President Obama wrote an open letter to the nation’s police officers Monday night to say “we have your backs,” after two separate shootings in which eight police officers were killed in Dallas and Baton Rouge.
His letter was addressed to the “brave members of our law enforcement community” and was posted on the Fraternal Order of Police’s Facebook page. Obama offered his unwavering support to police as they “do their difficult, dangerous jobs.”
“I want you to know that the American people see it, too,” the president wrote. “We recognize it, we respect it, we appreciate it, and we depend on you.”
Obama said he will not use the current tense situations in many states “to divide police and communities you serve.”
“I reject those efforts, for they do not reflect the reality of our nation,” Obama wrote.
Police are the best “example of our most basic freedoms,” and said they “have a right to go home to your family just like anybody else.”
Despite his words, the Obama administration has said it would not light up the White House in blue to honor the fallen police. On Monday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest couldn’t explain why this symbolic step wouldn’t take place, even though the White House has been lit up before in pink for breast cancer awareness, and in the LGBT rainbow to celebrate same-sex marriage.
Still, Obama praised police, and named some of the officers who were killed over the last few weeks.
“As you continue to serve us in this tumultuous hour, we again recognize that we can no longer ask you to solve issues we refuse to address as a society,” Obama wrote. “We should give you the resources you need to do your job, including our full-throated support.”
And even though there is some distrust of police Obama assured officers, “We have your backs.”
On July 7, police officers in Dallas were ambushed during a peaceful protest against police brutality, killing 5 and wounding 11 more.
On July 17, a gunman attack six Baton-Rouge area police officers, killing three and wounding three, one critically.
The motives of both gunman were said to have been against recent treatment by police of black Americans.
