Sally Quinn: The Nation's Embracing, and Embraceable, Arms
She has come under attack for exposing her arms. They are toned and muscular, burnished and beautiful. That has to be threatening to some. For some men, often, a strong woman makes them feel diminished. For some feminists, the idea of an educated woman not taking on a full-time serious job is a frightening throwback.What can I say but gimme a big fat break.
"May I change the subject," said a prominent Washington theologian at a recent dinner. The conversation had been high-minded -- religion, philosophy, the nature of evil. "I'd like to talk about Michelle Obama's arms," he said.He is a big fan of those arms. We then began a discussion about the significance of the first lady's arms. Actually, it turned out to be equally serious. Michelle Obama's arms, we determined, were transformational. Her arms are representative of a new kind of woman: young, strong, vigorous, intelligent, accomplished, sexual, powerful, embracing and, most of all, loving.
She's not afraid to declare herself a mother:
Today is Mother's Day. Today we should celebrate Michelle Obama's arms as the arms of a mother.
This is a woman who has the courage to say "I am mom in chief" and make her children and her family -- unapologetically -- her No. 1 priority. She is able to do this because she is so intelligent and accomplished that she doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. She is healthy enough to be able to say, this is who I am, these are my values and my priorities.
Michelle Obama happens to be physically beautiful. She is tall, regal, elegant and statuesque, and her power has been enhanced by that attractiveness. Jackie Kennedy had that kind of power in a different era, and she was able to use it (and her bare arms) in a symbolic way to accomplish as much as she did in the arts. One does not have to be beautiful to be a mother. Being a good mother is beautiful in itself.Inspiring. It goes on and on. Excuse me while I go cut my throat.
*ETA:
Ms. Quinn and Tom Shales are in competition for most ardent Obama media-admirers. Remember Mr. Shales, torn between the possibilities:
We like our Obama tough even though we also like, and probably prefer, our Obama gentle."We"?
Mr. Shales' editor is not his friend.
**And by the way, what was Laura Bush, as a mother and a woman, chopped liver?
***"Burnished"?
****Take it away, Suzanna, and Little Miss A.
*****Sundries Shack: Jimmie on his mom. :)
******Linked by Michelle Malkin.
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