Posted by
Ron Maestri on Thursday, September 18, 2008 2:26:52 PM
I intentionally waited a week after 9/11 to post this blog because I wanted to see if anyone else would have the same reaction as I did. I think now is as good a time as any to ask a very simple question: Where was Michelle Obama during the 9/11 ceremonies at Ground Zero one week ago today? Since I have neither heard nor read anything about this except for a one-line disclaimer in the the New York Daily News on 9/12 which read, "Michelle Obama stayed home in Chicago with their 2 children", I found this to be glaringly odd since she was the one to make the brazen comment "For the first time I'm proud to be an American" in response to her own husband's run for president, and who would later defend it by poo-pooing the notion of being un-American on "The View", chalking the whole thing up as just being absurd, misunderstood and completely taken out of context by the press and the republicans. O-k, then why wasn't Michelle there?
Cindi McCain was certainly by her husband's side, yet Barack Obama stood alone. What possible reason could the Obamas have had for Michelle to stay at home in Chicago with their two children rather than pay respect to the families of the 2,751 people who lost their lives to terrorists, and the site of the worst tragedy on American soil on its' 7th anniversary?
Let's explore a few of them, shall we?
1. The kids had school.
I can think of no greater teacher than by learning about history standing on the same hollowed ground where it began.
2. The kids are much too young to understand.
Unless they're still in the womb, they aren't too young. In fact, it would be a mandatory field trip for my class if I were a teacher of any aged student. It is a perfect opportunity to teach about love of country and fellow man, resilience and the devastation of hate.
3. Michelle was tired and needed a rest.
Force yourself, babe.
4. Nothing to gain politically since both candidates agreed not to campaign on that day.
BINGO.
Obviously, no scenerio except for the last one can reasonably explain her absence. To say it was the least she could have done is a gross understatement.
Actions speak louder than words, and no matter what Michelle has said in response to anyone challenging her as being un-American, this demonstrated it exactly. I wasn't surprised she wasn't there. I'm just surprised no one else noticed or wrote about it.
This past Saturday, I attended a Bat Mitzvah for one of my cousin's beautiful daughters at F.A.O. Schwartz on 5th Avenue (yes, F.A.O. Schwartz), and the issue of presidential politics came up when several of the men gathered together while the kids were off being kids. Someone made a very astute comment which I have stood by since the very beginning of the presidential campaign, and which certainly proves my point here. "I don't like Obama because I think he's un-American". I'm happy to see I'm not the only one who notices this.
I'm sorry, but it wouldn't have killed her to be there and whether she brought the kids along or not makes no difference. There are things you do and there are things you don't. Michelle Obama should've been at Ground Zero on Thursday, 9/11/08. No ifs, ands or buts.
Ron Maestri