Former US President Barack Obama has published an article exploring his country's troubled conditions, coinciding with increasing protests over the killing of a black citizen, and deliberating questions on how to maintain the momentum for real change.
In his article on Medium, Obama says, "Finally, shaping the strategies that fit these times will be a task for the new generation of activists, but I believe that there are some basic lessons to be learned from past efforts that deserve to be remembered."
He believes that the waves of protests express a real and legitimate frustration caused by decades of failure to reform police practices and the criminal justice system in general, considering that the majority of the participants are peaceful, courageous and inspiring people, and that they deserve respect and support.
On the other hand, there is a minority that resorts to violence out of anger or just out of opportunism, and these offend the big issue, according to Obama's opinion.
And he says, "I saw an old black lady talking to reporters today shed tears, because the only grocery store in her neighborhood was destroyed. If we adopt history as our guide, we can expect that this store will take years to reopen, so we must not provide any justifications for violence." , And not to seek to facilitate or participate in it. "
The former president affirms that he listened to some of those who suggest that the recurrent problems related to ethnic bias in the criminal justice system demonstrate that only direct protests and movements can bring change, and that voting and participation in electoral political life is just a waste of time, but he says he disagrees with this view, because The significance of the protests is to raise public awareness to embarrass those who support injustice.
He adds that throughout American history, the interest of the political system in marginalized societies has been a response to protests and civil disobedience, and that aspirations must eventually be translated into laws, after the election of officials who respond to demands.
Obama also demands an understanding of the levels of government that have the greatest impact on the criminal justice system and police practices, and he continues, "We must strive to ensure that we have a president, Congress, the Ministry of Justice, and a federal judiciary who recognize the negative role that racism plays in our society, and they want to address this. However, elected officials The most influential in reforming the police stations and the criminal justice system work at the state and local council level. "
Protest and Politics That is
why Obama believes that making real change is not by choosing between protest and politics, but rather by doing both. It also calls for making demands for criminal justice and police reform more specific.
The former US President concludes his article by saying that the past few months have been difficult and frustrating, and that the fear, sadness, suspicion, and difficulties caused by the Corona epidemic are exacerbated by developments that mention that intolerance and injustice still constitute a large part of American life.
However, he expresses his optimism by witnessing the peak of civil activity by young people of all races, calling for turning this anger into peaceful, lasting and effective moves to bring about a real moment of transformation.