On Tuesday, July 12, Pres. Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, former Pres. George Bush, and others gathered to honor the lives of five Dallas police officers killed in a deadly ambush last week. The solemn memorial service was dotted with sentiments of sympathy and honor, as the president delivered an emotion-filled address in memory of the fallen officers.
“I understand how Americans are feeling,” he said. “But Dallas, I’m here to say we must reject such despair. I’m here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem. And I know that because I know America. I know how far we’ve come against impossible odds.”
Not everyone was pleased with his speech, however.
While he commemorated the lives of the slain officers, Obama also made sure to address the persistent issue of strained race relations in America. Some felt that it was a “distasteful” move on his part, accusing the president of pushing his own agenda instead of honoring the cops. Other praised Obama for being unafraid to address the issues, instead of sweeping them under the rug.
Here’s a list of the good, bad, and ugliest reactions to Pres. Obama’s speech.
The Good:
"We cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protest as troublemakers" —@POTUS #DallasMemorial https://t.co/S2Lueskwzf
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016
The president's speech at the #DallasMemorial will go down in history as one of the best ever. Thank you Mr. President.
— Robert Katula (@undethebltarp) July 12, 2016
I am a conservative, and I am sick of all the ridiculous tweets about Obama's speech. It was actually pretty balanced. #DallasMemorial
— Kelly Campbell (@kcam23) July 12, 2016
If you listened to Obama at the #DallasMemorial and heard nothing but hate coming from him, you're the problem he was talking about.
— Abd'Aziz Bakare (@Backarray) July 12, 2016
@POTUS -Insisting that we root out racial bias is not an attack on cops but an effort to live up to our highest ideals.Amen #DallasMemorial
— Bernice for OBAMA (@Altibalba) July 12, 2016
I'm so proud of my president
— Alex Rios (@alexrioscomedy) July 12, 2016
The Bad:
President Obama brought shame to the White House today — absolute shame.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) July 12, 2016
Oh hey @potus @barackobama – Are you at the #dallasmemorial for FALLEN POLICE HEROES or a Black Lives Matters recruitment rally?
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 12, 2016
Shameful! #DallasMemorial – Americans Stood Idly By & WATCHED Jihadi Obama Spit in the Faces of our Fallen Officers! #Sickening
— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) July 12, 2016
Dear families of fallen police officers, we apologise that the president implies it's their own fault they were murdered. #DallasMemorial
— John from Texas (@Supersyn67) July 12, 2016
Somebody please tell the president that this is a memorial, not a State of the Union Address.#DallasMemorial
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) July 12, 2016
Imagine if Obama attended a memorial of Dylan Roof's victims and demanded that blacks need to change their ways. #DallasMemorial
— RAMZPAUL (@ramzpaul) July 12, 2016
The Ugly:
I'd rather eat a crap sandwich than listen to Obama's disingenuous claptrap today. #DallasMemorial
— Righteous Crusader (@Craftmastah) July 12, 2016
Wonder if at any moment did Obumer The Moron realize that this was a Memorial and not one of his BS speeches? #DallasMemorial
— Blizzack (@blizzack44) July 12, 2016
Seen a lot of thing but I've never seen someone give a stump speech from a dead cop's casket. You're something else Obama #DallasMemorial
— Joe Prich (@JoePrich) July 12, 2016
Obama hijacked the #DallasMemorial for cops killed by a racist to selfishly serve his political agenda lecturing U.S. & cops abt racism. SMH
— Tara Setmayer (@TaraSetmayer) July 12, 2016
Given their obvious disdain for white people & law-enforcement officers, the Obamas should not have NEVER attended the #DallasMemorial!
— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) July 12, 2016
Bring us together? Obama made a racist, divisive speech w/o the facts, just hours before the #DallasShootings. He's the biggest divider!!!
— The Patriot (@ThePatriot143) July 12, 2016