THE BRONX — President Barack Obama paid tribute to both the slain NYPD officer and protesters of excessive police force around the country in a speech at Lehman College that focused on expanding opportunities for young men of color in the United States.
The president was visiting the borough on Monday to launch the My Brother's Keeper Alliance, a new nonprofit group that aims to improve the lives of minorities in America and make sure everyone in the country has a shot at success.
He made several references to the recent spate of protests triggered by the deaths of community members at the hands of local law enforcement but argued that restricting the conversation about the protests to policing would not actually get at the heart of what drove them. He said there was a pervasive sense of unfairness and powerlessness in communities with the odds stacked against them.
"In addressing the issues in Baltimore, in Ferguson and New York, the point I made was that if we're just looking at policing, we're looking at it too narrowly," he said. "If we ask the police to simply contain and control problems that we ourselves have been unwilling to invest and solve, that's not fair to the communities. It's not fair to the police."
He noted that the NYPD had just lost one of its officers this morning, referring to the death of Police Officer Brian Moore, and praised most law enforcement officials as people who worked hard to do their jobs well.
"The overwhelming majority of police officers are good and honest and fair and care deeply about their communities," he said, "and they put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe."
Obama's language occasionally echoed that of the protesters, namely their famed rallying cry "Black Lives Matter." This was especially true when he explained how the government originally launched My Brother's Keeper more than a year ago in the wake of Trayvon Martin's death.
"We wanted a message sent from the White House to be sustainable: that his life mattered," he said. "That the lives of the young men who are here today matter."
He described the mission of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance as a personal one, saying that he saw himself in several young men of color and that the only difference between him and them is that he grew up in a more forgiving environment.
"They're just as talented as me, just as smart," he said. "They don't get a chance."
He discussed the initiative in economic terms as well, noting that keeping more children in school and out of the criminal justice system would ultimately mean producing more taxpayers and employees.
Although Obama's presidency is now winding down, he pledged that his commitment to this issue would not diminish upon leaving office.
"This will remain a mission for me and for Michelle not just for the rest of my presidency but for the rest of my life," he said.
The president planned on heading to Midtown after his speech to make his eighth and final appearance on the "Late Show With David Letterman," according to TV Guide. Police warned commuters to expect street and pedestrian closures and to plan not to drive.
