… But he never believed that what he did was more than any citizen of this country might do. It’s fitting that the last time John and I shared a public forum was at a virtual town hall with a gathering of young activists who were helping to lead this summer’s demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s death. …, My Statement on the Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Let Me Tell You About My Friend Joe Biden, My Statement on the Passing of Rep. John Lewis, How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change. We have to do both. If history is any guide, that store may take years to come back. And it’s because he saw the best in all of us that he will continue, even in his passing, to serve as a beacon in that long journey towards a more perfect union. After releasing a statement on the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, former President Barack Obama on Monday wrote a more lengthy statement on the role of protest in catalyzing political change. Read writing from Barack Obama on Medium. It allowed for the inhumanity of slavery and failed to guarantee women — and even men who didn’t own property — the right to participate in the political process. But watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful. What gives each new generation purpose is to take up the unfinished work of the last and carry it further — to speak out for what’s right, to challenge an unjust status quo, and to imagine a better world. The first is to not resort to violence. And through all those years, he never stopped providing wisdom and encouragement to me and Michelle and our family. Every day, Barack Obama and thousands of other voices read, write, and share important stories on Medium. As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal justice, many people have reached out asking how we can sustain momentum to bring about real change. It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Sign up for Rolling Stone’s Newsletter. But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels. ', LeBron James Pays $36.8 Million for Katharine Hepburn’s Former Beverly Hills Compound, Arthritis Treatments Your Doctor May Not Share, NXIVM: Clare Bronfman sentenced to nearly 7 years in sex-cult case, Pierce Brosnan Praises Wife Keely Shaye Smith on Her 57th Birthday: 'Thank God for You Angel Heart', School Staffer Gets Jail for Sexually Abusing Boy, Telling Him He 'Deserved Special Things', The Woman That Changed Kevin Costner Is Amazing, Watch Chris Cuomo Remind Ted Cruz That Trump 'Said Your Wife Was Ugly', Tennessee Woman Says She Was Kicked Out of Gym for Wearing Only a Sports Bra, 6 Atlanta Police Officers Charged With Excessive Force Following Weekend Protests, Minnesota Files Human Rights Complaint Against the Minneapolis Police Department, Jay-Z and Roc Nation Take Out Full-Page Ads Dedicated to George Floyd. When we think about politics, a lot of us focus only on the presidency and the federal government. In the essay, which he posted to Medium, Obama lays out three “basic lessons” the new generation of activists can draw from the past.
“If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation’s long journey to live up to our highest ideals,” he writes. Ultimately, it’s going to be up to a new generation of activists to shape strategies that best fit the times. In the essay, which he posted to Medium, Obama lays out three “basic lessons” the new generation of activists can draw from the past. Second, I’ve heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, McEnany: Trump has ‘condemned’ white supremacy, but 'shameful' media won't cover it, Sports agent Drew Rosenhaus: 'I am very worried' about NFL season after Titans coronavirus cases. Sixty years ago, Ruth Bader Ginsburg applied to be a Supreme Court clerk. Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully low, especially among young people — which makes no sense given the direct impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, votes. As you’ve seen by now, this isn’t a normal convention. I first met John when I was in law school, and I told him then that he was one of my heroes. I saw an elderly black woman being interviewed today in tears because the only grocery store in her neighborhood had been trashed. In some places, police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as well. So give these candidates your vote — and vote early if you can, either by mail or in person. It wasn’t a perfect document. On the other hand, the small minority of folks who’ve resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause. By Marina Fang. First, the waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States. The toolkit can be accessed at here, and the Obamas have also created a site where they have compiled a list of organizations “who’ve been fighting the good fight at the local and national levels for years.”. In so many ways, John’s life was exceptional. See where your favorite artists and songs rank on the Rolling Stone Charts. While President Trump reportedly has “nothing to say” to a nation protesting the death of George Floyd and other black victims of police brutality, former President Barack Obama penned an essay Monday about “how to make this moment a real turning point to bring about real change.”, I wrote out some thoughts on how to make this moment a real turning point to bring about real change––and pulled together some resources to help young activists sustain the momentum by channeling their energy into concrete action. “If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves,” Obama writes. Good evening, everybody. “As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal justice, many people have reached out asking how we can sustain momentum to bring about real change.”.
The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. Tailoring reforms for each community will require local activists and organizations to do their research and educate fellow citizens in their community on what strategies work best.

Obama acknowledges that the protests “represent a genuine and legitimate frustration” over the nation’s failure to reform policing practices and the criminal justice system, but notes that the small portion of protesters inciting violence are putting innocent people at risk and bringing ruin to vulnerable neighborhoods. The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it’s often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. So tonight, I want to talk as plainly as I can about the stakes in this election. It’s not a normal time. I told him that all those young people — of every race, from every background and gender and sexual orientation — they were his children. The essay follows a statement Obama released on Friday addressing the death of Floyd. Moreover, it’s important for us to understand which levels of government have the biggest impact on our criminal justice system and police practices. But embedded in this document was a North Star that would guide future generations; a system of representative government — a democracy — through which we could better realize our highest ideals. Former US President Barack Obama has taken to the self-publishing platform Medium to write an essay about social justice in the United States. So let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. Many welcomed his essay, which calls in a “new generation of activists” to “shape strategies that best fit the times.” The essay was written in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests that have surged across the United States in response. They’re dedicated to shoring up and strengthening our democracy, a project that’s going to take time and require all of us — but it begins by electing Democrats right now. We will miss him dearly. And yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it. When I was elected President of the United States, I hugged him on the inauguration stand before I was sworn in and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made. Oscar-nominated actor unmasks himself in strangest 'Masked Singer' reveal yet, Simple Trick To Repair Your Car Scratch & Dent, Here's why 'Dancing With the Stars' replaced Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend receive condolences after heartbreaking pregnancy loss, James Van Der Beek and His Family Are Moving from Los Angeles to Texas: 'Onto the Next Big Adventure!

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