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• Tuesday, November 18, 2008 08:18 AM

  Joan

  You wrote: I have loved Erin Aubry Kaplan's writing since before I joined Salon, and I'm proud of this piece. If having a black president and first lady is going to narrow what we talk about, wow, that would be sad. But I promise it won't -- at least not on Salon.-- Joan Walsh

  Since when does not harping about "boo-tay" preclude interesting, intelligent and jubilant discourse on having a black president and first lady? Or relevantly "narrow" what we talk about. I'm amazed you see no alternative to trashy, superficial stereotyping of a wonderful addition to our nation's history.

  Honestly, you sound like a kid arguing. Well, if we can't talk about the First Lady's butt, then we just can't say anything at all. Not on my watch. Hmmmph. Free speech! Democracy.

  I thought you were better than this. And better able to make reasonable distinctions.

  I don't see how this is any better than the Republican committee person who sent around the flyer with pictures of fried chicken and watermelon. Would you fight for that? There is really only a nuanced difference here. The difference is a black woman wrote the article this time. But the effect beyond her cackling "look at my butt it's in the White House" is that it diminshes our elegant First Lady on the national and world stage. Is that who we really are?

  Will Kaplan be disappointed if Obama doesn't rap the oath of office?

  I've met Michelle Obama and her family. With her hard work and her many accomplishments, I think she would find the fact that someone has aspired to see their body type get to the White House, offensive.

  You are so wrong.

  —Nita Martin Read Nita Martin's other letters
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