Is this a joke? A Black woman in the White House (finally) and the only connection you can make is about her butt?

Well, of course the post-civil rights era was insignificant. It produced you!

I won't waste much time or space regaling you with disciplinary hand slaps, that was your mama's job. I just need to point out to your readers that YOU and this article are the result of not enough Black parents teaching their children what it is to be a strong, Black female in modern society. So, oftentimes we have to choose: either its the asexual battle ax persona or the low-rent whore. You sound like you still cannot commit to being an (obviously) intelligent and thoughtful person; you need to make a stereotype of yourself, dragging Michelle Obama with you, because that's what the White man has told you is acceptable. Take the following quote of yours:

"So anxious and indignant were we about Michelle getting attacked for saying anything about America that conservatives could turn into mud, we hardly looked south of her neck. I noted her business suits and the fact she hardly ever wore pants (unlike Hillary). As I gradually relaxed, as Michelle strode onto more stages and people started focusing on her clothes and presence instead of her patriotism, it dawned on me -- good God, she has a butt!"

So sorry you couldn't keep up, but I hardly looked south of Obama's neck during the campaign because I was actually listening to the issues! Now, just as I was beginning to celebrate the idea that a presidential campaign and first term may actually be about resolving those dire issues, which we so desperately need them to be, we have YOU to thank for bringing everything back to our hair and the shape of our bodies. Can a sista catch a damned break??

Don't think I don't understand what salon.com's mission is. I know we can't be serious all the time. Michelle Obama is a beautiful woman. She does wear some very nice dresses. But dwelling on a subject like this -- long enough to write 1000-plus words -- no matter how cute you think it is, is counter-intuitive to our collective goal as a people: not just Black folks, but the American people.

Therefore, you're absolutely right about one thing: the jig is up.

Time for you to go put something in your brain and stop watching hip hop videos and fantasizing that you can be the prefect cross between a scholarly sister and a video vixen. Get a clue. And then get a solid, well-formed opinion.

Kellie Murphy

Staff Writer

Philadelphia Weekly

I too, as a 50 year old Black Male revel in the beauty of seeing a dark brown skinned African-American woman, full of hip as a first lady...hopefully she'll put down the hot comb from time to time and let her natural wooly hair see the light of day!

Yes indeedy, Michelle will give a new answer to what a female's body is suppose to look like. I agreed with your entire article but wonder if you realize that Hilary wore pantsuits so often because the dang pundits would criticize her about her ankles when they found nothing else to criticize. Oh, the pain of being a bright female politician!! (Ps. I say this even though I supported Obama from the get-go).

It is one thing to complement the looks of the first lady. She can be described in a number of flattering terms. She's hot. She's beautiful. You could probably get away with saying she's sexy in most circles.

Or, if you disagree, you could probably say things like "I don't find her as attractive as you all are saying," etc.

But it is a bit much to start talking in detail about her body parts. I could provide any number of examples that would demonstrate the sad place that this leads. But I don't want to go there. I hope you will use your own imagination, and then decide you don't want to go there either.

Good catch about the posters receiving red stars being those few who agree with Ms. Kaplan.

Okay, now I agree with Ms. Kaplan. She rocks! As does Ms. Obama's butt!

Red star?

If this is a joke, it's not funny. If it isn't a joke, it's simply appalling.

SHE IS THE FIRST LADY AND YOU JUST WROTE (AND SALON PUBLISHED) AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ABOUT HER ASS!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SMOKING???

I love Michelle Obama as a role model for all girls and women in this country, as well as the Obamas' relationship. Compared to how people reacted to Bill and Hillary back in 1992, it's great to see voters unintimidated by a powerful First Couple, rather than a male President with a wife to smile demurely and serve tea.

First Ladies haven't really been judged by their looks - more by their manners and etiquette. Hillary was never anyone's idea of a fashion model. No one's ever talked about Laura Bush...or Barbara Bush. Cindy McCain would have been the exception to the rule, as was Jackie Kennedy. The general opinion of Cindy was that she was too skinny. Times have changed, even if fashion magazines and movie studios haven't gotten the message yet.

White girls have butts too, you know, and it's no longer a source of shame. Perhaps its my age, but girls with a booty were proud of them and those of us without were jealous when I was in high school and college. Nothing's changed as I've moved into the professional world.

By all means, celebrate a strong black woman as the face of our nation. Celebrate a woman with a great personal style and brains to match, who is comfortable in her own skin, whatever the color or size. But the booty focus is too much, too stereotypical. I enjoyed the spirit of the article, but can't help but cringe as soon as a black woman is judged this way. All women, of all races, have been trying to get away from that for quite some time.