Obama: ‘Healthy’ for U.S. to talk about race relations

President Obama believes the ongoing national dialogue about race relations — particularly minority communities’ interactions with law enforcement — is “healthy” for the U.S. and could lead to long-term solutions.

In an interview with NPR recorded before he left for a two-week Hawaiian vacation, the president said he believes the nation is no more racially divided than it was six years ago, and protests in New York City, Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere aren’t evidence of increased racial tensions.

Instead, the protests demonstrate that the issue now has come into the spotlight in a way that could help spur progress.

“I actually think that the issue has surfaced in a way that probably is healthy,” Mr. Obama said. “The issue of police and communities of color being mistrustful of each other is hardly new; that dates back a long time. It’s just something that hasn’t been talked about, and for a variety of reasons. In some cases, something as simple as the fact that everybody has cellphones now so that you can record some of these events, you know, it’s gotten a lot of attention. I think that’s good. I think it then points to our ability to solve these problems.”

The president has spoken out on the issue multiple times in recent months, including after grand jury decisions in New York and Ferguson not to charge white police officers in connection with the deaths of black men.

Mr. Obama also condemned violence after a gunman assassinated two NYPD officers. The shooter claimed he acted in retaliation against law enforcement for its treatment of the black community.

On the broader point, the president said many white Americans have certain beliefs on racially tinged issues that stem not from racism but from a lack of information, or social awareness.

For example, he said white Americans may not understand that African-Americans statistically are more likely to be pulled over by police.

“If you’d asked whites in those jurisdictions — ’Do you think traffic stops were done fairly? — the majority of whites probably would say yes because it’s not something they experience,” Mr. Obama said. “It’s not because of racism. It’s just that it’s not something that they see.”