In an article for The Root, Rebecca Walker writes: "Michelle Obama embodies feminist goals, and in her determination to live in sync with a vision larger than her gender and individual ego, she surpasses them. This is no time or place to be paralyzed by dogma. She cannot lie in bed and wonder if her choices are feminist enough or whether they send the correct message to women around the world. She can accept her role at the center of history and rely on her aspiration to be her best self to transcend narrow categories of feminist identity and, in doing so, inspire others to the same. In other words, Michelle Obama doesn't need a message. She is the message."

Walker, who writes the Seeds blog for The Root -- and wrote about her own experiences of feminism and motherhood in her recent book Baby Love, was online Wednesday, November 19 to discuss Michelle Obama as a wife, mother, lawyer, African-American and first lady -- and what her handling of all these roles and more may mean for a new generation of women.

A transcript follows.

____________________

Gainesville, Fla.: I enjoyed your column, but I have a question/thought. Don't you think it's important to ask questions about Michelle and feminism? Isn't that essential to making progress, and figuring out what "feminism" means in 2008? We still have a lot of social inequality in this country, and if we accept that Michelle is just doing what she does - and is not being told what to do because the Obamas' political handlers need her to look reassuring and normal to keep some of the population from freaking out over the first black first family - aren't we accepting too much? Could we imagine Bill Clinton taking on the kinds of roles she has been taking on? I think there's an element of political theatre here, even if she is sincere in taking her role as a mom very seriously. Anyway, I'm not really sure what my question is, but I think this is more complicated than "Michelle gave up her job but is still a feminist," because I think that's clear from observing her. I think there are more complicated questions about feminism and the country's perception of her going on.

Rebecca Walker: Hello friends. Happy to be here to answer some of your great questions. Let's start with the question from Gainesville.

The point of the piece is really to ask whether we need to contextualize Michelle's experience within the traditional discourse of victim feminism. Instead of talking about what she may be giving up, how about talking more about what she's gaining?

Obviously there are handlers, and she is obviously playing her role in political theater--her ability to shift into that role naturally speaks to something organic in her rather than contrived.

Feminism can be manifested in many ways--we can accept that feminism has created positive outcomes that don't need further tampering, and it can also highlight the agency of women, rather than the ways in which they are subjugated.

I'd like to see Michelle Obama contextualized within a positive feminism discourse rather than one that takes de facto, her victimization.

_______________________

Rockville, Md.: I am always a bit puzzled by people who think that, when women make certain decisions about their careers and their families (and whether to have either or both), those women might somehow be betraying the message/ideals behind feminism. My philosophy, as a woman who unhesitatingly identifies herself as a feminist, is that the movement was all about women being able to make those choices in the first place, instead of having others determine for us what paths we were to take or what roles we would play and how we'd play them. I don't think Mrs. Obama should be concerned about whether she is sending the "right" message, because she had choices and she decided to do what made sense for her and her family. What do others think of this?

Rebecca Walker: I agree--and I think there must be a point in which we acknowledge the gains of feminism. As I wrote in the piece, Michelle is the message. She's achieved all of the items on the agenda of second wave feminism, and also the aspects of womanhood that were somewhat denigrated by the movement, i.e. a respect for motherhood, and partnership (she clearly doesn't think a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle, for example). This freedom, this decision to refuse to be constrained by typical definitions of feminism, means to me she measures herself by her own criteria--and isn't that the ultimate expression of one's humanity? This doesn't need to be coopted by feminism--she is the message for self-determination beyond gender.

_______________________

Plainville, Conn.: Hi, I believe I read somewhere that when Michelle Obama was an undergraduate she ate by herself because nobody would come up to her table and offer to enjoy a meal with her because of the discrimination that existed with the students at the university she went to. Would you know if that story is true? thank you.

Rebecca Walker: I don't know if that story is true, but I went to Yale and there was a good deal of distance between the various communities on campus. When people of color and women enter into institutions previously designated for the white male elite, there is friction, the suffering of change. I don't doubt she faced difficulties. I did, and I entered the Ivy League several years after she did. For instance, on my first day of school, a senator's son told me I got into Yale because I was black. He didn't think for one moment he got in because his father was a senator. The fact is we were both qualified, or at least I know I was! Many other examples, too many to list here.

