Listen Live
Listen Live Graphics (Indy)
KENYA-US-OBAMA-DIPLOMACY

Source: SAUL LOEB / Getty

President Obama is currently on a speaking tour where he’s addressing criminal justice reform in hopes of establishing more lenient prison sentencing and better policing tactics.

When asked about the #BlackLivesMatter movement he defended the need for the organization in saying, “…Theres a specific problem that’s happening in the African American community that’s not happening in other communities and thats a legitimate issue that we’ve got to addressed…We as a society, particularly given our history have to take this seriously…”

#BlackLivesMatter originated via social media following the shooting of unarmed teenager, Mike Brown on August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. The necessity of the movement continued as countless African Americans were victims of police brutality. Some of the senseless acts of violence caught on camera include the deaths of: Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Sandra Bland and many more.

The President chose his words carefully as he continued, “The African American community isn’t just making this up. It’s not just something thats being politicized, it’s real and theres a history behind it and we have to take it seriously.”

Obama concluded his statements by acknowledging law enforcement, “It’s incumbent upon the activists to also take seriously the tough job that police have.”

We applaud the president for addressing the movement but in watching the clip, we think there were certain things left unsaid. What would you like to hear from Obama regarding #BlackLivesMatter?

RELATED STORIES:

Texas City Councilman Tased, Arrested Outside His Home By Same Police Force That Arrested Sandra Bland

President Obama Unveils New Plan To Keep Troops In Afghanistan

President Obama Tells ’60 Minutes’ He Could Win A Third Term, Downplays Trump

 

WATCH: President Obama Defends The #BlackLivesMatter Movement, “We have to take it seriously…”  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com