Former First lady Michelle Obama Reacts To Derek Chauvin Verdict: “There’s Still Work To Be Done”
While appearing on “CBS This Morning,” the former First Lady shared her reaction to Derek Chauvin’s trial and shared why she and President Barack Obama issued a rare statement on the verdict.
“The goal is to let leaders lead. But in certain times, people, you know, look to us often. ‘Well, what do you think? How do you feel?'” Mrs. Obama told CBS‘ Gayle King when asked about the verdict. As we previously reported, the Obamas released a statement after the verdict saying the Minnesota jury “did the right thing” in convicting Chauvin, but added that “true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial.”
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Mrs. Obama went on to say, “We know that while we’re all breathing a sigh of relief over the verdict, there’s still work to be done. And so we, we can’t sort of say, ‘Great. That happened. Let’s move on,'” she told King. “I know that people in the Black community don’t feel that way because many of us still live in fear.”
While speaking about her own experience being Black in America, she expressed worry about her own daughters, Sasha and Malia.
“Every time they get in a car by themselves, I worry about what assumption is being made by somebody who doesn’t know everything about them. The fact that they are good students and polite girls. But maybe they’re playin’ their music a little loud. Maybe somebody sees the back of their head and makes an assumption,” she said. “The innocent act of getting a license puts fear in our hearts.”
“I think we have to talk about it more. And we have to ask our fellow citizens to listen a bit more, and to believe us, and to know we don’t wanna be out there marchin’. I mean, all those Black Lives Matters kids, they’d rather not have to worry about this. They’re takin’ to the streets because they have to. They’re tryin’ to have people understand that we’re real folks, and the fear that many have of so many of us is irrational. And it’s based on a history that is just, it’s sad and it’s dark. And it’s time for us to move beyond that.”
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WATCH: Former First Lady @MichelleObama tells @GayleKing why she and former POTUS @BarackObama felt it was important to speak out after the jury found Derek Chauvin guilty for the murder of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/NApyPDqiRs
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) May 7, 2021
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