_______________________

Helena, Mont.: Isn't it unrealistic to expect Michelle Obama to continue with her career when living in the White House? The spouse of the president - true if Bill Clinton, Todd Palin, or Michelle Obama - has certain responsibilities unless he/she wanted to name a surrogate. So Michelle would not have the same life she had before election - that, undoubtedly, is one of the things she thought through before agreeing to support Obama in his campaign. One of the things I have heard her discussing, however, is using her "bully pulpit" to help other women get support in their work/family issues, particularly military families where one or other parent is on extended duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. So, she will be doing work and will have her own issues, just not the same as she had before the election.

Rebecca Walker: I completely agree with you Montana. In the NPR show done in tandem with the essays on The Root, the issue of whether Michelle will have power came up. To me, this is a no brainer, she will be one of the most powerful women in the world. But Anna Perez, former press secretary for Barbara Bush said she will have influence but no power, a view that made me think about how many different kinds of power there are. Martin Luther King and Eleanor Roosevelt didn't vote on legislation, for example, and yet, can you say they didn't have power?

My feeling is its clear she will do lots of good work in her position, that she will make it her own. She's a brilliant woman with serious know-how. I don't have a shadow of a doubt she will find a way to make a major impact on the lives of the others.

_______________________

Anonymous: WILL SOMEONE HELP MRS. OBAMA WITH HER CLOTHING SELECTIONS? AND THOSE DARLING LITTLE GIRLS... MAYBE IN SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PHOTOGRAPHED IN "TOWN AND COUNTRY" NOT SPAGHETTI STRAPS ON A TEN YEAR OLD!

Rebecca Walker: I love how engaged with Michelle's fashion people are. Some say it's trivial and part of the way a woman is only thought of in terms of her appearance. But there is something deeper going on in my view--she expresses herself, like most of us, through her fashion choices, and she makes some interesting ones, all strategic and yet all seeming to remain true to who she is. When I go to my closet I make a choice based on where I'm going and what aspect of myself I want to project.

There is a symbolic power to personal aesthetics, as well, and so far I think her overall aesthetic is fresh and exciting. The fact that people want to know what she will say about herself and how she will define her role and context is normal and fair.

It also says we as a culture care about aesthetics and beauty, and I have no problem with that. Human beings have been adorning themselves and making choices and interacting through fashion since the dawn of time.

_______________________

New York: Today, Howard Kurtz (a Republican hack) parrots blogs obsessing with Michelle's posterior. Isn't this beneath the pale? I don't recall anyone going on about Laura Bush's massive thighs, and I'm guessing anyone who did would never be parroted in the Post.

washingtonpost.com: Media Notes (Nov. 19) -- the article Howard refers to is from Salon.com.

Rebecca Walker: Yes. Some discussion is inappropriate and in my view, racist, playing on old tropes. The focus on the posterior of the black woman can be traced back to the Venus Hottentot, a woman captured in Africa and displayed as a circus freak because of her "large" posterior. This has been carried through for decades as a way to demean black women, to suggest they are freakish, and less refined as a result of their body type. In fact, when you look at fertility fetishes from thousands of years ago, just these attributes are emphasized. So we run the risk of contextualizing a element connected to fertility as undesirable. I'm not sure if there is connection to the epidemic in infertility in the Western world, but hey! It should be on the table for discussion. Anorexic women have a very hard time getting pregnant.

_______________________

Pittsburgh: Almost by definition, won't Michelle Obama be more feminist than her predecessor, who reputedly enjoyed mainly reading and smoking?

Rebecca Walker: I think Michelle Obama will be less likely to be constrained, primarily because she knows how to work within power structures in a sophisticated way that is in tandem with the goals of the overall team. I'm not sure Laura Bush had that kind of experience. She came from a very different era, and the expectation for her to be a silent partner is a very old trope. I'm not sure she had the skills to do it any other way. Barack's rise has a lot to do with placing the change on the people, refusing to be take credit for a movement brought about by all--I think he includes Michelle in the picture and knows none of it would have happened without her. I doubt that will be changing any time soon. It helped create the current success.

_______________________

NY: Maybe we should talk about, as a whole, why there is such a backlash against the notion of 'feminism'. Why is the popular notion of it so rigid and limiting and 'cold'? Why are 'feminists' being 'victimized' a second time for asserting themselves on the basis of their gender?

True, there are lots of examples of 'feminists' 'doing it wrong' who are hurting the cause. But no one can doubt that the cause is real. It's a matter of how rather than why. Let's have a healthy conversation about how to close the pay gap, how to, from birth, let women do what they feel like, without piling on the socialization.

