Michelle Obama and the Queen

Many were astounded when Michelle Obama hugged the Queen. For some strange reason, an old nursery rhyme came to mind:

“Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?”
“ I’ve been to London to visit the Queen.”
“Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?”
“I frightened a little mouse under the chair.”

I see a new rendition:

“Michelle, Michelle, where have you been?
”I’ve been to London to visit the Queen.”
“Michelle, Michelle, were you in awe?”
”I hugged the Queen, a big Faux Pas.

Actually, Abe, I heard on the news last night that the Queen initiated the 'hug'.

She did. You can see it here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7977950.stm

Everyone needs, a hug. That just proves it. My sister (this is where we share our royal stories, right?) was part of an honour guard when the Queen visited Edmonton. Sis was about 12, and in Girl Guides, as the Queen entered the Art Gallery. The Queen said hello to said sister, and squeezed her hand. Sister has never forgotten the gesture, nor how special it made her feel. Talk about empowering the people!

It just proves that everyone needs a hug -

So it was I who made the Faux Pas.
Early news reports didn't show who initiated it and said "The British were shocked at this action."
So much for believing early news reports. They usually jump the gun - just as I did.

I hate to be hugged. When I see a person headed for me with a hug in mind, I hurry off in the other direction. If it's too late for that, I tense up until the other person thinks they are hugging a concrete post. If the queen hugged me I probably would lose my lunch.

As I watched the video at the link provided by Shelagh, I noticed something I hadn't paid attention to before. Do you people realize that Michelle Obama is black?

I don't quite get that, Don.

The Queen seemed to be giving the First Lady a gentle touch on her lower back to bring her into the room, a welcoming gesture, and provoked a spontaneous hug around the shoulders in return.

Well, I hadn't paid much attention to her until I watched her in the video with the Queen, and I now know that she is black. It's just an observation.

I still don't get it. Did you notice that the Queen is grey? Or that Prince Philip is practically bald? Or that Gordon Brown is Scottish and his wife is English. What about the President, did you notice if he is black? Or half-black?

Appearances, accents, religious beliefs do not define us. We are very complex and multifaceted. So, what is your point?

My point is that Michelle Obama is black, and I noticed it while watching the video. What's your problem with her being black?

By golly, she sure is - black, I mean. And tall. I hadn't realized she was that tall.

It doesn't have to be a hug. The last time I saw my business partner before he died, he squeezed my arm. I can still feel that squeeze.

Carol

Isn't it great that we can distinguish between black, white, grey, short, tall, etc? It means we still have good eyesight.

Don, I just looked at your avatar and realised that you are a dog lover -- something I hadn't paid attention to before. Do you people realise that Don Harpe is a dog lover?

I'd probably hug the queen, too. Why not? All that British pomp and circumstance can get a little stuffy.

And Dick, I hope you never run into me because I'd hug you, too.

I often put {{{HUGS}}} in my posts and I mean every one.

I have hugged black people, too.

Guess I'm a hugger.

I think I made my point that I started in the other thread. Look how fast Shelagh began making assumptions just because I posted the word "black."

Most people will read things they way they see them, just as some of us did in the thread about videos.

We see something and based on what we think we know, we decide what the author must have meant. Most of the time we are wrong, but still we see what we each see as individual, and we assume that what we saw must be true.

We're all different people, we see and percieve things differently.

I just noticed that Don's dog is definitely saying, "Get this thing off my head."

Brenda Hill wrote:

And tall. I hadn't realized she was that tall.

I hadn't realized the Queen and her husband were that short!

I don't know what the big deal with the hug is, but I'm not British. I'm just glad Michelle didn't curtsy.

When I met Princess Anne, I didn't curtsey either. I think she's wonderful. She has received some bad press in the past, mainly because, like the rest of us, she isn't perfect. She is amazing though.

Btw, her colouring is perfect English rose.

I did notice the height issue too - I think the queen is aging the some as my mom and grandmother are - they are all shrinking, and having to hem their trousers (not that the queen generally wears trousers, mind you). Michelle is tall, and black, and an elegant woman I think. She makes a good first lady no doubt.

Just a note on the hugging thing. All my British family are big huggers, so clearly we're on best behaviour when meeting royalty. Me, I am not so much of a hugger and tend to get a bit starchy though not quite so bad as you Dick. I think it has something to do with all that kissing that comes along with it. Blech.