Former President Barack Obama talks about the two deadly mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso, requested to Americans to reject political leaders who spew racist, hateful, and dehumanizing rhetoric.
“We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalizes racist sentiments; leaders who demonize those who don’t look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people,” Obama said in comments posted on social media.point 491 |
“Such language isn’t new, it’s been at the root of most human tragedy throughout history, here in America and around the world.point 124 | ”point 131 | 1
Obama didn’t point out anyone and didn’t mention anyone’s name, it was inferred that his statement was about President Donald Trump, whose rhetoric has vacillated over the years from dog whistles to full-on racist and anti-immigrant attacks brewing fear, animosity, and division.
“It has no place in our politics and our public life,” Obama said. “And it’s time for the overwhelming majority of Americans of goodwill, of every race and faith and political party to say as much, clearly and unequivocally.”
During a speech at the University of Illinois last year, Obama criticized Trump, referencing the current president’s response to the deadly attack during a neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville.
“We’re supposed to stand up to discrimination, and we’re sure as heck supposed to stand up clearly and unequivocally to Nazi sympathizers,” Obama said last September. “How hard can that be, saying that Nazis are bad?”
In his statement, Obama called for new restrictions on guns.
“Every time this happens, we’re told that tougher gun laws won’t stop all murders, that they won’t stop every deranged individual from getting a weapon and shooting innocent people in public places,” Obama wrote. “But the evidence shows that they can stop some killings. They can save some families from heartbreak.”
“We’re not helpless here,” Obama wrote. “And until all of us stand up and insist on holding public officials accountable for changing our gun laws, these tragedies will keep happening.”