The old saying “A hit dog will holler” has been used to great effect to call out those acting less than decent and trying ardently to defend their foul actions or intentions. After former
First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about the rise of racially charged events that have occurred over the past few years in an upcoming interview, many on
right-wing Twitter are lashing out.
Mrs. Obama sat down with
CBS This Morning for an interview that airs this coming Monday (May 10), and she went into further details regarding a statement she and former President Barack Obama made in the wake of the Derek Chauvin verdict, the former officer who killed George Floyd.
While Mrs. Obama expressed that the verdict was indeed a pleasing result in the name of justice, she cautioned that there are still hurdles ahead as it relates to race relations and policing in this country.
Love Black America Web? Get more! Join the Black America Web Newsletter
We care about your data. See our privacy policy.
“We know that while we’re all breathing a sigh of relief over the verdict, there’s still work to be done. And so we, we can’t sort of say, ‘Great. That happened. Let’s move on,’” Obama said to host Gayle King. “I know that people in the Black community don’t feel that way because many of us still live in fear.”
When referencing her daughters, Mrs. Obama added, “Every time they get in a car by themselves, I worry about what assumption is being made by somebody who doesn’t know everything about them. The fact that they are good students and polite girls. But maybe they’re playin’ their music a little loud. Maybe somebody sees the back of their head and makes an assumption. The innocent act of getting a license puts fear in our hearts.”
What seemingly rankled the right-wing segment of social media and critics of the Obama administration was Mrs. Obama’s nod towards the work done by Black Lives Matter and related activist organizations on the ground.
“I think we have to talk about it more. And we have to ask our fellow citizens to listen a bit more, and to believe us, and to know we don’t wanna be out there marchin’. I mean, all those Black Lives Matters kids, they’d rather not have to worry about this. They’re takin’ to the streets because they have to. They’re tryin’ to have people understand that that we’re real folks, and the fear that many have of so many of us is irrational. And it’s based on a history that is just, it’s sad and it’s dark. And it’s time for us to move beyond that,” Mrs. Obama said.
As it stands, the reaction from all sides was robust with many giving praise to Mrs. Obama. On the other side, some accused the mother of two of race-baiting and stoking fires of violence, but that is a largely unfounded ideal that only supports the unproven theories of detractors and pro-police factions of the Internet.
Keep scrolling to get the reaction from all sides on Twitter.
