Urban Thought Collective

The best thing Michelle Obama could do for her husband and his presidency is to have a baby boy in the White House.

That’s right: I said it. And, believe it or not, I was ballsy enough to declare it at a friend’s Christmas dinner.

“Why?” quickly retorted a newly acquainted, mocha-colored sistah with finely coiffed locks.

“Why not?” I questioned back.

“But, why?”

I looked at my new acquaintance.

Though she attempted her best to be polite, I knew I was treading upon dangerous ground. It was our first time meeting. We had mutual friends. We were even fortunate enough to be linked by membership into the same historically black sorority. Yet, as her eyes narrowed and her voice fought to maintain a respectful tone against a rising tide of emotion, I knew I crossed the line.

While, America and even the world may be infatuated with Barack Obama, Black America and, indeed, Black women love themselves some Michelle Obama. When Barack Obama seemed to come out of left field to challenge the mighty Clintons in an improbable rally for the highest office in the land, most black people did not know what to make of him. Though largely unknown to many white Americans, black folks, for the most part, were also equally suspicious of him.

Bill, Hillary, Chelsea… we know. But Barack? We didn’t know him, his people, or his politics.

One thing, we did know, however, was Michelle. From the way she dressed to the way she stood to her insistence on raising God-fearing children in a God-fearing household, and her insistence on telling “the truth” to Barack to make sure he stood grounded, we recognized and loved her. And, after the media got a hold of her and accused her of being unpatriotic, unsupportive, aloof and hard, Black women embraced her even more. We also realized that they just didn’t get it.

It’s not that they, meaning mainstream (read: white) America was trying to be hurtful, they just didn’t get her. They’ve never really seen a regular black woman love so they couldn’t understand that Michelle loves as we love. Michelle is forthright with Barack because she knows this is a tough, cynical world, and the only way to succeed is to use love, truth, wisdom and kindness to stay strong and grounded. Hence, the more they attacked – as a July 2008 US Weekly cover asked, “Why does he love her?” – the more we fought back. We spoke up for Michelle, sent well wishes, and prayed for her and her family to stay strong, beautiful and resilient during such a great trying time.

Michelle is our South Side girl done good. She has a great education, beautiful family and a career geared towards empowering impoverished communities. In short, Michelle represents the best we have to offer if we choose love and family over fear and destruction.

So, my suggestion that she, of all people, spend her next four years in the most powerful residence in the land being “barefoot and pregnant” was tantamount to treason of the highest kind.

And, yet, as I looked at my sister, and the anger, frustration and hurt emanating from her glare at my ability to say such a thing, I smiled from the deepest part of my being before responding, “Why not?”

There is nothing wrong with a career-driven and highly successful woman spending her time in the White House having another baby. In fact, there’s very little that could be more right.

In his Election Night acceptance speech, President-elect Obama clearly stated that Americans should not get our hopes up too high – it may take years for our economy to rebound.

Even prior to being sworn in, Obama has also shown that he will make unpopular decisions that may infuriate some as he seeks to unify us all, as his most recent invitation for Pastor Rick Warren to give the Invocation at the Inauguration attests to.

Hence, Obama will take heat. He will make unpopular choices. He will be a target to friends and foes, alike.

Yet, he ran on a campaign of hope.

Babies, by their very nature, personify hope – our desire to protect innocence while fighting for a bright and unrestricted future for those we love.

And, don’t get me wrong. As a young, career-driven, affluent woman, I get feminism and its insistence that women should do anything in the world that they want to do. Shouldn’t one of those choices, however, include basking in our unique ability to reproduce? Just because we grew up in a society that does not always value our ability to birth and sustain life doesn’t mean that we should cast aside this great gift aside as well. We are the vessels that bring forth human life on this planet. So, yes, while Michelle Obama can do many great things at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, I certainly hope she considers having a baby as one of them.

Monique Matthews, originally from Harlem, is now a Los Angeles-based writer. Her thoughts on politics, culture and issues at large are special to Urban Thought Collective.