Obama Warns: “Sacrifice May Be Necessary” to Resist Trump
Former President Barack Obama admitted during a speech at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, that some sacrifice might be necessary in order to resist President Donald Trump’s policies.
During the event, Obama accused the Trump administration of trying to destroy the post-World War II international order.
He then called Trump’s behavior “contrary to the basic compact we have as Americans” and urged students to do more to resist Trump’s policies.
“It has been easy during most of our lifetimes to say you are a progressive, or say you are for social justice, or say you are for free speech, and not have to pay a price for it,” Obama said.
“And now we’re in one of those moments when… it’s not enough just to say you’re for something. You may actually have to do something and possibly sacrifice a little bit.”
Obama stated that law firms and universities need to take a more active role in resisting Trump, arguing that there would be massive pushback if he had attempted similar actions.
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“It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me or a whole bunch of my predecessors,” Obama said.
The former president added that he is “deeply concerned with a federal government that threatens universities if they don’t give up students who are exercising their right to free speech.”
“All of you have grown up in an international order that was created by America after World War II,” he said.
“This is an important moment because, in the last two months, the U.S. government has been trying to destroy that order,” Obama added.
“Democracy is pretty recent in its vintage. An international order where you cooperate instead of fight is new. It’s fragile.”
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