Former President Barack Obama is speaking out amid the current chaos unfolding across the country.
In an essay published to Medium, President Obama offers some guidance as to how we move forward as a nation.
“I wrote out some thoughts on how to make this moment a real turning point to bring about real change––and pulled together some resources to help young activists sustain the momentum by channeling their energy into concrete action,” President Obama said in a tweet on Monday linking to the article.
In response to the protests, he says that they represent “genuine and legitimate frustration.”
He also condemns the violence set forth by those who believe remaining peaceful is no longer an option.
“On the other hand, the small minority of folks who’ve resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause. So let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it.”
Read his full remarks here.
