WASHINGTON DC —
President Obama
made a statement almost immediately following the St. Louis County
Prosecuting Attorney announcing that the grand jury had decided not to
indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the
shooting death of Michael Brown.
President Obama, speaking from the White House briefing room, made a
plea for peace from both sides: the protestors and the police.
“We are a nation of laws, so we need to accept that the decision was
the grand jury’s to make. There are Americans who agree with it and
there are Americans who are deeply disappointed … who are angry.”
The president continued by saying he joined Michael Brown’s parents
in asking that anyone who protests the decision do so peacefully.
“Michael Brown’s parents lost more than anyone. We should honor their
wishes,” the president said.
The president also made an appeal to the law enforcement in Ferguson
to work with the community “to distinguish the handful of people who
will use the grand jury’s decision as an excuse for violence from the
vast majority who just want their voices heard about legitimate issues
on how their community and law enforcement interact.”
The president tied Ferguson with the broader problem with law
enforcement with communities of color. “This is not just an issue for
Ferguson; this is an issue for America,” Obama said.
The president said that he’s instructed Attorney General Eric Holder
to work with cities across America to build better relationships between
communities and law enforcement.
READ MORE STORY HERE;
http://thegrio.com/2014/11/24/obama-grand-jury-statement/
