On Tuesday, January 10, 2017, President Barack Obama gave his final address in Chicago, Illinois. Here is what he said about Chicago:
“I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was; still searching for a purpose to my life. This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.”
Early on in the speech, the audience began chanting, “Four more years!”
He spent a few minutes outlining some of his many accomplishments including Obamacare, same-sex marriage, killing Osama Bin Laden, and so much more. He said:
“America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.”
Obama was the bigger person and he shot down the boos when he mentioned the transition of power to Donald Trump. He emphasized the need for unity in our country, and he talked about how we need to be able to compromise with those who disagree with us.
The president talked about how our economy has recovered. The jobs are increasing, wages are increasing, healthcare costs are rising at the lowest rate in 50 years. He said that if Congress can put together a better healthcare plan that makes that much progress, then he would support it.
He mentioned that if we can’t make more compromises, then we can’t move forward as a country.
Obama then gets into the issue of race, and he said we need to “be more serious” about solving racial issues. Race relations are better, but we can still improve; our attitudes will change in time.
On immigration, Obama pointed out how different groups of immigrants have faced hatred when they came into this country. History often repeats itself. He said:
“If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don’t look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children.”
He says that we should all get involved if we don’t like the state of our politics.
Finally, we all need to remember:
“Yes We Can.”
“Yes We Did.”
“Yes We Can.”
We don’t want to see him go.
Twitter Reactions
"If we don't acknowledge that science and reason matter, we're going to make compromise and common ground impossible." #ObamaFarewell
— NARAL (@NARAL) January 11, 2017
In his farewell address, Obama says we've made progress on race, but that "all of us still have work to do." https://t.co/JsW245qIWM pic.twitter.com/hnNhjEv1x6
— WIRED (@WIRED) January 11, 2017
.@POTUS: Stark inequality is "corrosive to our democratic idea." https://t.co/VmaW47nhQa pic.twitter.com/KQN0qVmvPr
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 11, 2017
The hashtag, #ObamaFarewell, is trending:
Speaking with nothing but eloquence and class! Your new janky president could NEVER!! #ObamaFarewell
— Brittney ♡ (@Babycakez_07) January 11, 2017
#ObamaFarewell outstanding display of moral high ground.
— Bernie (@princess_pps) January 11, 2017
"Democracy can buckle when it gives in to fear" #ObamaFarewell
— Giovanna P. Garofalo (@giopgarofalo) January 11, 2017
#ObamaFarewell pic.twitter.com/h843DUGp8k
— Issa Qween? (@BIG_neesh) January 11, 2017
This speech was beautifully written, and Obama is a wonderful speaker.
We will miss him.
Featured image via YouTube screenshot via The White House
