Obama, Bush together mourn slain Dallas police officers

Obama, Bush together mourn slain Dallas police officers. July. 14, 2016 07:23. by 워싱턴=이승헌 특파원ddr@donga.com. U.S. President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush on Tuesday stood side by side at the memorial at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas for five police officers who were killed by sniper fire in the city late last week. The former and incumbent U.S. presidents with different racial backgrounds and political ideologies stood hand in hand before a national tragedy considered the worst police disaster since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the U.S.

At the memorial service broadcast live on the U.S. media including CNN, Obama made a 30-minute speech at podium beside the funeral photos of the deceased police officers, calling for unity in American society. He looked somewhat tired probably because of the continued racial conflicts, although he is the first African American president of the U.S. However, he urged U.S. citizens to move forward to a better future, stressing that their country was not as divided as it seemed.

“We see all this and it's hard not to think sometimes that the center won't hold and that things might get worse,” he said. “Dallas, I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem. And I know that because I know America. I know how far we've come against impossible odds.”

Naming each of the five slain police officers, Obama said, “From the moment you put on that uniform, you have answered a call that at any moment, even in the briefest interaction, may put your life in harm’s way.” The White House said the president worked late into the night writing most of his speech in person and consulting scripture for inspiration.

Bush also came to podium, stressing unity. “We have never been held together by blood or background,” he said. “We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals.” As a choir sang “The Battle Hymn Of The Republic,” the Obamas and the Bushes stood up and sang the song together. Bush was caught cheerfully dancing to the music, inviting criticisms from many social media users.