Obama Offers Support To Protesters: 'I'm Proud Of You Guys'

Former President Barack Obama held a virtual town hall on Wednesday in support of anti-racism protests, signaling his increasing willingness to step into the political fray after years of staying largely on the sidelines.

Obama’s remarks at the event largely focused on how protesters who are outraged by the police killing of George Floyd and systemic racism in the U. S. can channel that anger into policy changes.

“As activists and everyday citizens raise their voices, we need to be clear about where change is going to happen and how we can bring about that change,” he said during the livestreamed event that featured a number of other politicians and activists.

Addressing the recent “chatter on the internet” that encouraging people to vote won’t solve the complex injustices facing the Black community, Obama called for a different outlook.

“It is mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions, and that determines police practices in local communities,” he said. “It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide, typically, whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. And those are all elected positions.”

Fed-up Americans shouldn’t view their activism as a choice between two avenues, Obama urged. “This is not an ‘either/or.’ This is a ‘both-and.’ To bring about real change, we both ha... (Read more)

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https://twitter.com/celmation/status/1268296540650721286?s=21

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