President Obama did not respond to Patrick’s request.
Advertisement
Casaday points out the issues police face are the community’s issues, many of which are much bigger than law and order. The widespread perception in the African-American community that it is being targeted by racist cops, real or not, is an impediment to effective policing and, ironically, the saving of more black lives, which many say matter, from crime and violence.
Obama even shared his own experiences being pulled over by police, “The overwhelming majority of the time I deserved to be pulled over because I was going too fast and the police officers were courteous…there have been a couple of times in my life where that was not the case”.
Obama strongly defended his reactions. “I rely on law enforcement to protect me and my family, just like everybody else does”.
Obama addressed Patrick’s concerns, “This is not just stuff I make up”.
“Mr. President, I know you have, but I want them to know it in their hearts”, Patrick said.
“I have also insisted throughout all these processes that law enforcement is deserving of due process just like everybody else”, said Obama.
He added that he is “aware that my words matter deeply here”.
The town hall will be moderated by “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and held in Washington D.C. It will focus on candid discussions on race relations, justice, policing and equality by the members of the community. The event was broadcast on ABC. That was followed by a revenge attack on police officers in Dallas that left five of them dead. Patrick and his wife made the first contribution: $5,000.
Asked about the “hypocrites” remark in a subsequent CNN interview – also last Friday – Patrick said, “Maybe it’s the wrong choice of a word”.
America is “not even close” to where it needs to be in terms of resolving issues between police and the communities they serve, President Barack Obama said after concluding a more than three-hour meeting Wednesday with community activists, politicians and law enforcement officials. The Rev. Frederick Haynes of South Dallas’s Friendship-West Baptist Church was among those invited.
He said Wednesday’s conversation would build off his administration’s “Task Force on 21st Century Policing”, and would share solutions from communities that have already found ways to build trust and reduce racial disparities. On Monday, he stopped by a meeting of police officials and civil rights leaders convened by Vice President Joe Biden on the topic.
Dallas shootings: Who were the victims?
“The conversation that took place around this table is very different than the one that you see on a day-to-day or hourly basis in the media”, he said. “I think that’s how we’ll start to mend the gap between all of us and I think that’s what he was saying”.
Advertisement
“I was really struck – I went to bed that night thinking about it and woke up thinking about it in the morning – what a tremendous challenge it’s going to be to fix the damage and change the perspectives that have been built up over generations”.
