You just can't make this shit up!: Michelle Obama’s 9/11 Photo-Op: Helping Kids Stuff Backpacks for Organization Called ‘KaBOOM!’

9/13/2014

An epic national embarrassment:

KaBOOM! is a wonderful charity organization. It is also an ironically named one for the First Lady to be tweeting photo-ops about on the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 bombings.

The FLOTUS’ tweet struck a chord with some of her followers, and the irony of the event was not lost on Twitter:

Talk radio host Tammy Bruce was also not amused:

The responses kept pouring in on how the optics might not have gone over as well as expected:

Others were hung up on how the First Lady and the President were stuffing backpacks during the event:

Alright, that was a low blow. But others noticed the imagery as well:

This Twitter user had an alternative suggestion for the kind of photo-op she wanted on the anniversary of 9/11:

Any day but 9/11 for such a photo-op, many expressed:

On 9/11′s anniversary, emotions run high:

The KaBOOM! charity expressed their sincere gratitude to the First Lady for attending the event for the annual 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance:

The KaBOOM! charity describes its operations as the following on its official website:

KaBOOM! works to bring balanced and active play into the daily lives of all children, particularly those growing up in poverty in America. We do this by creating great places to play, inspiring communities to promote and support play and driving the national discussion about the importance of play in fostering healthy and productive lives.

The news agency CNBC reported in regards to the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, founded in 2002 , that:

“Many prominent national nonprofits are again joining in, among them AARP, local affiliates of the HandsOn Network, American Red Cross, George Washington University, KaBOOM!, New York Cares, Taproot Foundation, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Super Service Challenge, Reward Volunteers, A Billion + Change, Points of Light Institute and many local United Way affiliates.”

The co-founder of 9/11 Day, David Paine, explained, “9/11 is now the nation’s largest annual day of charitable engagement. It’s no longer defined solely by the acts of terrorists.” Paine added, “Helping others in need is a very appropriate and meaningful way to honor the victims of 9/11. I’m surely grateful that millions of people are paying tribute to my brother and all the victims by marking this solemn day with charitable action.”

On a day when every act by the President of the United States and the First Lady is considered to be symbolic by Americans who vow “never to forget,” it’s important to be aware that every event carries with it the risk of being considered “bad optics.”

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