Hi, everybody. It's been a challenging couple weeks. The shootings in Minnesota and Baton1 Rouge2; the protests; the targeting and murder of police officers in Dallas - it's left all of us struggling to make sense of things at times. Now, I know that for many, it can feel like the deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, and even widened.
But the America I know -the America I saw this week - is just not as divided as some folks try to insist. I saw it on Monday, when I met with law enforcement to talk about the challenges they face, and how too often, we ask our police to do too much - to be social workers, and teachers, guardians3, and drug counselors4 as well.
I saw it on Tuesday, when I traveled to Dallas for the memorial service for the five courageous5 officers who died in the line of duty - even as they were protecting protesters with whom they may have disagreed.
I saw it on Wednesday, when I hosted police chiefs, Black Lives Matter activists6, state and local leaders, and others for a discussion that lasted more than four hours - a discussion on more steps we can take to continue supporting the police who keep our streets safe, and instill confidence that the law applies to everyone equally.
And I saw it on Thursday, at a town hall in D.C., where we talked about how there is no contradiction between honoring police and recognizing the racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system, and trying to fix these discrepancies7.
These conversations were candid8, challenging, even uncomfortable at times. But that's the point. We have to be able to talk about these things, honestly and openly, not just in the comfort of our own circles, but with folks who look differently and think differently than we do. Otherwise, we'll never break this dangerous cycle. And that's what America's all about. Not just finding policies that work - but forging consensus9, fighting cynicism, and finding the political will to keep changing this country for the better.
That's what America gives us - all of us - the capacity to change.
It won't happen overnight. The issues we're grappling with go back decades, even centuries. But if we can open our hearts to try and see ourselves in one another; if we can worry less about which side has been wronged, and worry more about joining sides to do right, as equal parts of one American family - then I'm confident that together, we will lead our country to a better day.
Thanks everybody. Have a great weekend.
1 baton
n.樂隊用指揮杖
參考例句：
With the baton the conductor was beating time.樂隊指揮用指揮棒打拍子。 The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指揮揮動指揮棒，樂隊開始演奏起來。
2 rouge
n.胭脂，口紅唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口紅
參考例句：
Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面頰上涂胭脂，使臉更漂亮。 She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。
3 guardians
監(jiān)護人( guardian的名詞復數(shù) )； 保護者，維護者
參考例句：
Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 農(nóng)民應是鄉(xiāng)村的保衛(wèi)者。 The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的護衛(wèi)者。
4 counselors
n.顧問( counselor的名詞復數(shù) )；律師；（使館等的）參贊；（協(xié)助學生解決問題的）指導老師
參考例句：
Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顧問們開始調(diào)查工業(yè)方面的需要。 來自《現(xiàn)代英漢綜合大詞典》 We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 這里有經(jīng)驗的法律顧問全天候值班。） 來自超越目標英語 第4冊
5 courageous
adj.勇敢的，有膽量的
參考例句：
We all honour courageous people.我們都尊重勇敢的人。 He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壯語促使他奮起行動。
6 activists
n.（政治活動的）積極分子，活動家( activist的名詞復數(shù) )
參考例句：
His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了動物 權(quán)益維護者的抨擊。 Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 黨的激進分子中有很多出身于中產(chǎn)階級下層。 來自《簡明英漢詞典》
7 discrepancies
n.差異，不符合（之處），不一致（之處）( discrepancy的名詞復數(shù) )
參考例句：
wide discrepancies in prices quoted for the work 這項工作的報價出入很大 When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在將這個故事的兩個版本對照后，找出了主要的不符之處。 來自《簡明英漢詞典》
8 candid
adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的
參考例句：
I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的讀者多少包涵一些。 He is quite candid with his friends.他對朋友相當坦誠。
9 consensus
n.(意見等的)一致，一致同意，共識
參考例句：
Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我們能在這個問題上取得一致意見嗎？ What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午會議上一致的意見是什么
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