Michelle

The last physical fight I got into with anyone was back in 2004.  I was taking the night off.  My oldest daughter had been born in early September, and for my birthday in late October, I went out with a friend for dinner and beers.  As we downed our second pitcher, lamenting the Wild and Vikings, we were joined, unplanned, by an acquaintance, Bob, who happened to be out by himself.

The conversation turned to politics when I relayed the story of how, after my daughter was born in early September, I had a run in with a woman at the Fairview Southdale parking ramp, where she insisted "You hate the troops!"  A woman I'd never met was saying this due to my 'Veterans for Kerry' bumper sticker.  Yes, let that settle in for a second.  I informed her I was a former 'troop,' but it didn't stop her from screaming like a banshee about my "hating the country, how I cheered Bin Laden, and I hated the troops."  Delightful!

Bob, a Republican, a man who initially sounded sympathetic to the random screaming drive-by I'd gotten in Edina, pushed past my story to express his support for another four wears of W.  When I listed the reasons why I wouldn't be voting for him, a long and justifiable list which made Bob angrier by the talking point, the last one I mentioned was the persistent rumors of the Bush twins using secret service to underage drink and help cover up their indiscretions.  Bob immediately changed.  His face got red, his veins on his neck became more pronounced, and his fists clenched, as he ordered me, through gritted teeth, "Don't you dare bring the President's family into this."  Me, being a jackass, then brought up how I though Laura Bush smiling looked a lot like the Joker.

He took a swing at me; missed.  I got a pop in.  Bouncers and servers stepped in.  I was asked to leave.  Good times.

For the record, my main problem wasn't primarily the Bush twin's underage drinking, but rather the use of our Secret Service to act as not only their clean up squad, but in some cases, their enablers.  And no, I don't think former First Lady Laura Bush looks like the Joker.  I said that as a response to being ordered to not have an opinion.  Bob's swing showed off an emerging bipolar element of the modern Republican; when a Republican President is in office, their family is completely off limits, but when a Democrat wins you can make the worst comments about their families, heinous trope built around the worst of stereotypes.

The Obama's have had it worse than most, and 90% of it comes from them being African American.  I've had numerous internet memes sent to me about the First Lady, Michelle Obama, mainly featuring racist rhetoric, even comparing her to a monkey.  I get these not only from brick dumb Tea Baggers, but from 'Christians' I know, people who insist I can't take a joke when I point out their horrific bigotry.

Michelle Obama is vilified for many reasons.  First, because she's African American.  Second, because she's a woman.  Third because she's a Democrat, and the rest revolve around her being a far better role model than any Republican will ever be.  The GOP have used her initiative to get people to eat healthier as the catalyst of their criticism.  I wrote about the GOP hatred of her campaign to make school lunches healthier in the first real post on this blog.

Last night, yet another great insult was leveed her way, when the Republican nominee Donald Trump's wife Melania Trump, copied her speech from 2008 almost verbatim for two paragraphs.  See for yourself:

Not only is this incredibly stupid for Trump and the GOP, it's just lazy.  Today I've heard Republicans insist this was really Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's fault, that Michelle is the bad person for wanting to prevent other people from using any words she ever said, and even how Melania read it better, so Michelle should be grateful.  The only thing Republicans are being quiet about is an apology.  I'm wondering how long it takes for the same group of people who were convinced Jade Helm was real to create the Michelle Obama time travel theory, where she went to the future heard Melania read it, and took it back to 2008.  

I feel sorry for Michelle Obama right now.  They've tried to smear her in God awful ways for 8 years, and now they're trying to usurp her intellect.  In true white guy fashion, they steal something from an African American, and then claim either the African American never had a right to it in the first place, the African American made us take it from you, or the white guy originally came up with the idea so it's theirs (see almost all forms of music, sports, dance, style, food etc.).

Republicans will always tilt the playing field in the direction they want.  If Trump wins in November (HAHAHA) they'll insist the same standards they've held Michelle Obama to should never be applied to Melania, or any of the Trump family.  If Hillary wins, they'll go after Bill and Chelsea, just like they did in the 90's.  

In regards to Melania's plagiarism, I've had Republicans insist "Democrats do this ALL the time!"  Not they don't, but there was a similar case.  Back in 1988, Vice President Biden plagiarized a British politician and it ended his Presidential campaign that year.  When two Republicans heard me acknowledge that historic fact, they got all smug...until I pointed out there were actual consequences for Biden's plagiarism.  Understanding Melania Trump is a different situation, I put it to the GOP that shouldn't they, at the very least, demand the Trump campaign apologize to Michelle.  Funny, that's when ALL Republicans really want to stop talking about it, like a firm resolution is already in place, when nothing has been demanded of the Trump campaign in the slightest.  Republicans want the world to think both sides do it, but they don't want the world to punish the Republicans, while demanding a pound of Democratic flesh for violations far less heinous.

It's stuff like this which convinces me the modern Republican Party is a complete joke.

I think Nerdy Wonka on Twitter said it best - "Irony is: A racist campaign plagiarizing the work of the Black First Lady."  Indeed!