Obama on Michael Brown's death: Honor him 'in a way that heals'

Obama on Michael Brown&#039;s death: Honor him &#039;in a way that heals&#039;

(Image credit: Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

President Obama on Tuesday offered his "deepest condolences" to the family of Michael Brown, the black teen who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, on Saturday.

"I know the events of the past few days have prompted strong passions, but as details unfold, I urge everyone in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the country, to remember this young man through reflection and understanding," Obama said in a statement. "We should comfort each other and talk with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds."

Notably, Obama did not mention race in the statement, as he did in televised remarks following the controversial ruling in the Trayvon Martin case. At that time, Obama said few black men in America could claim to have never experienced some form of racial discrimination, adding that Martin "could have been me 35 years ago." The remark sparked a furious backlash from some on the right who accused the president of needlessly injecting race into the discussion.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox