During “Show Me Your Walk, HBCU Edition,” an event for students graduating from historically black colleges and universities, former United States President Barack Obama openly criticized US leaders over their handling of the outbreak saying that, “a lot them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
“More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing. A lot them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
After leaving office, Obama has generally kept a low political profile. However last Friday, he unexpectedly criticized Trump’s handling of the pandemic as an “absolute chaotic disaster” in a call with 3,000 members of the Obama Alumni Association and urged them to back presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden.
At the two hour student event, the former president also touched on the disproportionate effects COVID-19 had on the African American population as well as the death of Ahmad Arbery.
“Let’s be honest: A disease like this just spotlights the underlying inequalities and extra burdens that black communities have historically had to deal with in this country,” Obama said. “We see it in the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on our communities, just as we see it when a black man goes for a jog and some folks feel like they can stop and question and shoot him if he doesn’t submit to their questioning.”
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