Black lives matter, your lives, dreams matter – Obama
“I want to speak directly to the young men and women of color in this country. I want you to know that you matter. I want you to know that your lives matter. That your dreams matter.” the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 former President Barack Obama has said as he spoke against the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody.
President Obama calls for people to VOTE: "I've been hearing a little bit of chatter in the Internet about 'voting vs. protest'… This is not an either-or. This is a both-and." pic.twitter.com/TZwV1LPHfV
— The Hill (@thehill) June 3, 2020
Obama said this in his first on-camera speech on Wednesday organized by the Obama Foundation over growing unrest against police brutality continues across the United States .
He said that “To bring about real change, we both have to highlight a problem and make people in power uncomfortable. But we also have to translate that into practical solutions and laws that can be implemented.”
“I want to speak directly to the young men and women of color in this country,. I want you to know that you matter. I want you to know that your lives matter. That your dreams matter.”
“I know enough about history to say there is something different here,” he said,
“There is a change in mindset that’s taking place, a greater recognition that we can do better.”
He added, “That’s a direct result of the activities and organizing and mobilization and engagement of so many young people across the country who put themselves out on the line to make a difference.”
“So I hope that you also feel hopeful even as you may feel angry because you have the potential to make things better and you have helped to make the entire country feel as if this is something that’s gotta change. You’ve communicated a sense of urgency that is as powerful and as transformative as anything that I’ve seen in recent years.”
“I want to acknowledge the folks in law enforcement that share the goals of reimagining policing.”
“Chokeholds and strangleholds, that’s not what we do,” he said. “I’m urging every mayor in this country to review your use-of-force policies with members of your community and to commit to reforms.”
“There is a change in mindset that’s taking place, a greater recognition that we can do better. And that is not a consequence of speeches by politicians … that’s a direct result of the activities and organising and mobilisation and engagement of so many young people.”
“In a lot of ways, what has happened in the last several weeks is that challenges and structural problems here in the United States have been thrown into high relief. They are the outcome of not just an immediate moment in time, but as the result of a long host of things — slavery, Jim Crow, redlining and institutional racism.” he said.
