Posted on 12/07/2014 3:24:10 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
President Obama will sit down with BET Networks to discuss calls for criminal justice reform after two controversial grand jury decisions cleared white officers in the death of black men.
In a special segment, "BET News Presents: A Conversation with President Barack Obama," the president will help find meaningful solutions to unrest after the deaths of Michael and Eric Garner sparked nationwide protests.
"This isn't going to be solved overnight," Obama said in an excerpt of the interview to air Dec. 8 at 6 p.m.
The interview, hosted by BET host and TV journalist Jeff Johnson, marks the president's first network discussion outlining his strategy to investigate the incidents and ways the country can unify during this time.
"This is something that's deeply rooted in our society, deeply rooted in our history. But the two things that will allow us to solve it: Number one: Is the understanding that we have made progress and so it's important to recognize that as painful as these instances our, we can't equate what's happening now with what was happening 50 years ago. If you talk to your parents, grandparents, uncles, they'll tell you that things are better,"
Speaking to youth on the music-variety series targeting African Americans, Obama also cited "progress" as the second most critical step.
His speech comes after two weeks of protests that followed two nationally watched decisions against prosecuting white police officers who shot Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Garner in New York.
Garner, 43, died after a white police officer placed him in chokehold while attempting to arrest him in July. Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot in August.
As soon as I saw BET, I stopped reading it. If he truly wanted to address racial divisions, he should address it to FNC...
I wonder if Obama will be dressed like a typical black male...with boxers showing...
Terrific post. You need to run for public office.
Will BET challenge Obama on the Depression-era level of Black unemployment all through his presidency?
Will BET challenge Obama on giving Green Cards to five million illegal aliens who will take jobs and government resources from Blacks?
The Magic 8 Ball says....No.
BET networks, for black ears only, who are not interested in any relations that dont include a payout. Fanning the flames of race to the racists on a network that whitey has no reason to watch
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