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Obama made his
first public remarks about the group, which grew in aftermath of
police shootings of unarmed black men, during a discussion of
the importance of criminal justice reform.
Critics of Black Lives Matter allege the group promotes bias
against other groups, including white Americans and police, and
started the saying, "all lives matter."
"I think the reason that the organizers used the phrase, 'Black
Lives Matter,' was not because they were suggesting nobody
else's lives matter," Obama said while speaking on a panel
convened at the White House to address criminal justice issues.
"What they were suggesting was, there is a specific problem that
is happening in the African-American community that is not
happening in other communities. That is a legitimate issue that
we've got to address."
The Black Lives Matter movement grew on social media around the
protests in Ferguson, Missouri after a white police officer shot
and killed an unarmed black teen in August 2014.
"There is a specific concern as to whether African-Americans in
certain jurisdictions are not being treated fairly or are
subject to excessive force more frequently," Obama said.
He cautioned that pointing out bias against the black Americans
by police should use data rather than anecdotes and avoid
painting the picture with "a broad brush."
(Reporting by Julia Edwards; Editing by Christian Plumb)
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