Most have, by now, probably heard about Michelle Obama being accused of behaving like Queen Marie Antoinette due to her lavish vacation to the shores of Spain. Although I take a somewhat more critical view of the First Lady (who should spend her money here in such times as these) Elena Maria Vidal of Tea at Trianon explains in detail how Michelle Obama is NOT behaving like the martyred Queen of France and why the frustratingly persistent reputation of Marie Antoinette is totally undeserved. In fact, our First Lady would do well to *try* to be much more like the compassionate Queen of France. It would be an immense improvement.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Michelle Obama is no Marie Antoinette
Most have, by now, probably heard about Michelle Obama being accused of behaving like Queen Marie Antoinette due to her lavish vacation to the shores of Spain. Although I take a somewhat more critical view of the First Lady (who should spend her money here in such times as these) Elena Maria Vidal of Tea at Trianon explains in detail how Michelle Obama is NOT behaving like the martyred Queen of France and why the frustratingly persistent reputation of Marie Antoinette is totally undeserved. In fact, our First Lady would do well to *try* to be much more like the compassionate Queen of France. It would be an immense improvement.
AMEN!!!!
ReplyDeleteProbably wishful thinking--when will the media love with the First Lady ever end?
ReplyDeleteI doubt it will. They have so invested themselves in the Obama administration as the "second coming" that I think they're in too deep to ever pull out without having to openly admit that real impartial journalism is dead and buried.
ReplyDeleteThe Obama administration, and Marie Antoinette, do illustrate well Machiavelli's Principles though. Often success or failure depends less on real Talent and Ability, or on objective accomplishments, and more on Public Image and how the Populace thinks.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, Monarchy is often derided by both Conservatives and Liberals because we see it as oppressive and Tyrannical, and Democracy praised because it is about Freedom and Justice. Thus, anyone we don't like is "Acting like a Monarch" and those we do would be referred to as " the Vanguard of Democracy" , irrespective of how they actually are, or how either system actually is. We rely on the Emotional reaction to the words, not the reality. In this way Modern Secularists have won massive battles over the Hearts and Minds of todays world by simply giving the word "Religion" a negative Emotional connotation. Of course, their own beliefs are not Religion, or anythign like Religion, and anyone who is not Religious thinks just like them. They define what is and is no a Religion, and no one notices how contradictory their definition is. Example: Hitchens claims Religion is belief in gods and supernatural powers in part of his "god Is Not Great" book, only to claim that the Soviet Union and Communism in General is a Religion, because it has a Holy Book and tenets adhered to unquestioningly. Never mind that his Humanism is just as blindly believed and adhered to.
As to this topic, Marie Antoinette may not have been evil, and was actually compassionate, but the slander against her is a proven fact and incontrovertible Truth to the vast majority of Historically illiterate and improperly educated people today, thus, if you want to defame Mrs. Obama, the comparison makes sense. They aren't comparing her tot he real Marie, they are comparing her to the mythic Marie that is the reality most people Live, and using it as a cheap shot. "Let them eat Cake" is how Marie is.
The Media's love affair with Obama is equally of this strength. By now the Media knows full well he has not lived up to their exuberant, and quiet unrealistic, expectations, but as MM said, they can't back down without admitting their own Folly, and complacency, and Cooperative nature of their reporting. It would ruin them. Besides, Obama is still a Liberals Liberal, and the best chance for taking America leftward, especially amongst the Youth and Black Populations. He will implement the Ideologies they had been Indoctrinated with in Universities, and this is what they will cheer.
And they will try to sculpt his image int he same way they did Bush's, only with Bush it was to attack him, for Obama its to prop him up. Obama is such a Monumental Failure as a President that even they can't present him as a massive success without breaking with Reality, and even they are greatly disappointed in him, but he is there hope and they need him, so expect Further, if Fainter, Praise.