Rebecca Walker: Great question. But why does "feminism" need to co-opt the struggle of women to attain parity? Why not discuss the role of female self-determination within a discourse that does not alienate? Less than twenty per cent of American women identify with the term. Who is holding on to it and why? It seems almost anachronistic as a term--and seems to place the struggle of women first and foremost in the discussion of the global need for the empowerment of all who are oppressed and disenfranchised. There is also a sense that certain groups have benefited from feminism greatly, and others have not--the two million African-American men in prison for example. Why should their wives and partners identify with a movement that doesn't place their needs at the center?

_______________________

NY: This isn't a fashion/beauty discussion. But, I have to admit being troubled by the clearly curled eyelashes prominently displayed on Malia's face. I'm sorry, but I don't agree with subjecting little kids to makeup. It looks unnatural. I can see maybe them wanting to apply some foundation to even out skin tone, blot the shine, maybe, so attention isn't drawn to blemishes. But I don't see going out of your way to curl your lashes. Not on a 10-year-old.

Rebecca Walker: I didn't know about the lashes. Could have been fun for Malia--but I do think the girls should be shielded as much as possible. And Anna Perez, former press secretary for Barbara Bush clearly made the point in our conversation on NPR yesterday (Michel Martin's Tell Me More) that the Obamas can draw lines, can place limits, and that's something they should know and put into place immediately. They will be the most visible family in the world. They need a massive strategy.

_______________________

Spousal influence vs. power: An interesting question. I cannot help but believe that Barack married Michelle in part because he saw her as every bit his equal, as the person with whom he would most want to discuss what he did in his career -- as well as to be the person with whom she would most want to discuss hers.

Rebecca Walker: I completely agree. I also think Barack would do the same if the tables were reversed and Michelle were up for President. Not enough time is spent discussing what a new kind of man he is--so willing to engage her concerns, to place her and the family front and center. I have been moved by the way he has kept his focus there--flying home for special anniversary dinners, going home to visit his grandmother in the middle of the campaign... he understands that part of winning, in life and in politics, is keeping the balance.

_______________________

NYC: I like Michelle's style, but I didn't like that red and black dress she wore. The circular pattern of the red in the middle made her look pregnant.

Rebecca Walker: I have to say, I really did not like that dress. Sigh. I think she was trying to show their unity--the girls wore black and red, Barack wore Black, she was a mixture of all of it--it has symbolic power, but as a piece: bad choice. I'm not a Narciso fan--and I think his silhouette was not really suited for her body type.

_______________________

Michelle and Jackie: The media love to compare Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Kennedy. While Mrs. Kennedy was very much a stay-at-home mom during her husband's presidency, she also had a career before their marriage, and while First Lady did a major overhaul on the White House. Then after she left the White House she went on to a productive career in both publishing and public service. I guess my question is whether, for a career woman, being First Lady tends to be a hiatus (not an obstacle or detour, but a career path sui generis)?

Rebecca Walker: Interesting point. I agree with that assessment. I like thinking of it as another kind of career stop. Can you imagine the skill set she'll acquire?! Truly staggering. Who wouldn't want that level of training. Sign me up!

_______________________

The Senator's Son: was an a** and a jerk. Who goes up to someone and tells them why they think they're in a particular school? Talk about white male entitlement (I'm a 56 yr old white female), I've seen it all my life. Where is this moron now? He probably got any and every job he ever had because of his daddy. (This wasn't W was it?)

Rebecca Walker: I know, right. It was awful. Don't know where he is today. I'm not even sure he realized how hurtful that statement was. It was my first day at school and I was already feeling pretty overwhelmed and like a lot of Ivy kids, feeling like everyone was smarter than me and I had gotten in bc of a fluke (I hadn't, and graduated cum laude with all kinds of distinctions). Not a good moment. Also, I had no idea about legacy kids--the ones who get in partially because their parents attended. No one talks about them.

_______________________

The Obamas as role models: Do you think that Barack and Michelle Obama, both by their own examples, having advanced socioeconomically via higher education, as well as through administrative policy decisions, can do something to improve the attitude in parts of our Black community toward education, to make respect for education seem less "White"?

Rebecca Walker: Absolutely. They can and they will and they have already. Black men especially are going to benefit from this, I think. The evidence of Barack's brilliance will make more boys want to be like him, and it will make more black women see a healthy black masculine and make better choices, and it will raise people's expectation of what black people can achieve-less underestimating. At least I hope this will be true. It may take time, but it's a good moment.

