Obama urges Americans to reject ‘racist’ sentiments

Former President Barack Obama on Monday released a pointed statement condemning “language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders” that “normalizes racist sentiments.” The statement, which did not directly name President Donald Trump, follows two mass shootings in the US in the span of 13 hours — one of which involved a white supremacist suspect.

“We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalizes racist sentiments; leaders who demonize those who don’t look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people,” Obama said.

“It’s time for the overwhelming majority of Americans of goodwill, of every race and faith and political party, to say as much — clearly and unequivocally,” he added.

Obama’s statement on Monday marked one of his most forceful condemnations of Trump’s rhetoric since leaving office. While he did not name Trump, as is his custom, Obama has occasionally criticized the President — such as