During a time of uproar, our Forever President has come through with a message to young activists about how to ensure the current movement keeps its momentum! In an Instagram post, Barack Obama says his goal is to “make this moment a real turning point to bring about change,” for those fighting this good fight!
Obama outlines a detailed plan, with the inclusion of resources, explaining how people taking to the streets are representing a larger message than rioting, looting, and protesting. He says this new generation of activists are fighting for unequal justice, and responses are due to “frustration over decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States.”
He also noted that the majority of people participating in these demonstrations have been “peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring.”
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President Obama continues, presenting the idea that protests and direct action are not the only way to bring about change in this country. He suggests that participating in the electoral process is another useful way to combat the injustices that black people are experiencing.
“But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices-and in democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands.”
In conclusion, President Obama encourages people to participate in as many ways to create change, as the only real way to effectively change the system is educate ourselves about the system and how it works.
“So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast out ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.”
What are your thoughts, Roomies? Let us know in the comments!
