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Decision 2008 Propaganda Watch: "Angry Black Women"

By Fannie

When conservative pundit Cal Thomas recently said the following on FOX News, I just have a few questions. First, the quote:

In this campaign, we are being asked to accept three things simultaneously, the first woman with a credible chance of being president, the first African-American with the chance to being president and, whoever Michelle Obama is going to be styled, the angry black woman, first lady? This is an awful lot.

When Cal Thomas says "we are being asked" who does he include in the "we" portion of that clause? Certainly, the idea of a woman having a credible shot at the presidency isn't an "awful lot" for women to have to "accept." Nor is the idea of an African-American president an "awful lot" for African-Americans to have to "accept." Nor is it a lot for most people of any race or gender to "accept" considering the millions of people who voted for Clinton and Obama in the primaries.

So, when Cal Thomas says "we" under the presumption that he is speaking for us, the American people, I think he should really clarify that he's speaking on behalf of white men who are resistant to the idea of a female or African-American president.

I mean, if you read the entire exchange you'll see that it's a hot mess but did Thomas also really call Michelle Obama an "angry black woman"? I mean, he first used the non-incriminating passive voice to say that Michelle Obama "is going to be styled" as "angry black woman." But a few seconds later, he continues on to say that all black women on television are angry:

"Look at the image of angry black women on television. Politically you have Maxine Waters of California, liberal Democrat. She's always angry every time she gets on television. Cynthia McKinney, another angry black woman. And who are the black women you see on the local news at night in cities all over the country. They're usually angry about something. They've had a son who has been shot in a drive-by shooting. They are angry at Bush. So you don't really have a profile of non-angry black women." [emphasis added]

So yes. Yes he did.

Just checking.

When members of the media insist on making race an issue, particularly in a stereotypical fear-mongering way, no one should be surprised when black politicians and the black community says that race is still an issue in this country.

Full post as published by Fannie's Room on June 25, 2008 (boomark / email).