_______________________

NY: Maybe someone can help me understand why, disproportionally, you hear women say "I'm a mom first." Men hardly ever even have the occasion to say "I'm a father first". It's assumed that they can be fathers AND have a completely full life outside of the home.

Rebecca Walker: It would be nice to hear them say it, though, right? And as we move toward a society in which men can feel more supported in claiming fatherhood without emasculated in the culture for their feelings (display of emotions), I believe they will say it more. I think everyone should put their children first. That is what children need. And deserve. What that looks like is different for every family, of course. But we all as parents have a responsibility to make sure our own selfishness doesn't get in the way of our kids' healthy development. Wow! Sounds a little judgmental, but I feel strongly about this.

_______________________

Bethesda, Md.: My wife and I share the parenting tasks as equally as humanly possible. I get them to bed and read them stories, she wakes them up and makes them breakfast. Both of us have management careers. Why do you think that anyone is questioning her interest in her daughters and in particular, suggesting it's anti-feminist? It's been 40 years since women were "expected" to be housewives, not to mention that my children's great-great-grandmothers and great-grandmothers were nurses and teachers (and briefly war workers) and their grandmothers, my mother and mother in law both owned their own businesses in the 70s and had Tupperware franchises over 50 years ago! Knowing, basically, 100 years of female professional careers in our families... is there anyone left who is surprised that an educated woman wants to help her children cope with this massive life change before she gets back to her career? You think I, as a father, went to work the first two days my son was in Kindergarten or do you think I dialed in from home and was there, with my wife, at the door by 3 pm, talking to the other Dads and Moms who all work and all share parenting...? I'm confused why this is even a topic to be discussed - somebody has to take time off from work to help the kids and it better not be the one we elected to get this country on track.

Rebecca Walker: I agree. I was recently in Sweden and AMAZED by how involved in parenting most dads are. My partner too shares parenting with me so that we can make sure someone is always available for the baby--we do with less in order to give him the experience of having his parents take care of him, even if some days all we can manage is having us play at our feet as we work. I found the children in Sweden to be extremely well adjusted. A generalization, but...they are one of the most egalitarian nations in the world. We can learn a lot.

_______________________

Can you imagine the skill set she'll acquire?! : Well, it seems to have worked for Hillary Clinton!

Rebecca Walker: Exactly.

_______________________

Michelle: She's the first first lady yet who feels more like my contemporary than like my mom's. That's refreshing.

Rebecca Walker: Ditto.

_______________________

Natick, Mass.: This is tiring to me. Michelle has been only left alone once the campaign decided on the theme of her convention speech: Mommy in chief. She continued that theme even through the 60 Minutes interview. Until she picks her issues as first lady, I find it burdensome to say that she represents something beyond this definition. Her life until now is much more interesting. Which issues would you like her to take on in her official role as first lady - again an unelected role yet symbolically important role?

Rebecca Walker: She's spoken a lot about the work/family balance, caring for military families, the importance of access to affordable education (remember she said she and Barack were still paying off student loans before his book took off). I'd love to see her moving the discussion forward of day care at work, more flex time, more emphasis on family leave, extending maternity leave from the shortest in the Western world. Again, in Sweden parents have at least a year of paid family leave they can share in any way they like. I'm a fan of a greater balance between capitalism and socialism, obviously, but still...we shall see. Michelle will set her agenda, and my sense is that it will be smart and doable. I don't see her being naive about what she can and cannot accomplish and won't set herself up for failure (is health care debacle)

_______________________

The Work-from-Home Dad: In a way, isn't any President with young children at home by definition a Stay-from-Home Dad? Did you ever see those adorable photos of the Kennedy children visiting their dad's office? Assuming the Obama daughters aren't home-schooled or tutored, they'll be the only two members of the nuclear Obama family to be commuting!

Rebecca Walker: Love this!

_______________________

Alexandria, VA: The article about Michelle's backside was written by an African American woman who was happy about Michelle's and comparing it to her own. Howard Kurtz is no hack, much less a republican hack and was just reporting on what's in the media.

Rebecca Walker: Oh that sounds much better than the way it was previously presented. I love the appreciation! Go J.Lo!

_______________________

Manassas, VA: Michelle has a very take charge type attitude. I think anything she gets involved in as a first lady, she will be quite active.

