The mother of Jacob Blake apologized to President Trump for an “outburst” of a family member and for missing his call.
During an interview with CNN host Don Lemon after midnight, Julia Jackson said she has no anger toward Trump after her 29-year-old black son was shot repeatedly in the back by a police officer. While in the hospital with her son, Jackson said she prayed to God with a police officer for peace.
“Do you have anything to say Ms. Jackson to the politicians who are ought there? Anything you want to say to the president or the candidates? … Anything like that?” Lemon asked.
“For our President Trump: First, I want to say a family member, and I don’t know if it was heard or not, said something that was not kind. She is hurting, and I do apologize for that. Our outburst does not reflect our behavior,” Jackson said. “And then, also for President Trump, I’m sorry I missed your call because had I not missed your call, maybe the comments that you made would have been different. And I’m not mad at you at all. I have utmost respect for you as the leader of our country. Like I said before, and I’m not saying this to him directly, we should always get the details from the right source before we start throwing bricks.”
Protests and violence that broke out in Kenosha, a Wisconsin city of roughly 100,000 residents, have been rising ever since viral video emerged of Blake being shot several times by police at close range during an arrest on Sunday. The Wisconsin Department of Justice, with the help of the United States Justice Department, is investigating the shooting. Officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave, but their identities have not been released.
On Tuesday, Blake’s family members gave a press conference with attorney Ben Crump, who also represented the family of George Floyd. Crump said that Blake is paralyzed and is undergoing surgery. Blake is “struggling to sustain his life,” Crump said.
“I’m the baby. I’m his Meagle Beagle. He was my light,” said Megan Belcher, Blake’s sister. “You all took him from his family. You all stood by and let it happen.”
Blake’s other sister, Letetra Widman, who described herself as feeling “numb” by the incident, said, “I’m not sad. I don’t want your pity. I want change.”
Earlier in the interview with Lemon, Jackson said the family was “disgusted” with the violent havoc that followed the shooting and said, “We have to examine our hearts, and I’ve learned how to do that personally in my walk, my relationship with God, the Lord Jesus Christ. And when you do that, you get a peace. There’s a peace that I can’t even describe.”
Jackson said during the Tuesday press conference that she’s praying for police officers, their families, and for healing in the country. She also delivered a rebuke of racism, adding that human diversity reflects the diversity of nature.
“Let’s use our hearts, our love, and our intelligence to work together to show the rest of the world how humans are supposed to treat each other,” she said. “America is great when we behave greatly.”
“How dare we hate what we are? We are humans. God did not make one type of tree or flower or fish or horse or grass or rock. How dare you ask him to make one type of human that looks just like you? I’m not talking to just Caucasian people. I am talking to everyone: white, black, Japanese, Chinese, red, brown. No one is superior to the other. The only supreme being is God himself,” Jackson said. “Please, let’s begin to pray for healing for our nation. We are the United States. Have we been united? Do you understand what’s going to happen when we fall, because a house that is against each other cannot stand?”
