President Obama gets it.
At the end of a White House forum about criminal justice, Obama took the time to explain and defend the Black Lives Matter movement.
He’s a former professor with a law degree from one of the most distinguished institutions in the world, and that background was on full display as he calmly and firmly defined the movement, noted and anticipated criticism and proceeded to provide the logic behind his opinion:
‘Black Lives Matter’ is a social media movement that had tried to gel around Ferguson and the Eric Garner case and some other cases that came up. And very rapidly, it was posited as being in opposition to the police. And sometimes, like any of these loose organizations, some people pop off and say dumb things. And on the other hand, though, it started being lifted up as these folks are opposed to police and they’re opposed to cops, and all lives matter. So the notion was somehow saying black lives matter was reverse racism, or suggesting that other people’s lives didn’t matter, police officers’ lives didn’t matter.
Once Black Lives Matter launched and became a dynamic force online and on the streets, with young black people at the helm, detractors immediately cried “reverse racism” and insisted on counter-protesting with signs that read “All Lives Matter.”
There is clearly a slip in logic in such an assessment, and Obama made sure to address that in plain language:
I think the reason that the organizers used the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ was not because they said they were suggesting nobody else’s lives matter; rather, what they were suggesting was there is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community that’s not happening in other communities. And that is a legitimate issue that we’ve got to address.
The president’s comments on Black Lives Matter were not fiery, Black Panther-esque sound bites, but they do show what a different space the president is in right now.
Even this relatively tame, but firm and unequivocal support of a black movement would not have been possible for him to do in his first term or during campaign season.
Obama’s critics have accused him numerous times over the years of pandering to black people, and as a black man who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he has always had to do that political tap dance about issues that all politicians do with more steps and more intricacy.
During this last stretch of his second term, Obama has slowly but surely been hanging up the tap shoes in favor of sitting and holding court. This is an assured, relaxed Obama who will certainly not do anything to tarnish his own legacy or ruin post-White House opportunities, but he is also now immune to some of the consequences that go along with political speeches and actions. He is not a 2016 presidential candidate (the constitution prevents that), which means he doesn’t have to worry about the opinions of a few billionaires in a super PAC to keep his “war chest” full or about losing votes from whatever region of the country.
In his statements about Black Lives Matter, he made a point to talk about the importance of taking the politics out the discussion:
We as a society, particularly given our history, have to take this seriously. And one of the ways of avoiding the politics of this and losing the moment is everybody just stepping back for a second and understanding that the African American community is not just making this up, and it’s not just something being politicized; it’s real and there’s a history behind it. And we have to take it seriously.
The grievances that the Black Lives Matter movement bring to the forefront should be taken seriously, and it is refreshing to hear the leader of the free world offer his rational, logical support of a movement that is seeking basic human rights such as the right to breathe (even when in police custody).
Once Obama leaves the White House, and hence no longer has the burden/blessing of the presidency, all eyes will be on him to see what he does with this new political freedom.
He’s a great orator; it’s one of numerous qualities that helped get him elected president twice. How will he use that skill? Will he be a champion of the Black Lives Matter movement?
Only time will tell, and a nation, a world actually, will be watching.
Follow Demetria Irwin on Twitter @Love_Is_Dope and connect with her on Facebook.