“We can do better” was the message from President Obama Thursday night, responding to police killings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana. The president says data clearly show that people because of the color of their skin are not being treated the same “and that should trouble all of us. This is not just a black issue. It’s not just an Hispanic issue. This is an American issue that we should all care about. All fair-minded people should be concerned.” Obama is urging more police departments across the country to institute recommendations from his special task force on best practices.
Obama said dealing with the problem doesn’t mean that people don’t support police officers who put their lives on the line every day: “When people say, black lives matter, that doesn’t mean blue lives don’t matter. It just means, all lives matter.” The president argues rebuilding trust between communities and police will help solve crime problems and “that will make life easier for police officers. They will have more cooperation. They will be safer. They will be more likely to come home.”