I got mad at somone who posted a National Equirer story about Michelle Obama and now I feel bad

[betsuni]

The someone is British and said that her mother's American friend sent it to her mother and her mother sent it to her. The someone read it and said, "If it is true, it must be stopped." The story begins with: "In a major behind-the-scenes blowout, [Obama and Michelle] waged their worst White House fight ever over her lavish vacation trip to China." Michelle is an out-of-control spending monster wasting over 150 million dollars of taxpayer's money. "Michelle does whatever she wants and goes wherever she wants. It's as if she's tacked up a map of the world and put pins on all the places she wants to visit. The real part of it is that taxpayers are paying for her bucket list."

This was posted on an international forum of non-Japanese women married to Japanese men. Many of the members who live in Japan are teachers and I assume are not ... what should I say, not critically-thinking challenged? Yet every time there's a potentially violent situation in the world, like with Syria, the Ukraine, whatever, members from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany -- all assume the U.S. will mindlessly attack with pre-emptive big tanks and bombs. I try to reassure them: no, no, no, this administration isn't like the last one, totally different people, there's a double standard. If a Democratic administration went to war everybody responsible would be impeached and war would be totally bad! Trust me. They doubt me even though obviously I've always been correct so far.

I try to explain about right-wing media, the unrelenting propaganda -- Clinton had it bad but there wasn't the rabid hate there is with Obama. I have to fight against the fake conspiracy theories, one after another. i feel weird. I have plenty to complain about the U.S.; I was often scolded during the Bush years for hating America. Now I'm defending America. Fictional attacks.

So, when this person posted that story about Michelle Obama and thought it was a real story, I lost my temper and was mean to her. I would never post any really bad story about politicians from other countries because I haven't lived there and don't know enough about it. Why do people who who've never lived in the U.S. so easily believe horrible things like the birth certificate or that Obama can't give a speech without being fed lines and all the rest. How can she not see that story as the nonsense that it is? How can they not take one look at Obama and Biden and not understand that they are not Bush and Cheney?

I insist that any normal human would read the National Enquirer story and see it as the crap it is, wherever they are from on this planet. Right?

[okaawhatever]

1. I understand. The Enquirer is a negative consequence of freedom of the press laws. I would probably

try to find Enquirer stories about Japanese figures that are equally outrageous so they can put it in context. (Or maybe an internationally known figure that the Japanese can relate to). Certainly a few stories about UFO babies being born in Texas will help them understand Enquirer's popularity.
I totally sympathize with your frustration, and I'm glad you're doing your part to combat it. Many Americans don't realize that to a foreigner Mother Jones and the Enquirer both look like they're revealing hidden stories.

[66 dmhlt]

2. For the most part, National Enquirer is a perfectly fine newspaper ...

For lining your bird cage.