Everyone's comparing Barack to FDR. Any comparisons of Michelle to Eleanor Roosevelt? She was an active woman herself before it was popular!

Rebecca Walker: Yes we discussed similarities between MO and Eleanor Roosevelt on NPR. Valid, but again, I don't think it's a particularly "sexy" conversation. It's substantive, but I think many of us want to contextualize Michelle in a fresh new context, not an old one.

_______________________

Washington: Why don't men say "I'm a father first"??

Because we also feel responsible for our wives, not just our children. So that is why you are more likely to hear us say that our families come first.

I find it interesting how some women seem so eager to create an adversarial relationship with men, rather than a partnership.

Rebecca Walker: Nice. One of the things I LOVE about the Obamas is the focus on partnership as the engine of their success. Very good model for the rest of us. especially second wave feminists who define success and independence and autonomy rather than interdependence.

_______________________

NY: Rebecca - since you identified your racial background and shared some anecdotes around that - and you raised the incarceration struggle - I wonder if you (please tell me) might feel that, deep down, your life experience is shaped by your being black first, and female second? And as such, might you feel more strongly, perhaps, about the black struggle?

I'm just thinking - I too am a minority female, and I feel the negative societal pressures for both. Which "cause" do I identify with more? I don't think about it in relation to myself. I think about it in terms of human history, and over how much of it HALF of the population spent being oppressed. To this day, we're being oppressed. And I say this as a woman in a 99%-male profession. If half the population is suffering from sexism, why shouldn't we make it a top priority?

Rebecca Walker: Interesting point. We should absolutely be concerned about the struggle for women, but I would say that more than half of the world is being oppressed by poverty and lack of adequate access to resources. We need to see the struggle for women's rights as a struggle for human dignity worldwide--better to reframe the debate in that way, to make room for all to come under the tent, rather than using divisive terms and foci. The environmental movement's evolution is a good example of this--from the Sierra club to organic food and recycling in every house. Got to be a way to mainstream these basic issues rather than ghettoize them.

_______________________

NY Feminist: I find the discussions about the choices prominent women make to be staggering. I had my son relatively late, after getting established as a lawyer and finding the right partner. I come across a wide range of parents and choices through my work and my son's public school and activities. While there are times I envy women who are able to quit working, or scale their work lives back, the only people who really bother me are the ones who feel that their solution is the only one and that they are qualified to second-guess others' decisions. The Obamas are in a world that none of us can comprehend, and I don't think that it is anti-feminist to withdraw from the working world for a while to address family concerns while helping the family settle into their new, fishbowl existence. I'm stunned that this discussion is even taking place.

Rebecca Walker: Ditto. When we did the NPR discussion, I became extremely emotional when a few women talked about how much she was giving up. I could believe we weren't talking about how much she was gaining, and how we could learn from her, rather than debate her feminist-ness or feminism in general. There was an aspect of tedium there for me.

_______________________

Sweden: The Swedes really do have the right idea about combining work and family in egalitarian ways. One correction -- the couple is entitled to up to a combined total of 15 months' parental leave for the couple upon the birth of each child within the first five years of the child's life, although neither parent may take more than 12 of the months with pay. The parents DO NOT get full pay; there is a complex formula that determines their pay during parental leave, and it doesn't come close to even 80% of their pay for most professionals. Please keep in mind that Swedish salaries are substantially lower than their US counterparts, taxes are substantially higher, and daycare is subsidized by the state, but almost completely unavailable in July, when most of the workforce is on vacation. It is an excellent, but not quite perfect system.

Rebecca Walker: Thanks for that correction! I was only there for a couple of weeks, doing talks, etc. I gleaned a lot of info on the fly.

_______________________

Forget about Barack!: Many of my female friends, along with myself, are in love with Michelle Obama, and we're not gay or African-American! To us she embodies grace and poise, and her unabashed embrace of motherhood and working women is a reminder to us that being feminist doesn't mean repudiating domestic roles, rather it's about having the same options men have. She's a wonderful role model for all of us. Viva Michelle!!

Rebecca Walker: This point cannot be underscored enough. The Obamas are role models to millions transcendent of race, sexuality, etc. That is a main part of their success--their ability to connect, to resonate in such a profound way with the humanity of so many others.

_______________________

Washington: Does Michelle have any political ambitions of her own? And hey, if Barack has to abandon his senate seat, why shouldn't she take it? They'd both still be in DC.

