UPDATE:
Obama on deadly police shootings of black men: 'We can do better'
Obama on deadly police shootings of black men: 'We can do better'
Minnesota woman who streamed video of dying boyfriend decries police who shot him
But he also asked Americans to set aside old habits of thought and debate, like the fight over the name of the Black Lives Matter movement spurred by the killings of black men by white police officers.
"When people say black lives matter, that doesn't mean blue lives don't matter,” Obama said, referring to police officers. “It just means all lives matter but right now, the big concern is the fact that the data shows black folks are more vulnerable to these kinds of incidents."
Even as Obama traveled to deal with global security, he was once again forced to confront the troubles in U.S. cities and the ongoing tension between police and black communities that erupted into violence twice this week.
In a video that has shocked viewers, Alton Sterling was shot to death while he was pinned to the ground Tuesday by two white police officers in Baton Rouge, La.. The graphic video ignited anew the longrunning debate about race and the use of police force.
As protesters and community leaders demanded answers, a second shooting one night later in Falcon Heights, Minn., was also caught on video. Philando Castile was killed by police Wednesday in a traffic stop, the aftermath of which was broadcast via a Facebook Live video by his girlfriend, Diamond “Lavish” Reynolds.
Police have offered few details on the shooting, but Reynolds says she and Castile were pulled over on a traffic stop and then told to produce IDs. As Castile reached for his wallet, she said, he told police he was carrying a gun. Then Reynolds heard four or five shots.
The videos captured Americans’ attention, and as Obama prepared to leave Washington, his White House was caught up in the images being broadcast.
Obama went before the microphones with statistics in hand: Black drivers are more likely to be pulled over for traffic stops. After being pulled over, blacks and Hispanics are three times more likely to be searched. Last year African Americans were shot by police at more than twice the rate of whites, he said.
“These are facts,” Obama said. “And when incidents like this occur there's a big chunk of our fellow citizenry that feels as if because of the color of their skin they're not being treated the same. And that hurts.”
Memoli reported from Warsaw and Parsons from Washington.
I know people will hate his response, but IN THE CONFINES OF LEGALITY, all he can do is sign laws, and encourage policy.
The change MUST come from local communities and LOCAL politicians.
The POTUS only affects sweeping policy changes, not local law enforcement.
I appreciate his sentiments and I know that in THESE TIMES, he has to be careful with how he presents his arguments because so much is at stake. People you don't agree with, get to vote too, and you can't be as reckless as I assume he truly wants to be.
Why is it that Chicago is a million little districts?
Folks in Ferguson (we're not talking about Chicago) have an oppurtunity to have some say so in the direction of their community. But according to you, Black people voting and putting in office elected officials with their interests at heart is waste, despite being the majority. 
all that causes is traffic jams and some sense of moral encouragement and solidarity.
