“So on my visit to Europe, what I have been trying to communicate, what I have been wanting to focus on, is America’s relation to Europe and the fact that our commitment will not change”, Obama said. “We must reject such despair”.
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“‘They were upholding the constitutional rights of this country. even if there were signs or chants with which they profoundly disagreed”.
Police later killed him with a bomb-carrying robot. But we know bias remains.
The attack came after the police killings of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana. “Can we do this?” It was organized to help combat “a common disease” of violence and honor those who fight it, “our men and women in blue, our peacemakers in blue”.
The president is expected to mourn the five dead officers and offer their families and colleagues some words of admiration and encouragement. He’ll be joined by first lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden.
The president met for almost two hours with leaders of eight law enforcement groups Monday, informing them that he considered the killing of the five police officers in Dallas on Thursday “a hate crime” and that he would work actively to serve as an intermediary between minority activists and police.
– Scripps National (@ScrippsNational) July 12, 2016 ” We have never been bound together by blood or background.
“At times it feels like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together”, Bush said. “And this has strained our bonds of understanding and common goal”.
Rawlings also said that the service should be about unity. At times, he acknowledged “anger” and “confusion” in the public, and at other times he seemed to downplay the enormity of events.
Obama planned to return to that message in his speech Tuesday and his choice of traveling companions underscored the theme.
Innocent people are losing their lives because Republicans in Congress refuse to consider what Obama views as “commonsense” restrictions on guns, he asserted.
As for Bush joining his successor, Earnest said: “He obviously has his own personal connection to this community that’s grieving”.
“By definition, if you shoot people who are no threat to you – strangers – you have a troubled mind”, Obama said.
The White House said the president worked late into the night writing his speech and consulting scripture for inspiration.
Just a few weeks ago, he spent hours in Orlando, Florida, consoling the loved ones of 49 people who were killed in a shooting rampage at a gay nightclub. Dallas Police Chief David Brown has said former Army Reservist Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, was seeking retribution against white police officers for police-involved shootings throughout the country.
Portions of both shootings were videotaped and broadcast nationwide, leading to fresh outrage, protests and scores of arrests.
Bush and other speakers paid tribute to the fallen officers – Brent Thompson, a 43-year-old newlywed; Patrick Zamarripa, 32, a Navy veteran who served in Iraq; Michael Krol, 40, an athlete and basketball lover; Michael Smith, 55, a former Army Ranger and father of two, and Lorne Ahrens, whose wife is a police detective.
Mr. Obama met with law-enforcement officials from more than half a dozen police groups, including representatives from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and Major Cities Chiefs Police Association.
We’ll have to listen to each other.
Obama included references to both men in his remarks at the service.
During his visit, Obama visited USS Ross (DDG 71) as well as held an all-hands call to thank service members.
Before walking offstage, Obama, Mrs. Obama, Bush and Laura Bush turned and applauded the audience of uniformed police officers.
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He’s also planning to press for hate-crimes protections for law enforcement officers who are attacked. At least nine other officers and two civilians were injured in the attack.