Rebecca Walker: We shall see...

_______________________

Largo, Md.: This isn't related to Michelle Obama, but I had to seize the chance to say I absolutely loved your book, "Black, White and Jewish." It is among my favorites.

Rebecca Walker: Thank you so much. "Black, White and Jewish" means a lot to me, and the many readers who resonate with that experience feel like my extended family. Welcome!

_______________________

Brooklyn: Since Barack Obama's parents were mixed race and Michelle's were not, do you know whether she differentiates her race from his in any way?

Certainly, she's aware that there's a difference between their racial makeup? But has she ever commented on it publicly?

I'm curious because many people argue that Barack is bi-racial, not black, and she must have an opinion on that.

Rebecca Walker: This is an important question. As a biracial woman, I'd like the Obama presidency explore in greater depth some of the across the board views multiracial people bring to the table--to contextualize him that way... I also think the mechanics of their relationship have much to do with the fact Michelle is not biracial, and seems to have come from a much more solid and grounded family and racial identity. I think she's given him some stability and he's given her adoration, respect, support and many things we will never know bc they are private.

_______________________

West Palm Beach, Fla. : Doesn't Michelle Obama have her mother helping her? Won't she have a chef in the White House so she doesn't have to spend hours in the kitchen ?? Won't she have chaffeurs to drive her around ? Won't she have tutors for her children ? Won't she have gardeners to do the grounds ? Won't she have maids to do her cleaning and laundry ? Its not like she is a single mother saddled with everything and 2 jobs to make ends meet and having no help for crying out loud !!! You all make it sound as though she will be so busy that she won't have any time for anything else other than her children... Puh leeez-- these sugar coated stories are giving many of us sugar shock.

Rebecca Walker: I hear you!

_______________________

Rebecca Walker: Okay my friends, our hour is up and I've got to go feed my son, and write an article, LOL. Visit me on my site www.rebeccawalker.com anytime. And I'd love to meet you in the pages of any of my books--btw my favorite is "What Makes a Man: 22 Writers on the Future of Masculinity"--it doesn't get as much attention as the others, but really speaks to a lot of these issues. Thank you so much for coming by and spending some time together.

_______________________

Anonymous: "Does the New First Lady Represent the End of Feminism As We Know It?"

How could anything but the complete disappearance of women from the planet end feminism? Won't there always be feminism as long as there are women?

Rebecca Walker: But wait, I have to respond to this before I go.

The key point of that sentence is "as we know it." Feminism must evolve, must be flexible enough to reframe, even to the point of using different terminology to describe itself.

I grew up in the civil rights movement. You don't hear young people of color talking about "let's go join the movement," it's integrated into the discourse in a way that is current.

Part of why the language of Jesse Jackson, for example, feels less open and accessible than than of Obama.

This is a different time, and "feminism" is so loaded. We all need to be thinking of way to bring forth the message and ideals without replicating so many of the alienating aspects... and I think this goes beyond the usual "people are only alienated because they don't want women to be in power."

_______________________

Washington: Why do minorities typically fight rather than unite? As a Jew I grew up hearing relatives refer to blacks as Schvartzes, and couldn't understand the lack of sympathy toward them. As a kid, the way I saw it (and still do) is that we both have historically been discriminated against, and we still are, so we should stick together. Safety in numbers. I felt I had more in common with a black person than a white Christian. No one taught me to think like this, it just seemed obvious that black people should be kindred spirits, not enemies. So why don't other Jews and blacks feel sympathy toward each other. I really don't get it.

Rebecca Walker: Another great question. You guys are making it hard to leave! My father is Jewish and counseled Dr. King. Gave up many years doing desegregation work, risked his life, argued in the Supreme Court on behalf of Af-Am rights. There was more openness then in a way.

Jews have been on an assimilation/survival modality since quotas, and the easement of anti-semitism black people cannot, bc of the color of their skin, enjoy.

This creates tension--as does most Af-Am support of the Palestinian cause.

Complex situation, but I agree--we should all be advocating for the rights of all to be free.

_______________________

D.C.: I just love her, Michelle Obama. Maybe she wants to be the First Lady - there is a womanist or feminist act in wanting not to be an employee and work for others - but occupy a role that African American women have been excluded from up until now.

This is a very important role and point in time for history.

Rebecca Walker: Good point.

Okay! My son just brought me my Blackberry so that means I really do have to do.

Peace and love to all.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.