Michelle Obama has them talking

Re “Michelle Obama in spotlight’s glare,” Feb. 21

The fact that Michelle Obama tells it like it is -- that America has repeatedly fallen short of the vision we have for our place in the world -- seems to be a cause for celebration, not criticism. How can we be proud to be Americans when we torture, invade sovereign nations, ignore the plight of our underserved population and promote policies that line the coffers of U.S. corporations? How can we say children are our most important asset, yet continually refuse to accept responsibility for their health, education and the environment? Is that the America that makes you proud? Not me.

Carol Marshall

Anaheim

--

Barack Obama’s wife is finally proud to be an American? She must be kidding. You would think that anyone who had the opportunity to attend Harvard Law School and witness her husband elected to the U.S. Senate would have been proud to be an American long ago.

Robert Friedenberg

Newport Beach

--

Cindy McCain and most others probably have seldom considered the lives of African Americans, Latinos and other minorities in the U.S. Despite major gains over the last 50 years, all still is not equal. It must be difficult to feel proud of your country when your people have been, and most continue to be, treated as second-class citizens. Perhaps Michelle Obama sees the hope of minorities at long last becoming a part of mainstream America. This white male thinks that what Barack Obama has done, is doing and as president will do is a fantastic thing for America.

Stan Horn

Long Beach

--

Obviously no one should believe Michelle Obama’s comments to be unpatriotic. However, although her husband is running against Sen. Hillary Clinton, I would hope that even Obama would realize that the eight years of the Clinton administration were something Americans took great pride in.

Stephen Wagner

Valencia