadly virus.
4This administration has backed gay rights – and this is how this woman reacts? Stupid. I wish Michelle had back-handed her (well, not Michelle, but possibly the hostess).
5I don’t get it. Why would a gay rights activist heckle Michelle Obama?
I mean, this administration has done more for gay rights than all previous administrations combined. Despite a tremendously obstinate right whose only goal is to make sure nothing is done.
6The best way to stop a bully is to make them feel some pain for the bullying. Sounds as though it worked.
Note that afterwards the bully will typically cast herself as the real victim.
7I totally agree with you Uncle Dave. Ms Sturtz, at the age of 56(!) should know better than to have a two-year-old-like temper tantrum. She needs a lengthy session in the time out corner.
8Hooboy.
9That woman was handled perfectly and called out for her offensive behavior. Michelle Obama is awesome.
10And gays wonder why so many people are against them. As an old gay man, I can tell you that she probably set back her”cause” by several degrees. That’s about as rude as one can be, I think. They don’t have to wonder why I don’t support a lot of things they do………not my style.
11Yes, the First Lady is utterly awesome. With her legal experience and raising two kids, she is not likely to take sass from anyone! The heckler should have been vetted by her organization before attending the function and told what the rules are. Ten to one nobody did that so she just took off and flew solo — and crashed. I bet the host/hostess of the function had a herd of longhorned kittens over this and is doing something muscular as in contacting the organization the heckler came from and dancing on their heads with her lawyer.
12Someone, and why are we not surprised, it was this brilliant First Lady ….. finally figured out…. how to handle rude, crude, impolite, hecklers.
Confront them. Offer them the floor. Ask your audience, who paid big bucks to be there….. who they want to hear. If they want to pay to hear a heckler….. fine…. let her talk. Let them make the choice
If they want to hear the Speaker they paid the big bucks to hear….. because people can’t listen to two people talk at the same time….. one has to go.
Absolutely brilliant!
13So the heckler was all, “…she was in my face..”. Well, what did you expect? Mrs. Obama defended her own right to speak and this wacko was shocked? Meet the great and powerful FLOTUS.
14If Michelle Obama was in her face, it’s probably because Mrs. Obama has the class to walk up to the person she is addressing, and make her remarks direct, and more private than they would be if said through a microphone. Not just loud and shouted out while someone else was speaking. Try this Ms Sturtz, the next time you are in line waiting to buy groceries, start shouting at the checkout clerk that you think she isn’t fast enough and taking care of the business you need attended to. You might get more than one person up in your face, it they don’t all back away from you.
15Michele Obama’s reaction compares to Beyonce’s reaction recently when a fan crossed the line during one of her performances recently. In neither case did the public figure tolerate the audience’s uncivil behavior.
http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/05/28/VIDEO-Fan-slaps-Beyonces-butt-during-concert/3631369753006/
Let’s hope that more public figures draw the line. No one in that situation should have to be victims of unwarranted abuse.
16Why would an LGBT activist go after THIS First Lady at THIS time in history? Wouldn’t her spleen be better vented if she were accosting the Christo-fascists gumming up the electoral process and ruining our country?
This would be akin to Harriet Tubman heckling Mary Lincoln in 1863 because the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t go far enough.
CONTEXT, people! Context!
17That person does NOT speak for this lesbian. I have manners. I keep them in a kitchen drawer.
18Being obnoxious usually doesn’t work under any circumstances other than making yourself look like an AH. Doing it at someone else’s home, at an event where someone arranged to have the First Lady speak, makes the rudeness meter explode.
19She picked the wrong lady to heckle. There may be a ton of polarization about the President, but with her approval ratings and the way the rest of the country feels about her, razzing the First Lady is a losing proposition. This idiot did no favors for the LBGT Community.
20@Miemaw,
21“Confront them. Offer them the floor.” Right you are!
Ever watch Barney Frank do that at a “Town Hall” meeting? It was both great theatre and totally effective.
Did you intend to say that she advocates AGAINST lesbians and gays?
Actually against seems more reasonable!
But the more that I read the quote, the less that I understand what I just read.
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