Obama says his son would look like Trayvon
President Obama said today the nation needs to do some “soul searching” over the shooting death of unarmed African-American teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida.
“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said at the White House.
Obama said he was limited in what he could say because his Justice Department is investigating the matter, but he called the case “obviously a tragedy” that should give the nation pause.
“I can only imagine what these parents are going through,” said Obama, the father of two daughters. “When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.
“I think all of us have to do some soul searching to figure out: How does something like this happen?” Obama said.
“And that means that we examine the laws and the context for what happened, as well as the specifics of the incident,” the president said.
Again citing Martin’s parents, Obama said, “I think they are right to expect that all of us, as Americans, are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and that we’re going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.”
The Justice Department and FBI have opened up a civil rights investigation of the shooting death of the 17-year-old Martin.
George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, said he shot Martin on Feb. 26 in self-defense.
Here are Obama’s full comments when he was asked about the shooting:
Well, I’m the head of the executive branch and the attorney general reports to me, so I’ve got to be careful about my statements to make sure that we’re not impairing any investigation that’s taking place right now.
But, obviously, this is a tragedy. I can only imagine what these parents are going through. And when I think about this boy, I think about my own kids. And, you know, I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this and that everybody pulls together — federal, state and local — to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened.
So I’m glad that not only is the Justice Department looking into it, I understand now that the governor of the state of Florida has formed a task force to investigate what’s taking place. I think all of us have to do some soul-searching to figure out how does something like this happen. And that means that we examine the laws and the context for what happened, as well as the specifics of the incident.
But my main message is to the parents of Trayvon Martin. You know, if I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon. And, you know, I think they are right to expect that all of us, as Americans, are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and that we’re going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened.
See photos of: Barack Obama, Trayvon Martin
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