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Obama's comments came as the US defence secretary reversed course to keep active-duty troops deployed near Washington DC amid ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd.

Obama has said he is inspired by the involvement of young people in the George Floyd protests, saying there is a "change in mindset taking place" in the US during a town hall livestreamed by his foundation.

Beginning his speech by saying he and wife Michelle were keeping the families of victims of police violence in their prayers, the former US president said the protest movement which has spread across the world is the result "not just of immediate moments in time", but a long history of slavery and discrimination.

"The original sin of our society," he said.

Obama said he believed the coronavirus pandemic had disproportionately affected communities of colour in both its economic and health impact.

"Over the last several weeks ... challenges, structural problems here in the United States have been thrown into high relief," Obama said.

However, he said the recent events created an opportunity for the US to "live up to its highest ideals", urging local governments to review their policing policies and commit to reforms proposed during his time in office.

"In some ways, as tragic as these past few weeks have been as difficult and scary and uncertain as they've been they've also been an incredible opportunity for people to be awakened to some of these underlying trends," he said.

Obama spoke as confusion descended on the status of troops in Washington, DC.

Defence Secretary Mark Esper declared on Wednesday he opposes using military troops for law enforcement in containing current street protests, tamping down threats from President Donald Trump, who had warned states he was willing to send soldiers to "dominate" their streets.

Less than 48 hours after the president to contain protests if governors were not able to get a handle on unrest, Esper said the 1807 law should be invoked in the United States "only in the most urgent and dire of situations." He added, "We are not in one of those situations now."

Yet Esper abruptly overturned an earlier Pentagon decision to send a couple hundred active-duty soldiers home from the Washington, DC, region, amid growing tensions with the White House over the military response to the protests.

The issue of the military deployed on streets is a sensitive one in the US because civilian rule is a central aspect of American democracy.

At Trump's encouragement, Esper had ordered about 1300 Army personnel to military bases just outside the nation's capital.

Defence officials said some of the troops were beginning to return to their home base Wednesday, but after Esper visited the White House following a press conference, plans changed, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press.

McCarthy said he believes the change was based on ensuring there is enough military support in the region to respond to any protest problems if needed.

McCarthy said he received notice of the Pentagon order to send about 200 soldiers with the 82nd Airborne's immediate response force home just after 10am on Wednesday. Hours later, the Pentagon notified him that Esper had reversed the decision.

Mark Esper, US secretary of defence.

The move to keep the troops in the region, however, comes as Pentagon leaders continue to insist they do not want to use active-duty forces to help quell the protests.

Earlier in the day, Esper had tamped down threats from Trump about sending troops to "dominate" the streets, telling reporters at a Pentagon news conference that he opposes using military forces for law enforcement in containing the current street protests.

Active-duty troops should be used in the US "only in the most urgent and dire of situations," he said, adding, "We are not in one of those situations now."

Members of the D.C. National Guard stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial monitoring demonstrators during a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 2 in Washington, DC.

"It is our intent at this point not to bring in active forces, we don't think we need them at this point," McCarthy said in an interview with The Associated Press. "But it's prudent to have the reserve capability in the queue, on a short string."

The AP reported earlier Wednesday that the 82nd Airborne soldiers would be the first to leave and would be returning home to Fort Bragg, NC. The remainder of the active-duty troops, who have all been kept at military bases outside the city in northern Virginia and Maryland, would get pulled home in the coming days if conditions allowed.

But then the Pentagon changed its plans.

"It's a dynamic situation," said McCarthy, adding that the 82nd Airborne troops "will stay over an additional 24 hours and it is our intent - we're trying to withdraw them and get them back home."

The active-duty troops have been available, but not used in response to the protests.

About 1300 active-duty troops were brought in to the capital region early this week as protests turned violent. The protests came in the aftermath of the death in Minnesota of a black man, George Floyd, who died after a white police officer pressed his knee to Floyd's neck for several minutes.

The active-duty unit that will be last to remain on alert is the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, which is normally most visible as the soldiers who stand at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The troops, known as the Old Guard, are based close to DC at Fort Myer, Virginia, and have been on 30-minute alert status. They would continue to be prepared to respond to any emergency in the region within a half-hour for as long as needed.

Pentagon leaders have consistently said there continues to be no intent to use the active-duty forces in any law enforcement capacity. They would be used to assist the National Guard or other forces.

So far, Indiana has sent about 300 National Guard troops to D.C., Tennessee has sent about 1000 and South Carolina has sent more than 400.

