Michelle Obama has never shied away from airing her concerns over the current U.S. President, Donald Trump. Releasing a 24-minute speech, the former first lady has called out the President’s actions, calling them “morally wrong” and “racist” to urge voters to choose Joe Biden in the upcoming election.
In the video posted to her Instagram, Obama shared her thoughts on Trump and his administration in the White House for the last four years, including his lack of control over the coronavirus pandemic and his apathetic approach to the ongoing racial discrimination that has caused world wide protests and demands for justice.
“We can no longer pretend that we don’t know exactly who and what this president stands for. Search your hearts, and your conscience, and then vote for Joe Biden like your lives depend on it,” she said.
From there, Obama made sure to call out the gaslighting that is continuously directed at BIPOC communities in the United States, and at the hands of Trump himself, who she called out for using his white privilege to make the problem even worse.
“Think about it: You’ve worked hard all your life, and for too long, you’ve watched the rich get richer… you’ve seen your beloved towns shattered by joblessness… and it’s frustrating to hear some folks say that you’ve been the beneficiary of privilege, that the colour of your skin gives you a head start,” she stated.
Obama also criticised Trump’s tactics, saying that he is trying to “tap into that frustration and distract from his breathtaking failures by giving folks someone to blame other than them.”
“They’re stoking fears about Black and Brown Americans, lying about how minorities will destroy the suburbs, whipping up violence and intimidation.… It’s morally wrong, and, yes, it is racist.”
Continuing, the former First Lady brought up how Trump government’s mishandled the coronavirus pandemic for the entire country, but particularly for those with school-age children.
“If you’re a parent like me, you’re feeling the consequences of this president’s failure to take this pandemic seriously, from his constant downplaying of the importance of masks and social distancing to his relentless pressure on schools to open without offering a clear plan or meaningful support to keep students and teachers safe,” she said.
“As a mom, it is frightening thinking about all these young people who were just our babies yesterday quarantined alone in dorms or apartments with little or no support as the disease continues to spread. … Imagine the toll that worry is taking on families across this country.”
Through her organisation, When We All Vote, Michelle Obama has been encouraging U.S. citizens to vote, as voting is not mandatory. The organisation and Obama have been actively trying to change the culture around voting, through education and celebrity advocacy.
Concluding her speech, Obama announced that a Biden presidency would be a much-needed “fresh start”, and she went onto ensure that we don’t have the “luxury to assume that things are going to turn out okay.”
“Work like this may not feel as impactful as attending a protest, but trust me, it is absolutely the most important thing that we can do right now to save our democracy.”
