Speaking for the first time since the neighbourhood watch
volunteer was acquitted of murder, Mr Obama spoke in highly personal terms as
he reflected on his remark last year that if he had a son, he would look like
Trayvon.
Drawing an even more direct connection to the 17-year-old,
he said: “Another way of saying that is, Trayvon Martin could’ve been me, 35
years ago.”
Mr Obama, in his most emotional and powerful words on race
since becoming President, made an unscheduled appearance in the White House
briefing room where he talked for 20 minutes without a teleprompter.
He described his own experiences of racial profiling, which
Trayvon’s family said that Mr Zimmerman did the night he shot him dead after he
told police that the teen was acting suspiciously.
“There are very few African-American men who haven’t had the
experience of being followed in a department store ... that includes me,” Mr
Obama said
“There are very few African-American men who haven’t had the
experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the
doors of cars. That happened to me, at least before I was a senator.
“There are very few African-Americans who haven’t had the
experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously
and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off. That happens often.”
The president has sought to walk a fine line on issues of
race since becoming the first black president, often to the frustration of
African-American leaders.
Despite that reticence, his public silence for nearly a week
had surprised some aides, especially as he had privately expressed his strong
sentiments about the case.
His words reportedly elicited cheers and fist pumps from
staff members, according to the Politico website.
Mr Obama also backed the calls by Eric Holder, his Attorney
General, for a review of controversial “stand your ground” self-defence laws to
head off violent confrontations.
“If Trayvon Martin was of age and he was armed, could he
have ’stood his ground’ on that sidewalk?” Mr Obama said.
He added: “If a white male teen was involved in the same
kind of scenario, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might
have been different.” He called for some “soul-searching” but he also expressed
concerns about politicians and pundits embarking on a “national conversation on
race”, as some have called for at protests since the verdict.
He also said he does not want the nation to “lose sight” of
the progress that has been made on race relations.
“It doesn’t mean we’re in a post-racial society or that racism
has been eliminated,” he said, but the situation was improving.
Mr Obama urged Americans to respect the jury’s verdict in
the trial, but some conservative commentators accused the president of playing
racial politics.
Mr Holder’s justice department is investigating whether to
press federal hate crime charges against Mr Zimmerman, but legal experts say it
is extremely unlikely that they will be able to find the evidence for such
prosecution.
Trayvon’s parents said they were “deeply honoured and moved”
by Mr Obama’s comments.
“What touches people is that our son, Trayvon Benjamin
Martin, could have been their son,” Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin said in a
statement.
“President Obama sees himself in Trayvon and identifies with
him. This is a beautiful tribute to our boy.” Miss Fulton and Mr Martin, who
have urged protesters to peacefully since the verdict, said they shared Mr
Obama’s commitment to “an open and difficult dialogue”.
Report by the telegraph.co.uk
this is a delicate message indeed which many presidents would not want to venture into. The case of racism today is so delicate many shy away from its discussion. I appreciate how Obama has dealt with this issue. Let his critics shut up. If they can take it the way he has done here let them do so that we may all see.
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