Michelle Obama Encourages African-American Students To Stop Aspiring To Be ‘A Baller

[theworldismine13]

Michelle Obama challenges black youth priorities – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

Washington (CNN) – Speaking at the historically black Bowie State University commencement Friday, first lady Michelle Obama called out African American youth for not challenging themselves to excel in school while instead fantasizing about being a “baller or a rapper.”

“Today, more than 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 50 years after the end of Separate But Equal, when it comes to getting an education too many of our young people just can’t be bothered,” Obama said. “Today instead of walking miles every day to school they’re sitting on couches for hours playing video games, watching TV instead of dreaming of being a teacher or lawyer or business leader they’re fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper.”


Citing her husband, the first lady urged students to “reject the slander that says a black child with a book is trying to act white.”

The first lady’s address also focused heavily on praising the fortitude of leaders in history, such as Frederick Douglas, Martin Luther King Jr., and The Little Rock Nine, who fought to improve educational opportunities for African Americans, despite many challenges they faced.

“It is that kind of unwavering determination — that relentless focus on getting an education in the face of obstacles –that’s what we need to reclaim, as a community and as a nation. That was the idea at the very heart of the founding of this school,” Obama said.

According to a White House press release, the first lady spoke at Bowie State University “because of its legacy as Maryland’s oldest historically black university.” It was founded in 1865.

Obama’s speech is one of many on her tour of graduation speeches this spring. Last Saturday she spoke at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. She will also be addressing high school graduating seniors at the Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet School in Nashville Tennessee on Saturday.

The speech took place in front of roughly 600 students on Friday at the Comcast Stadium in College Park, Maryland.

 

[QuintessentialBM]

Interesting.......

 

[50CentStan]

Peace be with you.

I think people like Michelle Obama are part of the problem, she tried so hard and befriended Beyonce a woman who is consistently living up and promoting stereo types about afro Americans and is married to a self proclaimed ex drug dealer, who raps about 'you want a nikka working hard at a 9 to 5, then 10 to 6, 2 jobs to survive, or do you want a baller that can shop and tear the mall up'
the Obamas are letting us down by keeping the company of people who are hands on in the destruction of the afro American community

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Peace be with you.

I think people like Michelle Obama are part of the problem, she tried so hard and befriended Beyonce a woman who is consistently living up and promoting stereo types about afro Americans and is married to a self proclaimed ex drug dealer, who raps about 'you want a nikka working hard at a 9 to 5, then 10 to 6, 2 jobs to survive, or do you want a baller that can shop and tear the mall up'
the Obamas are letting us down by keeping the company of people who are hands on in the destruction of the afro American community

So you can't be friendly with anyone whose views you don't agree with or lifestyle choices you don't promote?

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

So you can't be friendly with anyone whose views you don't agree with or lifestyle choices you don't promote?

I think that sums up the worldviews of half the regs on HL.

 

[Shogun]

So you can't be friendly with anyone whose views you don't agree with or lifestyle choices you don't promote?

I think if they were privately friends it would be less hypocritical. She's a public figure, and their relationship if intentionaly very public.

But I see your point.

 

[cleanface coney]

we know this already Michelle

how about we start showing more stories of black people building businesses from the ground up?those stories seem to be missing from our community or we dont shed light on them

im tired of this Kumbaya All American go to school fantasy bullshyt

not everybody gone wanna go to school and get into debt.... thats the reality i hate to say it

she not wrong tho im just sayin...sometimes the Obamas sound so out of touch imo

like a commercial to a certain extent

 

[Chris Mauro]

Tell Michelle to eliminate the scam known as student loans and lower the cost of college education


until then balling and rapping it is

 

[BlvdBrawler]

Peace be with you.

I think people like Michelle Obama are part of the problem, she tried so hard and befriended Beyonce a woman who is consistently living up and promoting stereo types about afro Americans and is married to a self proclaimed ex drug dealer, who raps about 'you want a nikka working hard at a 9 to 5, then 10 to 6, 2 jobs to survive, or do you want a baller that can shop and tear the mall up'
the Obamas are letting us down by keeping the company of people who are hands on in the destruction of the afro American community

 

[villain]

she sounds so out of touch and cacish.

How many people actually call reading books acting "white" ?

Are black people out in droves really trying to become rappers?

This shyt I only really hear from white people, it's not as prevalent in the community as people make it seem.

 

[MostReal]

Keep saying it Michelle & like others have said, show some examples of successful young black men & make it trendy

she sounds so out of touch and cacish.

How many people actually call reading books acting "white" ?

Are black people out in droves really trying to become rappers?

This shyt I only really hear from white people, it's not as prevalent in the community as people make it seem.

 

[IGSaint12]

she sounds so out of touch and cacish.

How many people actually call reading books acting "white" ?

Are black people out in droves really trying to become rappers?

This shyt I only really hear from white people, it's not as prevalent in the community as people make it seem.

The lack of educational accomplishment amongst the african american community is not something that should be swept under the rug, especially coming from the african american first lady and not a white person. You may not see it personally or recognize it but alot of black people look down on other blacks who don't talk with slang in every other sentence, or if they speak very clear and succintly. It's true no sense in denying it.

 

[rapbeats]

The lack of educational accomplishment amongst the african american community is not something that should be swept under the rug, especially coming from the african american first lady and not a white person. You may not see it personally or recognize it but alot of black people look down on other blacks who don't talk with slang in every other sentence, or if they speak very clear and succintly. It's true no sense in denying it.

actually you're wrong.

there's a different then speaking properly and sounding WHITE. sure if you speak properly they may think you are a "SQUARE." and you just may be a squares. squares dont do jail time often. so thats a good thing.

if you SOUND WHITE> you get called out for trying to sound WHITE. not speaking properly. i really wish people would get this.

 

[Master Teacher]

all she's saying is make sure learn something useful so you can be useful in society
everybody can't be beyonce and jay-z