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


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

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.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Protesters have clashed with riot police in Ferguson since Saturday, demanding that police release the name of the officer who they say unjustifiably killed Brown. Though police initially said they would release the officer's name, they've since changed course, saying they fear for the officer's safety.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
The UK-made Storm Shadow missiles Ukraine is using in Russia
The Explainer Ukraine reportedly deployed the long-range British missiles this week, following a tense meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump
-
Dry skin, begone! 8 products to keep your skin supple while traveling
The Week Recommends Say goodbye to dry and hello to hydration
-
Sudoku medium: October 23, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Trump demands millions from his administration
Speed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leak
Speed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroom
speed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deployment
Speed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ rallies
Speed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified files
Speed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DC
Speed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois