President Barack Obama has addressed the recent killing of 3 Police officers in Baton Rouge. On Sunday 17th July, he made an address from the White House briefing room. With a face full of sadness and frustration with recent events, the President is urging calm. Obama said
“We as a nation have to be loud and clear that nothing justifies attacks on law enforcement,”
The country and world were shocked when they saw two victims of seemingly racist and overly aggressive police officers. Since then, Dallas and Baton Rouge have seen fatal shooting attacks on police. After the Dallas shooting, Obama said the shooter would not be the last person to try to turn Americans against one another. After the Baton Rouge shootings, he has added
“Nor will today’s killer. It remains up to us to make sure that they fail. That decision is all of ours,”
While tensions rise throughout the nation, Obama is attempting to unite people with reason. He said
“We don’t need inflammatory rhetoric. We don’t need careless accusations thrown around to score political points or to advance an agenda. We need to temper our words and open our hearts … all of us,”
Obama is seeking peace. After the Dallas Memorial, Obama had a four hour meeting with activists, police and other leaders about the current state of unrest. After the meeting, he admitted there was still a long way to go before satisfaction can be achieved. The grievances being minorities feeling they were treated unfairly by the force and police departments feeling they have don’t enough support.
“Attacks on police are an attack on all of us and the rule of law that makes society possible,”
There have been some terrible acts of violence recently and Obama is desperate for it to not escalate any further.
He asks for everyone of us to be our “best” selves and to use words that unite not divide. Great advice for some other time, but especially now.
“Be part of the solution… end this senseless violence.”
WATCH Obama’s address here:
Image is a screengrab from YouTube.
