I don't know why there's any feminist outrage at a writer for remarking about Michelle O's appearance. I don't recall outrage over HRC exploiting her own when she posed for Vanity Fair back in her First Lady days. If I recall correctly she was in a close fitting black evening gown, supine on an expensive divan with an intentionally alluring expression on her face.

The First Lady doing her damndest to look sexy didn't elicit any feminist ire that I can recall. Somebody else talking about the particulars of Ms. Obama's countenance hardly seems innappropriate or precedent setting.

I think it's hard to understand this if you don't grow up as a minority. To see someone who looks like you be accepted and recognized by society is very self-affirming. It's like finally you have registered in the collective consciousness, and people like you are seen as real individuals rather than caricatures or shallow stock characters. I am of Asian descent, born and raised in Toronto -- there's no shortage of Asian people here, but it's still rare that you see Asians in the media or in the public sphere. So when I see somebody like Grace Park in Battlestar Galactica, or John Cho in Harold & Kumar -- characters that aren't the usual kungfu-y laundromat Chinese food delivery clarinet-playing nerdy sidekick -- my heart does a little happy dance. When Adrienne Clarkson (née Poy, born in Hong Kong) became Governor-General of Canada, I felt very proud. The current GG of Canada is Michaëlle Jean, who immigrated to Canada as a child from Haiti -- another absolutely beautiful black woman.

It is not that you can't relate at all to people of other races, but it's almost a relief to finally see yourself represented.

I'm a white woman who sees only a powerful, beautiful female. Never noticed her booty, I must add. Actually most photos I've seen have been frontal. I have noticed her flat abs and great muscle tone throughout.

Maybe we tend to notice in other women what we see as our own vulnerabilities.

Joan Walsh writes:

"If having a black president and first lady is going to narrow what we talk about, wow, that would be sad."

Much of the backlash against the backlash to this article seems to be focusing on more-or-less first amendment issues -- Salon has a right to print this work and so they should. That is beside the point. There is no shortage of magazines, tabloids, and so on to read about the president's dog, body shape, toothpaste, etc. What we are missing increasingly are editors willing to make the decision to report hard news and analysis and eschew this nonsense. There are now too many Erin Kaplans and too few Glenn Greenwalds.

that seems to be your calling card...BTW please deal with my questions do are your jewish comrades still calling Black activists 'swartzas;..?

and of course you have zero talent in composing satire in here..

I think that about covers your obvious shortcomings......BTW given your lousy skills with satire please stay away from your expertize on Black woman and Black parenting..

Thanks for now......

When I see Grace Park on "Battlestar Galactica," my heart isn't the only part of me that does a happy little dance. :) Since we're talking science fiction shows, I think you missed your chance to point out George Takei, whose "Sulu" broke the stereotypical Asian character 40 years ago.

Anyway, I understand what you're saying, and as a Jewish guy, I'm sure I was relieved when I finally saw a Jewish character on TV or in the movies who wasn't a 90 pound neurotic nerd. The thing about this article, though, is that it didn't focus on the fact that Michelle Obama is neither a stereotypical ho' or rotund comic relief representation of a black woman, but rather an accomplished, attractive, personable black woman, period; instead, it focused on her ass. It's a booty, sure, but it just seems so wrong at this point in U.S. history to focus on this particular woman's ass.

Anyway, I thought black women obsessed about hair.

My Salon calling card is that I'm a militant vegan who can't shut up when the issue is animal-related, not a Jewish lawyer. And for what it's worth (which with you, is nothing), neither I nor any Jew I know, including my octogenarian father, ever referred to blacks as shvartzes -- and we're from The City.

It was funny, though, when Mel Brooks' Indian chief used that word.

You are amusing me...obviously you know very little about Black woman other than the myths about Black woman and thier hair..

You remind me of my clients they eat egg rolls, tacos, fried chicken and they become ethnic experts as a result..i find this a cultural trait of white folks this ability to be instant experts with little depth and factual information...

Next time you want info on Black woman and hair ..call me or email me I know plenty of them some even in my home..planeidea@msn.com

Thrasher, my line about black women and their hair as a joke.

Now I remember why I created my old rule about not responding to you.

Adios, Greg.

You remind of me of my jewish friends I oft ask the why they are so envious and obessed with Black folks is becuase of our rythm, ability to be great leaders, talent, etc.. They told me they always like to tell gentiles they are jewish but because they are white is hard for other whites to know if they are jewish..

Becuase we cannot hide our hue many of my jewish friends wish they had could be black so then can really be special and the chosen people...

OY

please correct my spelling and start with the yiddish orgin of the word and it present day negativity in your jewish community towards people like me ( BLACK MALE)

Shalom

Well, if nothing else, this little maelstrom has proved to me that a full 80% of Joan Walsh's readership can run intellectual circles around her all day long.

I hope she has a fridge and coffee-maker under her desk- she's sure been hiding under there long enough...