AP, staff

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Obama speaks to soothe nation, as US Army stays put in Washington - Sydney Morning Herald

You know, I just had an opportunity to speak with the Floyd family, a group of them, most of them. Theyre a close, decent, honorable family, loving one another. And once again we heard the words, and they heard them, I cant breathe an act of brutality so elemental, it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and his human rights. It denied him of his very humanity. It denied him of his life, depriving George Floyd as it deprived Eric Garner of one of the things every human being must be able to do: breathe. So simple, so basic, so brutal.

You know, the same thing happened with [Ahmaud] Arbery, the same thing happened with Breonna Taylor, the same thing with George Floyd. Weve spoken their names aloud. Weve cried them out in pain and in horror. Weve chiseled them into long-suffering hearts. Theyre the latest additions to the endless list of stolen potential wiped out unnecessarily. You know, its a list that dates back more than 400 years. Black men, black women, black children.

The original sin of this country still stains our nation today, and sometimes we manage to overlook it. We just push forward with the thousand other tasks in our daily life, but its always there, and weeks like this, we see it plainly that were a country with an open wound. None of us can turn away. None of us can be silent. None of us can any longer, can we hear the words I cant breathe and do nothing. We cant fail victims, like what Martin Luther King called the appalling silence of good people.

Every day, African-Americans go about their lives with constant anxiety and trauma, wondering who will be next. Imagine if every time your husband or son, wife or daughter left the house, you feared for their safety from bad actors and bad police. Imagine if you had to have that talk with your child about not asserting your rights, taking the abuse handed out to them so, just so they can make it home. Imagine having police called on you just for sitting in Starbucks or renting an Airbnb or watching birds. This is the norm black people in this country deal with. They dont have to imagine it. The anger and frustration and the exhaustion is undeniable.

But thats not the promise of America. Its long past time that we made the promise of this nation real for all people. You know, this is no time for incendiary tweets. Its no time to encourage violence. This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now. Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism. Its time for us to take a hard look at the uncomfortable truths. Its time for us to face that deep open wound we have in this nation.

We need justice for George Floyd. We need real police reform to hold cops to a higher standard that so many of them actually meet, that holds bad cops accountable and repairs relationships between law enforcement and the community theyre sworn to protect. We need to stand up as a nation with the black community, with all minority communities, and come together as one America.

Thats the challenge we face. You know, its going to require those of us who sit in some position of influence to finally deal with the abuse of power. The pain is too immense for one community to bear alone. I believe its the duty of every American to grapple with it, and to grapple with it now. With our complacency, our silence, we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence.

Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable, but if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more without treating the underlying injury, well never truly heal. The very soul of America is at stake. We must commit as a nation to pursue justice with every ounce of our being. We have to pursue it with real urgency. Weve got to make real the promise of America, which weve never fully grasped: that all men and women are equal, not only in creation but throughout their lives.

Again, Georges family, thanks for taking the time to talk to me. I promise you, I promise you, well do everything in our power to see to it that justice is had in your brother, your cousins case. I love you all, and folks, weve got to stand up. Weve got to move. Weve got to change.

I want to share parts of the conversations Ive had with friends over the past couple days about the footage of George Floyd dying face-down on the street under the knee of a police officer in Minnesota.

The first is an email from a middle-aged African-American businessman.

Dude I gotta tell you the George Floyd incident in Minnesota hurt. I cried when I saw that video. It broke me down. The knee on the neck is a metaphor for how the system so cavalierly holds black folks down, ignoring the cries for help. People dont care. Truly tragic.

Another friend of mine used the powerful song that went viral from 12-year-old Keedron Bryant to describe the frustrations he was feeling.

The circumstances of my friend and Keedron may be different, but their anguish is the same. Its shared by me and millions of others.

Its natural to wish for life to just get back to normal as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly normal whether its while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park.

This shouldnt be normal in 2020 America. It cant be normal. If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better.

It will fall mainly on the officials of Minnesota to ensure that the circumstances surrounding George Floyds death are investigated thoroughly and that justice is ultimately done. But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day to work together to create a new normal in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.

See more here:
What Trump, Biden and Obama Said About the Death of George Floyd - The New York Times

A lot of NBA players, present and former, have been talking about the George Floyd incident. A 46-year-old African American, Floyd lost his life in an alleged homicide involving the Minneapolis police. While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, Hall of Famer Shaquille ONeal also condemned it.

