Obama: ‘Frustrations’ in ‘Communities of Color’ Are ‘Rooted in Realities’

‘It’s rooted in realities that have existed in this country for a long time’

“I actually need to begin by saying a few words about what happened over the past day. Not just in Ferguson, Missouri, our neighbor to the south, but all across America. As many of know, a verdict came down — or a grand jury made a decision yesterday that upset a lot of people. And as I said last night, the frustrations that we’ve seen are not just about a particular incident.

They have deep roots in many communities of color, who have a sense that our laws are not always being enforced unify or fairly. That may not be true everywhere, and it’s certainly not true for the vast majority of law enforcement officials, but that's an impression that folks have, and it’s not just made up. It’s rooted in realities that have existed in this country for a long time. Now, as I said last night, there are productive ways of responding, and expressing those frustrations and there are destructive ways of responding, burning buildings, torching cars, destroying property, putting people at risk."
 

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