Oops, she did it again; Michelle Obama opens her yap

We haven't seen too much of her lately, and we thought it had to do with her views that seem intertwined with Reverend Jeremiah Wright, albeit not nearly as controversial. Jim Hoft and Captain Ed take note of this newest nugget from Michelle Obama. This excerpt comes from a speech she gave at the University of South Carolina in Janury, right before the primaries:

We don’t like being pushed outside of our comfort zones. You know it right here on this campus. You know people sitting at different tables- you all living in different dorms. I was there. You’re not talking to each other, taking advantage that you’re in this diverse community. Because sometimes it’s easier to hold on to your own stereotypes and misconceptions. It makes you feel justified in your own ignorance. That’s America. So the challenge for us is are we ready for change?

I can't speak much for my college times because I wasn't nearly as social then as I was in high school. Yeah, I hung out in college, but it was mostly with the guys I hung out with in high school. I met a few new friends in college, and yes a couple were Hispanic; a couple were black. So the idea that we stay stuck in our own little circles and won't go outside of them doesn't exactly mesh in my world. (Of course, I'm sure that the beginning of that statement is more true than I know.)

But I have a problem with her calling people ignorant because they opt to stick to their own circle of friends. Look at the college campuses around the country, and see how the people segregate themselves. Blacks stick with blacks, Hispanics with Hispanics, whites with whites, etc. Look beyond race, and you see similar cliques. Whether the issue is race, religion, sexual identity, or even hobbies, people stick to the circle of friends they have.

Does that mean they always stick to them, and don't venture out of them? Hardly. I used to play pick-up basketball with guys that I knew from college. I didn't hang out with them regularly, but we did enjoy the time we spent playing basketball. Diversity only comes around when we choose to take that step. Staying within our own circle doesn't come from some latent racism or sexism, but just from the fact that we are comfortable with friends we have.

If anyone is ignorant, it's Michelle Obama for believing that the majority of this nation is still stuck on racism. If that were true, we'd still have sanctioned segregation. We haven't had that in decades, and it's time for Michelle Obama open up her eyes.

Publius II