A response to your petition on Black Lives Matter
Thanks for participating on the We the People platform.
You recently signed a petition asking the Administration to "Formally
recognize Black Lives Matter as a terrorist organization."
In the wake of the tragic recent events in Dallas, Falcon Heights, and Baton
Rouge, the President brought together law enforcement officials, civil
rights leaders, activists, faith leaders, academics, and state and local
elected officials this week to encourage frank conversations about the steps
we can take together to build trust and ensure justice for all Americans.
As part of these conversations, the President directly addressed the concern
that the "Black Lives Matter" slogan, social media movement, and the
associated protests are somehow inherently anti-police:
"I know that there are some who have criticized even the phrase 'black lives
matter,' as if the notion is, is that other lives don't matter. And so you
get 'all lives matter' or 'blue lives matter.' I understand the point they'
re trying to make. I think it's important for us to also understand that the
phrase 'black lives matter' simply refers to the notion that there's a
specific vulnerability for African Americans that needs to be addressed. It'
s not meant to suggest that other lives don't matter. It's to suggest that
other folks aren't experiencing this particular vulnerability.
"And so we shouldn't get too caught up in this notion that somehow people
who are asking for fair treatment are somehow, automatically, anti-police,
are trying to only look out for black lives as opposed to others. I think we
have to be careful about playing that game, just because that's not
obviously what is intended."
This is a difficult time for our nation and this is a charged debate that
stirs deep emotion. Speaking at the memorial service in Dallas earlier in
the week, the President emphasized that progress requires, in part,
Americans on all sides to “stand in each other’s shoes and look at the
world through each other’s eyes.” He added:
"With an open heart, those protesting for change will guard against reckless
language going forward, look at the model set by the five officers we mourn
today, acknowledge the progress brought about by the sincere efforts of
police departments like this one in Dallas, and embark on the hard but
necessary work of negotiation, the pursuit of reconciliation.
"With an open heart, police departments will acknowledge that, just like the
rest of us, they are not perfect; that insisting we do better to root out
racial bias is not an attack on cops, but an effort to live up to our
highest ideals. And I understand these protests -- I see them, they can be
messy. Sometimes they can be hijacked by an irresponsible few. Police can
get hurt. Protestors can get hurt. They can be frustrating.
"But even those who dislike the phrase 'Black Lives Matter,' surely we
should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterling's family … and know that
his life mattered to a whole lot of people of all races, of all ages, and
that we have to do what we can, without putting officers' lives at risk, but
do better to prevent another life like his from being lost.
"With an open heart, we can worry less about which side has been wronged,
and worry more about joining sides to do right. Because the vicious killer
of these police officers, they won't be the last person who tries to make us
turn on one other. The killer in Orlando wasn't, nor was the killer in
Charleston. We know there is evil in this world. That's why we need police
departments. But as Americans, we can decide that people like this killer
will ultimately fail. They will not drive us apart. We can decide to come
together and make our country reflect the good inside us, the hopes and
simple dreams we share."
The White House plays no role in designating domestic terror organizations.
The U.S. government does not generate a list of domestic terror
organizations, and therefore we are not able to address the formal request
of your petition. We encourage you to engage with your community in the
ongoing discussion of how we can better build trust and safety in our
communities.
Thank you for your participation in the We the People platform. We'll be
back in touch soon.
-- The We the People Team