ONeal called out the policemen and current president Donald Trump as well. I wish we would have somebody in a leadership position in the White House that would bring people together. I really miss Obama, I think he wouldve handled this situation with class and with honor.

After calling out the National Guard to tackle the protests, Trump reportedly hid in a bunker, drawing further outrage.

ONeal has completed his police training and was also sworn in as deputy of the Florida sheriff back in 2017. So as someone who knows how police methods are he says he was disgusted when he saw the video. Ive never seen that technique taught. A lot of police officers I talked to would never do that.

We demand justice. They tried to appease us by arresting one guy, but it was four officers out there. The governor of Minnesota needs to do something. I think the other three guys need to be arrested. I think thats all the family is looking for.He said that justice is all that the Floyd family wants. After Derek Chauvin was charged for second-degree murder, the other three cops who stood and looked on have also been arrested for aiding and abetting the death of an unarmed man.

With protests turning aggressive in the country, many have criticized the violence that has stemmed from it. Looting, burning cars, shops, and other businesses have caused a lot of damage. But Shaq says he understands their frustration. Im all for peaceful protesting. I dont like the opportunists that are riding around the neighborhoods leaving bricks trying to cause riots. Dont like people breaking into stores. I dont condone all that, but I am for peaceful protesting and I am for justice.

Throughout the whole time he spoke, Shaq was calm and spoke politely but one can sense how tired he seems of such repetitive incidents in the country.

Excerpt from:
I Really Miss Obama : Shaquille ONeal Calls Out Lack of Leadership From Donald Trump and the White House - Essentially Sports

Former President Obama on Tuesday urged voters to "demand better" of the government after the Trump administration rolled back a key Obama-era fuel standard intended to combat climate change.

"We've seen all too terribly the consequences of those who denied warnings of a pandemic. We can't afford any more consequences of climate denial," Obama tweeted. "All of us, especially young people, have to demand better of our government at every level and vote this fall."

We've seen all too terribly the consequences of those who denied warnings of a pandemic. We can't afford any more consequences of climate denial. All of us, especially young people, have to demand better of our government at every level and vote this fall. https://t.co/K8Ucu7iVDK

The Trump administration on Tuesday slashed Obama-era standards that require automakers to produce fleets that average nearly 55 mpg by 2025. Instead, the Trump rule would bring that number down to about 40 mpg by 2026, bringing mileage below what automakers have said is possible for them to achieve.

The Trump administration has primarily argued that cutting Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards will allow automakers to produce cheaper cars, allowing consumers to buy newer vehicles with upgraded safety features and lower gas consumption.

But experts are skeptical about the actual benefits of the newer vehicle safety features in comparison to the threat of climate change. The Obama-era standard was one of the administration's most prominent efforts to mitigate pollution.

The 44th president's tweet weighing in on the decision marked one of his more direct rebukes to his successor. Obama has largely stayed out of the political fray since leaving office aside from endorsing and campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

The tweet appeared to double as a jab at Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 165,000 people in the U.S. and killed more than 3,000 Americans.

Trumprepeatedly downplayed the threat of the virus in January and February, saying it was "under control," suggesting it would dissipate with warmer weather in April and predicting the number of cases domestically would quickly drop to "close to zero."

Trump has blamed Obama andhis other predecessors for his government's slow rollout of testing kits,and sought to shift attention to how the Obama administration handled theH1N1 outbreak.

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Obama urges voters to 'demand better' after Trump rolls back fuel standards | TheHill - The Hill

Hollywood actress and singer Bette Midler said Wednesday she believes President Trumps jealous of former President Barack Obama will kill us all.

There is no end to the cruelty and malignancy of @realdonaldJtrump and his horrifying administration," Midler said on Twitter. His overwhelming jealousy of @BarackObama will kill us all.

The post, which was retweeted over 5,000 times, came in response to a New York Times article with the headline Obamacare Markets Will Not Reopen, Trump Decides, suggesting that Trump has made it more difficult for workers recently laid off due to the coronavirus to get health insurance.

The article does say in the fourth paragraph, however, that Trumps decision will not prevent Americans who recently lost their jobs from obtaining health insurance if they want it.

Midler has been a consistent critic of the president for several years. She has mocked black attendees at Trump rallies, joked about stabbing him, compared her Twitter spat with him to the Battle of the Bulge, and claimed that Trump is raping us all with impunity.

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Bette Midler: Trump's 'overwhelming jealousy of Barack Obama will kill us all' - Washington Examiner